EXCLUSIVE: Kate Ellis Talks New Single ‘Scars’

Earlier this month, Americana/country singer/songwriter Kate Ellis delighted her growing listenership with the release of her brand new single titled ‘Scars’ with the thumping, tongue-in-cheek track acting as the latest to be lifted off of her forthcoming full-length album ‘Spirals’ which is due for release on 4th February 2022.

Here we chat exclusively with Kate Ellis to discuss her latest offering in more detail:

Congratulations on the release of your new single, how does it feel to have new music out so early in the new year?
Thanks, it feels great to kick start the new year with a bang with such a full-throttle track – it helps to shake off the Christmas cobwebs!

Was it always the plan to share music in the first week of January or was this a decision that came later down the line?
Yes, that was the timing plan because I have an album coming out on Feb 4th so we wanted to have a few weeks in between this single and the album release. And there are some benefits to coming out with new music at times when there aren’t as many other releases.

Can you talk us through the writing process and how the lyrical story came to life for ‘Scars’?
Scars was actually written by my partner in music (and life) Andy Hobsbawm, and although we often write songs together too, he wrote this one on his own and it’s a bit different from my other more emotional, intimate tracks – it has a more attitude and sass, which I love. I love adopting the persona of the protagonist when I sing it. Andy, I worked together on adding in a spoken section of the lyrics in the studio which helps tell the story I think as it sums up the rinse and repeat cycle of hate and then back to love again which is basically the story of the song.

What are you hoping listeners take away from the song?
I think there’s real truth in the idea of a fine line between love and hate – a writer called Blakney Francis once said that there are all different sorts of love and that really hate is just another kind of caring, which I agree with. Love can be complicated. I hope people enjoy the story in this song of a couple giving as good as they get with each other in their relationship, but in the end, just returning back to their love. Although Scars is much more lighthearted, it reminds me a bit of that wonderful Pogues song Fairytale of New York where an old, jaded couple love each other underneath all their resentment and pain. I also hope people just enjoy the beat and the humour in the song – smile and get up and dance.

Do you have any set goals in mind for this release?
We wanted this song to be the last single in the run-up to the new album because it hopefully appeals to a wider audience. My music is generally more Americana/Folk-Country, but people who like purer country also seem to really like Scars which is great (it’s on a CMA playlist on Apple and Spotify for instance). Also, I hope it appeals to anyone who just likes a fun, uptempo rocking pop song. So I hope it does well on its own as a song of course but also helps create a bit of buzz and momentum for the new album.

Looking ahead, what else are you planning this year?
Finally releasing my sophomore album Spirals which I’m very excited about. Working with producer John Reynolds was a brilliant experience too. He’s a true artist and very tuned into the emotional essence of the songs and vocals, which is the most important thing for me. He really brought out the best in each song I think and I’m incredibly proud of this record. As a result, I’m not sure the record fits neatly into any genre – it’s definitely roots music, but has pop influences too. I think the sounds range from Americana and Country-Folk to more traditional Country tunes, modern Folk songs, and red dirt rockers like Scars. In the end, all you can do is make music that you love and are proud of and hope it finds an audience who connects with it too. The plan for this year will be to promote and tour the album. And then I suppose I should really start thinking about songs for the next one!

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