Artist Name: Celine Ellis
Hometown: Prestatyn (that is a small town on the north coast of Wales in the UK!)
What project(s) are you currently working on?
I’m currently promoting my latest single ‘Leave The Light On’ as well as writing a new album! Its the first time I have ever been writing songs specifically for an album, so it’s kind of new to me. Previously I have written songs that just ended up on records, but this feels different to be specifically writing for an album. I have been developing my sound over the past year and now feel like I have hit a sweet spot where all these songs are coming from and how they are going to sound. I can’t wait to take them to the next stage which will be demoing them all over the next month or so. I can then listen and share them to my closest people, ready to trim them down to the ones that will make it to the studio.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music and when did you know?
From a very early age I have always dreamed of being able to make a living with my guitar, but its hard and even in the best of times has so many ups and downs. so its strange that a global pandemic is what its actually taken to get me back in the saddle and making music again after some years away. Being an older, wiser ’emerging artist’ does have many benefits though – I’m certainly a lot more savvy when it comes to what I want to achieve and definitely have a LOT more life experience which I think shows in my songs.
If you weren’t pursuing a career in music, what would you be doing for a living?
I would probably be doing something totally different. I have a degree in Biology so I’m sure I would be stuck in a laboratory somewhere being fairly miserable if I didn’t have music!
What is your favorite downtime activity?
I love traveling and exploring new places in the world. Its something me and my wife try and do as often as possible. It normally ends up with us sampling local food and drinks mainly, hahaha. I love taking my dog for a walk on a summers evening, and I have been enjoying some wild swimming in the local rivers this summer. Hanging out with my friends and family as often as I can is important too.
Who is your biggest celebrity crush?
I have always had a massive crush on Sheryl Crow, from way back when I discovered ‘Tuesday Night Music Club’. She has definitely aged better than me though hahaha
Who is your favorite sports team(s)?
I’m not a massive sports fan, but I went to University in Leicester, so I do follow the Leicester Tigers Rugby team!
What is the last movie that you watched?
I watched ‘Gray Man’ on Netflix just the other night – an action film with Ryan Gosling that was really good. And as a child of the 80’s I went to the cinema to watch Top Gun Maverick on the big screen recently too!
What is the last album you listened to?
My friend Stephen Tanner has just released an absolute gem of an album called ‘Enough’ so I listen to that today – he’s an amazing songwriter and its a great listen. I’m also totally in love with Zach Bryan‘s album ‘American Heartbreak’.
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Oh this is HARD!!!! ‘Dancing with the Beast’ by Gretchen Peters or ‘Girl Going Nowhere’ by Ashley McBryde would be up there for sure, but I think I would go back to my all time favourite songwriter and an album that inspired me to write my own songs back when I discovered it which is Mary Chapin Carpenter – ‘Come On Come On’. It really was one of the catalysts for me starting to write songs back in the 90’s – I had discovered country music around the same time, and it was probably the closest thing to an epiphany I have ever experienced.
What is the greatest country song of all time?
Oh that has got to be Jolene by the angel that is Dolly Parton. It just sums up country music to me in 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Captivating guitar riff and groove, an engaging and relatable story, a totally catchy chorus to sing along with. Just epic!
What has been your favorite city/town that you’ve visited out on the road?
Ive been so lucky to get out on the road again this year and play shows up and down the country. I played a songwriters round to an amazing crowd in London a few months back that was special. The other artists, Tara Henton and The Jackson Line, just got on so well and it was a real pleasure to play songs and share stories in the round with them.
What is your favorite meal?
I’m a huge Mexican food fan – give me tacos, quesadilla, burritos and all that! Ive been to Mexico a couple of times now and am really over due another visit for sure! we get decent Mexican food here in the UK, but it doesn’t match up to the real deal!
Who is your dream duet partner?
Oh this is another hard one! There are so many artists that I would not even blink before saying YES to a duet with, but if I had to choose one, then I think I would probably go with Katie Pruitt. I could see us smashing out a high energy duet with some killer harmonies.
Who would you like to go on tour with?
I would absolutely love to go on tour with a band like Midland, Old Dominion or Bros Landreth. I think I could learn so much and have the best time touring with those guys!
What is your ultimate career goal(s)?
I love sharing my songs and telling my stories, so I’m just working on being able to do that to new people as much as possible. I’d love to head over to the U.S. for some dates at some point, and I’d love to do some bigger shows here in the UK as well as some of the killer country festivals we have. I’m definitely more interested in connecting with people and being able to continue doing that for as long as possible! I feel I am have found a great team of people I’m working with, and I’m going to be looking to up the stakes in the near future as I start to form a band as well. So many things to look forward too!