Although now based in London, the song title Bluebirds And Rye, the latest single from Kate Ellis, hints at her American origins where she was born in Louisiana and raised in New York. This is a song that crosses such borders…while we know that most things we actually worry about in life never happen, that doesn’t always lighten the load. Kate’s song, a message from mother to daughter, will resonate with many, parental fears for our children and a desire to impart some wisdom to help them sail through life a little easier.
Bluebirds and Rye is a beautifully touching single, and Kate’s second from her impressive sophomore album ‘Spirals’ due out in early 2022. The album features a collection of songs that came out of a process of soul searching “to quiet the thought storms in my head and find my balance in the world,” says Kate.
Of the song, she tells us:
“I wrote this for my daughter who, like me, is an emotional girl. This is my letter to her telling her I know what she’s going through, and it can feel hard, but everything’s going to be fine in the end. The song is about recognising the patterns in myself that I can see getting passed on, and the pitfalls of certain emotional pathways that I know from experience you want to avoid. I wanted to tell her: just take a breath and find a moment of rest. All there is is love and peace, everything else is in your head. This is what’s important so don’t worry about the other stuff; it’s all going to be ok.”
The song was brought to life visually in the video below by Nicky Ackland-Snow’s gorgeous illustrated collage and Sophie Marsh’s beautiful animation.
While the song is ultimately one of wisdom, a guide for Kate’s daughter, it also captures, especially through the animation, some of the innocence and wonder that a child sees the world through. That’s something we grown-ups also need to revisit now and again, to see the world through untainted fresh eyes. There’s a beautiful homespun warmth to Kate’s music, endearing timeless qualities that are sure to make her forthcoming album a highlight for many in 2022.
Produced by John Reynolds (Sinead O’Connor, Indigo Girls, Damien Dempsey), the track was recorded in John’s New Ayr Studios in London and features a stellar line-up of musicians, including the rhythm section from Sinéad O’Connor’s band; bass player Clare Kenny and John Reynolds himself on drums, Chris Hillman on mandolin and Thomas Collison on keyboards (both AMA-UK instrumentalists of the year), acclaimed Irish singer Pauline Scanlon on backing vocals, Joseph Paxton on violin as well as Kate’s long-time songwriting collaborator Andy Hobsbawm on guitar.
Kate started writing songs when she decided to put down her law degree and pick up the guitar, which led to her critically acclaimed debut album “Carve Me Out,” released in 2017. Her sound has a timeless quality, reflecting a love of classic singer/songwriters, from Gram Parsons and Gillian Welch to Mary Chapin Carpenter, Leonard Cohen and Nanci Griffith.
Her southern country-folk roots come from her father, an important early musical influence, who as a boy once played the guitar with Hank Williams on the famous Louisiana Hayride, where Elvis and Johnny Cash started out.
Kate plays a London headline show on 11th October at the Green Note, Camden – TICKET LINK HERE. More dates are below:
2021 UK TOUR DATES:
3RD – 5TH SEPTEMBER – MAVERICK FESTIVAL – SUFFOLK
26TH SEPTEMBER – HIGH TIDE FESTIVAL – TWICKENHAM
11TH OCTOBER – HEADLINE SHOW – GREEN NOTE – LONDON
20TH NOVEMBER – ROOTS FEST – 229 – LONDON
More here: https://www.kateellis.com/