In conversation with Ben Ellis: A ‘surreal’ 12 months and a whole lot of love for pals.
It’s hard to get Ben Ellis to talk about himself. As I catch up with the rising star, he’s rushing to the tube from studio sessions in London to head back to his hometown of Cardiff for a few days. I expected about as much from the 22-year-old, it’s been a non-stop 12 months.
Over half an hour, the songwriter returns to the words ‘surreal’ and ‘grateful’ time and time again. Having that week seen Nieve Ella and pal Fred Roberts headline Koko, a lot of his affection is sent the way of his friends.
“It’s so lovely to have mates in music,” Ben revels early on when asked about that show. “I know Fred really well and my heart was so full watching him perform. When I see moments like that it makes me think, it’s so special all being musicians in London wanting to make it in this time period. I so genuinely just feel happiness for them. I’m at a stage now where a win for someone else is a win for you because it’s such a great place where we’re all supportive of each other. It’s so cool to see friends doing so well. It’s inspiring.”
It’s impossible to talk about the rise of Ben Ellis without visiting his hugely successful slot supporting Henry Moodie on tour last year. The singer’s dreamy bedroom pop proved a huge hit with Moodie’s fans and helped Ben leapfrog into a sold-out headline tour of his own.
“I think a lot of it is down to Henry,” Ben responds when asked just why he thinks that supporting role worked so well. “When I look at all the things he did on that tour, damn. He knows what it’s like to be a support act and took so much care of me.
“They allowed us to do our own thing in a really nice way. It was the most insane and surreal experience. Henry’s fans are amazing and incredible. It’s so nice that they also took me under their wing and to have seen so many familiar faces after the tour who were there is so cool and so lovely. It was a combination of how great Henry’s fans are and how great Henry is.”
That tour included stops in Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and multiple sets in Germany before a UK leg, which featured a visit to the iconic Roundhouse. That tour started nearly six months ago but, as he speaks about it, Ben sounds almost as nervous as the first show.
“They all said it was nice to have someone so doe-eyed on tour,” Ben chuckles. “I was freaking out the whole time! Even the bus door opening was crazy to me.”
“It felt very surreal playing The Roundhouse. I’d been to see The Magic Gang there when they did their farewell tour a few months before and would never have considered playing that venue.
“If I think too much about it I start crying. Your job as a support act means there’s not much pressure, you just have to prove yourself to them. I know I can do that and if I don’t, I don’t. Every time I do shows like that I just want to have fun.”
The singer is bashful but, when talking about his own artist project, it’s easy to hear the confidence and excitement in his voice. With interest in his music at an all-time high following the Henry Moodie tour, Ben dropped debut The Hollywood EP in February.
A collection of six tracks, the artist’s most full bodied work showcased a songwriter capable of turning his pen in multiple directions. It was a head-turning effort and the 17 minutes were brimming with a personality impossible not to find endearing.
“My aim as an artist is always to be pushing the barriers of where I fit,” Ben explains. “What’s so nice about my writing journey is that I don’t feel like I fit in a bracket. I feel like every release gets better because my songwriting is getting better, I’m getting more confident in sessions and writing on my own. I have so many influences and listen to so much music, so why would I stick to one thing?”
What was particularly impressive about that release was how the six flicks felt very much from the same world, despite their different sonics and some having been released months prior. No matter how it sounds, you know a Ben Ellis release when you find it.
“When you have such different songs, making them fit together creatively is so important,” he admits. “Getting to work with Finn [creative director], every album cover lines up and it all has a similar theme. We were experimenting with colour palettes this time. In my head they all fit together so well and are so cohesive.”
That EP came to life on the star’s own headline tour earlier this year, with shows in Manchester, Cardiff, London and Glasgow all selling out in seconds. If there was any doubt about the Ben Ellis hype, those tickets selling like hotcakes quashed them.
“I remember the pre-sale and general sale both went in 30 seconds,” Ben recalls. “That’s ridiculous. It was very surreal and I felt so lucky that was the case.
“I was on the train to London when it went on general sale. It went live and I was looking on my phone and my manager said it was sold out. There was no way, I couldn’t believe it was actually happening. That’s a bit stupid. I’m so grateful.”
It’s been pretty clear throughout talking that the rise into the spotlight over the past year hasn’t all quite sunken in for Ben yet and, after struggling to find the words to explain just how much March’s headline show at the O2 Academy Islington meant, he comes to the realisation: “I don’t know if I’ve quite processed those shows yet.”
Yet, as he prepares to pass the barriers and descend into the Underground, it’s clear there’s no stopping any time soon. In perfect news for fans, the star is going to strike while the iron’s hot.
“Going into this year is the first time I’ve ever had a whole year planned out,” Ben shares. “We’ve got so much. I’m in the process of writing and recording a new project. We’re taking so much time on it, recording live drums and brass, it feels like the next level of everything.
It’s a lot of pressure for them to be good when we are putting in that much. In two weeks I’m going back to LA, then I’ve got the Alfie tour the day after I get back and then it’s festival season. A big question mark on later this year… stuff I probably shouldn’t say out loud.”