Elli Ingram: “Chase & Status Tour Was The Best Summer Of My Life!”

Brighton babe Elli Ingram is about to take over the world with her soulful voice and kickass, Gwen Stefani-inspired look. With people comparing Elli to the late great Amy Winehouse, MTV wanted to discover just what this rising star is all about – from going on tour with Chase & Status to recording at Abbey Road, it’s time to get to know Elli Ingram.

District MTV: Hey Ellie! We hear you grew up in Brighton - does that mean you love to go out and party?

Elli Ingram: I started going out when I was 16, so I got quite bored of it rather quickly. There are some good places to go out in Brighton like Audio that I wished I had gone to, but my friends like Oceana and it’s completely awful. I remember the floors being sticky, the music’s cheesy and the place completely stunk. I prefer going to pubs in the Lanes where you can get to sit down, chill, drink and talk to people.

DMTV: There’s loads of amazing live music in Brighton, so what was the last great gig you went to?

Elli: It was by the singer Moko who recently toured with me and Chase & Status. There’s something incredible about the atmosphere of being at a live gig where the music is loud and everyone is enjoying themselves. Everytime I step out (on stage) I want to give the audience that amazing feeling.

DMTV: You’ve spoken about growing up in a music-loving family, but what got you into the specific type of music you make now?

Elli: It first happened when I was in the studio with my producers Felix and Aston; they opened my eyes and ears to the music of D’Angelo and Angie Stone. Soul music that I had never heard of before. I was 18 when I got introduced to that world and it was amazing for me to immerse myself in it. It reminded me that I have more music to explore. I just recently came across the brilliant American producer and pianist Robert Glasper.

DMTV: Tell us, how did you get from being on YouTube to the recording at Abbey Road in such a short space of time?

Elli: It’s completely mad and crazy to me. When I started putting up videos on YouTube I didn’t want to be one of the other artists who upload endless cover versions and end up being YouTube ‘stars’. I was lucky to just dip my toes into that world and then get found.

From one of my lame videos in my bedroom, I got emailed by an industry person who was interested and wanted to help me develop as an artist. Then in the space of two years, everything just fell into place for me.

DMTV: Last summer you went on tour with Chase & Status. How was that?

Elli: The best summer of my entire life!! I can’t help but smile everytime I talk about it. I remember being in Paris with my friend and getting a call from Rob, my manager, who said Chase & Status were interested in doing a session with me.

I broke down in tears of anger from thinking that Rob thought I wanted to become another drum and bass singer, just appearing on tracks. I felt I was being misunderstood but thankfully after being convinced by Rob that that wasn’t the case I went to the session and it was amazing. We ended up doing stuff for the Chase & Status album and for my album, plus they decided to take me on tour.

I met some interesting people and my boyfriend on that trip so it all worked out for the best. One lesson I learnt from being around Chase & Status is the importance of staying true to myself not only as an artist but as a person. Regardless of their success they are the most humble people unaffected by the level of fame they have.

DMTV: Tell us about the journey of the Sober EP?

Elli: It was amazing to put out Sober. In the year that we had been working, the thought of putting out an EP didn’t even come up. I can’t remember what triggered it but we had this immense body of work and judging by the reaction to the cover versions we wanted to give the audience some original music.

Everything seemed to just fall into place towards the release date we began talking to MTA Records (Chase & Status’s label) who heard the EP and wanted to help with it. We put so much work into it, not just with the music but the imagery of it. I’m so proud of the end product.

DMTV: Now you are about to follow it up with another EP, The Doghouse. Who’s in yours?

Elli: Haha! There’s no one in my ‘Doghouse’ apart from Felix, Aston and Rob who are in the cover picture with me. But they’re not really in the ‘doghouse’.

DMTV: The track ‘All Caught Up’ from the EP is very romantic. Do you believe in love at first sight?

Elli: I sort of do. You see someone you like and you need to get to know them at the start but in theory I do believe in love at first sight.

DMTV: Another, ‘The River’ is gaining a lot of radio airplay. It’s a very dreamy and lush song that reminds us of summer. What that the mood behind it?

Elli: I wrote ‘The River’ when I first got into a relationship and like a lot of girls I wanted to guard my heart. I was spending as much time as possible with this guy, I was a bit scared and everything was moving very quickly. The end of the song is very pretty and dreamy and encapsulates that romantic period of my life.

DMTV: You are receiving a lot of positive comparisons to the late, great Amy Winehouse. We’ve heard you were a fan; how and why did you get into her music?

Elli: My mum took me to my one and only Amy Winehouse show in Brighton and I was taken away by her. She’s just a raw, real artist and that is something I pride myself on. Everything she did was for herself, all her songs are relatable and so personal. Her music is so personal and it inspires me to do the same.

DMTV: Let’s talk about the gothic, dramatic and haunting ‘When It Was Dark’ music video. Be honest, is that the first time you dressed up as a nun?

Elli: It was! The video is a bit haunting to go with the song. Emil Nava, who did my first video and this one, really understands my music and the dark undertones to it. We have the same ideas and he gets it.

DMTV: We see a bit of Lana Del Rey, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani and Marilyn Monroe inspirations in your personal style. Are you into all of those people?

Elli: I think they’re all really cool people and I love their fashion sensibility. I love Marilyn Monroe and Gwen Stefani. I love the glamourous element of Marilyn as well as the rock-y edge of Gwen Stefani. She inspires me in the way she always looks flawless and sexy but she always has that ‘don’t mess with me’ attitude.

DMTV: You recently posted a statement on your Facebook which read: ‘Perfection Is Ugly’. What prompted you to write that?

Elli: I think it stemmed from a conversation about my music; I don’t like to follow conventional rules. The best things and the coolest things are the things that are different.

I hate things that are perfect, people who don’t have a character or a story are dull. They look great but there’s nothing behind that canvas.

DMTV: Nobody is perfect, but someone who is comes close is Beyoncé. What are your feelings towards her?

Elli: I’ve been trying to get tickets to ‘The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour’ and I’m literally dying. I emailed someone from my label and he’s been trying but I’ve not heard anything back. I need to see her! She’s so powerful and commanding; if I could be her I would just die. What is wrong with her?... Nothing.

I remember watching an interview with her where her response to that question was something about not liking her ears. I could reel off a list of all of my imperfections! Beyoncé could do nothing, she could stand still in a long ball gown and she would still be sexy.

‘When It Was Dark’ by Elli Ingram is out now. The Doghouse EP  is released 24 March 2014.

Photos: Masha Mel
Make Up: Maria Asadi using Nars Cosmetics and Kiko Cosmetics
Styling: Soki Mak

By Georgina Langford