Moving to a brand new city is never easy. Between time zone differences, culture shock, and regional norms, leaving behind what you’ve become so accustomed to can be daunting and scary. And while Ella Rosa certainly agrees with the sentiment, she doesn’t let that stop her. In fact, Ella takes the feelings associated with moving and turns them into something special, something unique–her music.
At just 11 years old, Ella and her family packed up their life and moved from the English countryside to New York City. Feeling displaced and homesick, Ella found comfort in listening to sounds that reminded her of her roots. Her playlists were filled with UK garage bands, drum and bass tunes, and, of course, The Spice Girls.
“My grandparents used to take me to shows in London when I was younger. I remember sitting in the audience with chills all over my body and almost moved to tears,” Ella tells me during an interview. “It honestly scared me a little how emotional music could make me.”
Her love for music never wavered as she grew. Instead, it blossomed into a dual life–during the day, Ella studied opera (something that was practically engraved into her from an early age) and during the night, she snuck off to underground parties to meet DJs and explore the world of songwriting. “I discovered what it was like to make my own music. It was such a quick 180 moment for me,” Ella says. “But it felt—and still feels—so right. Opera was my entrance into music, but creating my own music is what keeps me passionate.”
By her third year of college, Ella returned to the UK to hone her sound and embrace her own artistic identity. Once she realized that she wanted to take her music career seriously, Ella changed scenery once more and moved all the way to Los Angeles, California. And while the West Coast is where Ella currently resides, she mentions the importance each city has played when it comes to her musical journey.
“The UK makes my heart hurt with homesickness (I’m always dramatic about it, lol). New York gets me excited and makes me feel scatterbrained, but in a good way. Los Angeles feels like adulthood to me, and that’s something I’m still not entirely used to,” Ella says. “I try my best to channel all of those different feelings into my music as I think a lot of people are going through similar experiences. I want my music to feel like a space where people come and think, ‘oh, I’m not crazy, someone else feels the same way as me.’”
Within just the last year, Ella has made waves in her career (like hitting over one million streams on her track “OFF+ON” with veggi!). Ella has collaborated with top producers like Anwar Sawyer (Audrey Nuna, Rihanna), Jeff Shum (Ella Mai, Demi Lovato), and CAMBO (Doja Cat, Steve Lacy), just to name a few.
“All of the collaborators I work with bring something special and make their presence known,” Ella says. “Especially Anwar—he is literally the funniest person to work with. It feels like we’re just hanging out and being silly, but somehow you always leave with a song!”
On October 11th, Ella released her brand new song, “FUN.” The single, released via Palm Tree Records, is a soft, electronic-inspired track that reminds me of something Charli XCX or SOPHIE would release. Ella’s vocals are gentle, blending seamlessly with the simple instrumentals, but her voice truly shines through with the backing track–which features Ella’s roots in opera as she hits high notes that seem impossible.
“I came up with the concept of ‘FUN’ when things were not fun at all,” she shares. “I had just moved to a daunting new city and felt pressure to fit in with the ‘cool kids.’ I fell into a weird little crown and discovered a mischievous side to myself I actually grew to love. I wrote the song in third person because, at the time, I struggled with disassociation and it felt like I was watching my life unfold from the sidelines. I wanted that feeling of eerie detachment to come through in the music, which is why the track almost sounds spooky.”
Ella has been gaining attention for her edgy visuals and effortlessly cool vibe. She’s caught the attention of tastemakers like PAPER, Complex, and The Cut. When asked about how she mixes the art of audio with visuals, Ella says that she can’t get excited about making music unless she’s able to paint an image in her mind as well. She explains, “When I find a song that does feel like that, then the visuals just flow naturally—it’s almost subconscious. The more I experience in life, the better I get at it!”
With the backing of a record label, Ella hopes more opportunities to perform and travel come up. “I. Am. DYING. To. Tour!” She says excitedly, “Right now, I’m rehearsing a solo set with just a keyboard and a drum machine. Send all the good vibes my way, please!”
(My fingers and my toes are crossed for an Ella Rosa 2025 tour!!!)
Ella hopes to one day collaborate with Sting, Coco and Clair Clair, Shygirl, Jacob Collier, and Diana Damrau, and is going to continue to blend opera and classical influences into her music. I’m confident that the next time I hear a hyperpop song with opera backing vocals, I’ll know it’s an Ella Rosa song.
At the end of the day, Ella is a normal girl with a knack for creation. Her ability to blend wildly different genres into something unique and beautiful is inspiring and her songwriting is stunning. Ella’s music is her life and she’s ready for the world to hear it.
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