Ella McCready recently released her debut EP “Breathe” on the 2nd of September and it’s a debut not to be missed. Having released 7 singles in the space of a year, Ella has been working hard at creating a space for herself in the industry as a hugely powerful vocalist and songwriter. This EP sees Ella take a step away from some of the upbeat dance pop that we’ve heard her release so far, and go right back to what feels like her true musical roots. It is a real showcase of her captivating voice and uplifting song writing.

We recently had a chat with McCready in order to discuss more insights into her music journey. 

Hi there Ella. So lovely to have you over at ReVamp! How has this year been going for you?

It’s been intense! The live music industry has come back with a bang since the nightmare of Covid and I’ve been performing non-stop with various function and corporate acts. It’s an amazing feeling to be back to doing what I love so regularly and this work has allowed me to fund my EP, which has been the most exciting part of my year and by far the biggest project I’ve attempted as a singer/songwriter!

Is there anything that you’re doing in order to maintain your creativity during times like these?

I perform regularly at events all over the country with my covers band, and my other work is also in events, so after years of working in hospitality and retail in order to pay the bills, I can now finally call myself a full time creative — that’s a really good feeling.

You recently released your debut EP “Breathe”. Huge congratulations on the project! Are you enjoying the response that you have been receiving from your listeners so far?

The response has been amazing. There’s so much anxiety involved in releasing music, especially a bigger project like this, and I spend a lot of time stressing about whether or not people will like it, or even listen to it. I celebrated the release with a launch gig in London and it was a huge success — one of the best nights of my life to be honest! Since then, streaming numbers have been climbing steadily and I’ve had some lovely reviews and write ups, including ReVamp of course! It’s so humbling to see so many people listening to my music and appreciating the work I’ve put into this project.

What was the creative process like with the project? Did you face any kind of challenge during the production stage of the EP?

I did hit a bit of a road bump in the early stages of production when I started working with a producer I’d been really excited about. Unfortunately when I got the first track back it didn’t at all reflect what we’d been imagining for the project and though I tried to break this down into detailed notes, the producer didn’t respond well and dropped out. It did slow things down but was a learning experience for me — no matter how much you might like somebody’s work, sometimes the chemistry between writer and producer just isn’t right and your ideas for a project don’t align.

And that’s ok! It’s important to look around and try different collaborations. Having said that, it’s also important to be able to give and receive constructive criticism in a collaborative process, but on this occasion I’m glad it didn’t work out as I ended up with some amazing co-production between Jacob Stoney and LA-based Jeremy Rompala.

How did the songwriting process go with this project? I know you spent some time co-writing with the talented Jacob Stoney. What was your experience like working with him?

In a word, it was amazing. Writing with Jacob made the whole process so much easier than I could’ve imagined. When writing about delicate subjects and personal experiences, it’s so important to feel like you’re in a safe space — Jacob always asked the right questions without pushing too hard and created a judgement-free zone. I think over the course of writing the EP, Jacob got to know me better than I knew myself!

When it comes to songwriting, do you require a specific setting to work in, or does any environment work for you?

To be honest, I can write whenever and wherever the mood takes me — in my bedroom, in the studio, on a bus, or sat in a waiting room. If a lyric comes to me, or a melody that I want to remember, I have to write it down/record it on my phone before it disappears, and once I get started I like to develop an idea until I have at least the majority of a song — I’m a perfectionist like that.

Now that you have officially released your debut EP, what are the top three things on your bucket list regarding your future years?

1. An album. I’m actually thinking of making it a live album because there really is nothing I love more, and nowhere I feel more at home, than when I’m on stage with a live band. It would be so good to capture that.

2. A sold out London show. My EP launch didn’t quite sell out but was a huge success and has shown me that this is possible with the right marketing and ever-growing fan base. London is my home and it would mean the world to me to be able to sell out one of the amazing venues in this city.

3. A UK tour. This is a bit further away as it takes so much planning and funding but I would absolutely love to be able to take this show on the road! As you can probably tell from these answers, performing is my life blood and really I just want to make sure that I can be on a stage, singing my music, as regularly as possible!

Lastly, is there any message that you wish to give to your fans reading this interview right now?

Thank you! Thank you for reading, thank you for listening, and thank you for being a huge part of the reason I keep at it!