Ella Vos performs at Songbyrd tomorrow night (Photo by Joanna Rentz).
By DCist Contributor Christina Smart
Being named one of Rolling Stone’s ’10 New Artists You Need to Know’ could work one of two ways on an artist’s ego: 1) He or she could either soak up the validation and use it as a huge confidence builder, or 2) the pressure of ‘all eyes are on me to prove it’ may send the artist fleeing to the nearest corner, taking to the fetal position with only a pint of Ben & Jerry’s to sustain them.
Singer/songwriter Ella Vos is currently navigating these waters as her songs and videos for “White Noise” and “You Don’t Know About Me” are streaming in the millions, with women connecting to her messages of new motherhood and women’s rights. So how is Vos handling the validation/pressure? DCist spoke with the singer/songwriter as she prepped for her first festival appearance at Bonnaroo, her upcoming U.S. tour, and a show at Songbyrd on Tuesday.
“At first, right after ‘White Noise’ came out, it was a little overwhelming in a good way,” said Vos, speaking from her Los Angeles home. “I didn’t realize how big the response was going to be for the first song.”
Vos was initially hesitant to release “White Noise” given that its subject matter revolves around postpartum depression. As it turns out, Vos had no reason to be concerned.
“It was mind blowing especially because I was really apprehensive to put out ‘White Noise’ because of what the song’s about, becoming a new mother and the struggle of that and even the ‘this sucks’ kind of feeling and putting that out there,” she says. “That was a really difficult thing to say: ‘Hey, you know what? I’m a new mother and I’m kind of not enjoying this’ and to put that message out there is scary. There was a part of me that thought ‘People could totally hate this and just think it’s really whiny,’ but to see the opposite is really amazing.”
In the video for “You Don’t Know About Me,” Vos tackles women’s body rights as various labels and sayings that are thrown at women every day (including ‘slut’ and ‘prude’) are superimposed on various female models. “That’s something I started dealing with in junior high and as much as I think that it’s going end, it just doesn’t,” Vos says.
Again, the positive response to this message has surprised the singer. “I’ve had a lot women message me and say ‘Thank you for saying that.’ And I’ve had guys say they check in with themselves after watching the video and be like ‘Hmmm, do I say those things? Do I feel those things?’ and reflecting on that and I feel that’s a huge compliment to me.”
Currently, Vos is gearing up for her summer tour, rehearsing with her band (a guitarist and a drummer) and getting her set list in place. It sounds very much like the songs that are out but I think there will be some moments that will be a little more intimate during the show. As much as I think it’s an exciting show, it’s also very personal,” she says.
As for the pressure, it doesn’t look like Vos will be hitting the Ben & Jerry’s any time soon. “I’m excited to keep working hard and keep putting out music and keep up with the response from ‘White Noise’ and ‘You Don’t Know About Me.’ It’s exciting to keep up with that and see where it goes.”
Ella Vos will be playing the Songbyrd Record Cafe and Music House on Tuesday, June 13th at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12.
