Ella Clayton Talks New Single, Her Voice And More

East London’s Ella Clayton has released her new single ‘Come Pass The Time’ and recently just finished recording her debut album. We spoke to her about the track, her voice and more:

When did you begin songwriting?
For as long as I can remember I’ve had the compulsion to write things down. I still
have notebooks from when I was 5 years old full of secrets and stories. I taught
myself guitar aged 13 and the fascination with fusing words and melody took
hold.

What is your earliest musical memory?
Harmonising with my Mum while my Dad played guitar. Neither of them were
professional musicians but I was lucky to grow up in a music loving household.

Your new single ‘Come Pass the Time’ is out now. What was the inspiration/story behind the track?
Like most of my songs, this one began with a small poem – a play on the idea of
passing words around like presents, to unwrap and unpack. Presence as a
‘present’ in an age fraught with distraction.

Where did you record the song and who produced it?
The song was co-written and produced by Damian Montagu, and we recorded it at
Moonshot Studios.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?
We filmed a live video of the song which is out on YouTube and all my socials! It
was such a brilliant day and Amy Lauffer-Neff did an amazing job filming and editing.

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?
Damian is a huge fan of the classic Neumann U87 microphone, which he used on my vocal in combination with the high end Milennia HV-3D 8 channel pre amp, to capture my vocal with as much clarity and detail as possible.

Who created/designed the single artwork?
I did! Building on the concept of presents, my boyfriend took a photo of my open hands offering the shells we’d collected from the beach, and I edited it with a photo editing app. Its simple but I think it works for the song.

Which of your tracks hear you at your a) happiest: Honey b) angriest Foolish Man
and c) most reflective? Come Pass the time

Did you co-write the track with anyone?
Absolutely – Damian Montagu.

Was it a difficult song to write?
No, luckily. Damian’s piano part was so dynamic and open, the melody came to me quite quickly. And once I’d remembered my little poem and settled on the lyrical theme, the rest flowed quite naturally.

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?
Connection – that the audience feel connected with each other in experiencing live music and that the music helps them connect to their own emotions & New fans! – that people want to come to another show and bring all their friends

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?
I’ve got an LR Baggs pre amp that I use to keep my sound consistent (and to stop the more jaded sound engineers from touching my guitar) Also at my last gig I played with a new bass player, Ben Manning, who brought his 5 string fretless bass which I am now completely obsessed with

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?
My hometown in Hackney in east London. Five words are:
Familiar
Colourful
Green
Expensive

(one more word to say there are a lot of venues and live music in the borough)

How do you look after your voice?
I have a vocal tube that I use for vocal warm ups before and after I sing. And I quit smoking last year.

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?
Oooo great question. ‘Other Voices, Other Rooms’ by Truman Capote. It’s very lonely and spooky in parts but there’s also this wild character called Idabelle and I’d have a lot of fun writing songs for her scenes.

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?
Too many to mention. But Jeff Buckley, Nick Drake and Laura Marling are come to mind. I’ve been listening to Jasmine.4.t’s album ‘You Are The Morning’ on repeat this week, would definitely recommend to anyone who likes Phoebe Bridgers/ Boygenius!

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2025?
My next headline band show is coming up on 8th April at Two Palms in Hackney. Tickets will be on DICE. Lots of solo showcases/Sofar sound gigs booked leading up to it. A big goal of mine this year is to go on a support tour with someone around the EU! Manifesting…

Do you have any future music releases planned for 2025?
Yes, so many! I recorded my next album last year and it’s nearly completely finished. I’ll be releasing songs and music videos (filmed last week!!) throughout the year. I can’t wait!

What are some of your future plans for 2025?
Release lots of music, grow my music family/ team, support an artist I look up to on their EU tour, book a UK headline tour of my own, get played on the radiO!!

What makes Ella Clayton happy and what makes you unhappy?
Happy: bringing people together with my music
Unhappy: the neglect of grassroots music venues in the UK