Ella Henderson Interview

ELLA HENDERSON

Ella, who rose to fame as the favourite to win on the ninth season of the X-Factor in 2012 and caused a National stir when she subsequently met her fate in 6^th place.

Proving you don’t need the X-Factor tiara to go on to glory, Ella smashed her way right to the top with her first single, “Ghost” going straight to number 1 and remaining in the top 5 for 8 weeks!  She has had 3 subsequent singles, “Glow,” “Yours,” and “Mirror Man,” which have secured her **8title**.

Currently touring with Take That, fellow Northerner Ella was in town for A-Magazine to have a quick catch up with, and we just loved her!

Hey Ella! So, for anyone who hasn’t heard any of your music before, can you describe your sound in 5 words?

Five words, ooooh, ehm… real, raw, honest, soulful and … fun!

You’re currently touring with Take That, how does it feel performing alongside one of the biggest boy bands of all time?

It’s great fun! To actually to be invited on the tour in the first place was such an honour. I’m a huge fan of them and they’re one of those bands who constantly reinvents themselves.

So many generations of people love them… so to be part of such a big tour is a lot of fun, it really is!

You’re playing in Manchester toward the end of the year (5^th Nov), what is your favourite thing about our city? 

Oooo, probably just the people! I do love coming to Manchester and just being around fellow Northerners to be honest! Our first opening night was here in Manchester and the reaction is just so massive, you really sense the support!

Is there anywhere in particular that you go while you’re visiting? 

I love the shopping in the city! And I just go for wandering about really. The city itself is so lovely, but this is going to be the first time I’m in Manchester for a good solid week at least, so I’ll definitely do a bit of exploring!

How are you finding touring, you have quite a few days to play consecutively coming up. Is it exhausting, or fun? 

Oh it’s both! It’s definitely a lot of fun and it definitely takes everything out of you! You just have to get yourself in to a routine; like going to the gym and taking your time to make sure you warm up and you cool down. And erm, although, you know, every now and again you can have a great night out with everyone; it’s making sure I get enough sleep on the road as well!

Your album ‘Chapter 1’ spent a week at number 1 in the charts, how does it feel being so successful with your first solo album?

Oh incredible! But very unexpected as well! I mean, coming in to the music industry on the X-Factor; I was 16 years old. I made sure I figured out my sound, found out what I wanted and who I was as an artist; and that was nearly two and a half years (later).

So to come back in to everything with the positive energy and support that everyone gave me and having my debut single go to number one and then having a number one record, you know, is very, very exciting, but very unexpected!

How did you celebrate this immense success? 

My record company, my management and my family got together and threw me a surprise rooftop party in London that I had no idea about! Which was really great, it was really nice!

What’s the most memorable thing that has happened in your career so far?

OOoo, Probably the amount of traveling I’ve done! We never really anticipated for me to have travelled literally to the other side of the world, and at the age of 19! I’d say America as well, and seeing the kind of success of my music has there at the moment. Going back and forth there is a huge thing for me to be doing at this age.

Is there a favourite place that you visited? 

I do love New York, there’s a soul to it that I love. I also love going out there and there’s some amazing venues that I’ve performed in out there.

You’re X-Factor’s sweetheart, Dermont even said that you were his favourite. What was the whirlwind of raise to fame like? 

I think the biggest mistake people make when they go on talent shows is that they treat it as the the be all and end all. Whereas when I went on the show, I actually went for it, enjoyed every second of it and took some amazing experiences out of it.

And when I came away from the show, you know, I never thought I’d get a record deal at 16. I thought I’d have to work and drive myself toward that in later years, but I did, and I managed to get it, so I just wanted to make sure I figured out exactly what I want to be and not use this opportunity as if it’s going to come around again.

And that’s what I did really, I’ve never changed, I’d just say I think I’ve grown as a woman. And I think that happens naturally anyway in the years from 16 to coming in to your 20’s you know, but I definitely wanted to make sure I didn’t do all of that in the limelight, I wanted to take my time to enjoy myself turning from a young girl in to a young woman.

What do you think you would be doing if you hadn’t got through the XFactor auditions? 

I’d be studying a degree of music or maths or something at a college or uni and renting a flat in London with my mates. And my plan B was always to have a 9-5 job to earn myself money to pay the rent, but I’d also be gigging as much as I could and writing as often as I could, so by the time I was in my 20’s; 21, 22, I‘d go to a record label and sit down and play them my songbook of songs and hope to get signed as a songwriter or an artist going in to development. So I guess, signing my deal at 16 was a huge first start for me, I almost thought of it as an apprenticeship; you know, so I could really learn the trade and actually figure everything out and take a lot of advice and knowledge on board.

What is the main piece of advice would you give to young girls and boys in a similar position wanting to become famous singers? 

I’d say the biggest advice is to never do anything to become famous; you know, that’s not, that’s just not right. And I don’t understand the generation that wants to come in to the limelight for just being famous; I don’t think that’s anything to look up to. I think definitely, you have to have a love for something and a complete passion for something and you should always do it for yourself and nobody else.

What is your ultimate career goal?

I guess every year I set myself a goal and meet them, but I’d say ultimately to hopefully in the next 5 years, to be doing exactly what I’m doing and hopefully, have, or to, be touring all over the world with my music; that’s definitely my next big goal and my challenge.

You write your own songs, and we couldn’t help but ask is “Now (that) you say /?? you love me again,” (Featured in the movie “Despite The Falling Snow” ) about anyone special? 

When I look at my records… I treat them like my diary. Everything’s pretty much from personal experience, or just, a very deep emotional place; whether it be, happy, sad or angry, or whatever.

How do you source your inspiration?

From personal experience really. And I definitely come up with my best songs when I’m feeling a strong emotion at that time. Now, at the point I wrote ghost with Ryan, I was erm, at a point of frustration, and that’s kind of how it happened!

And finally, what exciting plans should we expect from you in the coming year?

This year’s a pretty busy year for me with my live performances. I’m obviously finishing off the Take That Tour. Then I’ll be going in to do a lot of the Summer festivals this year and I’ve never really done festivals at the moment, so that’s an exciting new period for me. Then I will also be doing my own tour at the end of the year. So I’m going to be pretty busy!

Thanks so much Ella! We’ll see you in the fields this year! 

To get tickets to Ella’s tour, visit her site www.ellahenderson.co.uk