BiB: Ella Rosa – Anxious Attachment Style: The EP That Changed Everything

0:00 What is going on? It is Adam. Welcome back to Bringing It Backwards, a podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode, we had a chance to hang out with Ella Rosa over Zoom Video. Ella was born and raised just outside of Reading in England and talks about how she got into music. Moved to New York City to Manhattan at 11 years old and that was a huge change for her. When she got to Manhattan, she started studying more classical music and opera. She did musical theater. She talked about her first gigs, really working in the studio, top lining for different EDM artists.

0:41 And then she would go and perform those songs with those artists at night. So at like 14, 15 years old, she's performing in these big nightclubs in New York City. She ended up moving back to England to pursue her degree and to songwrite for other people. She talked about releasing her first projects under Ela Rosa, moving to Los Angeles, the success of her ep Anxious Attachment Style, and all about all the new music she has coming out with the most recent one being a track called Fun. You can watch our interview with Ella on our Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing it Backwards. It'd be amazing if you subscribe to our channel like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok at Bringing Back podcast. And if you're listening to this on Spotify, Apple Music, Google podcasts, please, please, please rate and review the podcast. It helps us out tremendously. We'd appreciate your support if you follow and subscribe to our podcasts.

1:40 Wherever you listen to podcasts, we're Bringing. It Backwards with Ella Rosa. Bringing it backwards. Bringing it back. Bringing it back. Bringing it backwards. Bringing it back. Bringing it back. Hey, how are you? I'm fantastic. Thanks for doing this, Ella. I appreciate it. Of course, of course. What's up? How have you been? I've been well. How about you? I've been good. Monday is Mondaying. Definitely.

2:23 Yeah. Where are you located? I'm in. I'm in la. I know I look like I'm in the Arctic right now with this hat on, but I'm just like, I can't. I actually can't take this. How I love it so much. It's good. Yeah. I live in Echo Park. What about you? Where do you live? I live in Nashville now, but I used to live in San. I'm from San Diego. Oh, that's so nice. I love Nashville. So fun. Yeah, it's great. So. Oh, Echo Park. Right on. Yeah. I love. Rad. Well, this is about you and your journey in music. And we'll talk about the. The newest song you put out, Fun and everything else that's going on.

3:06 Sweet. So first off, you weren't born and raised in Los Angeles, right? You're in England, correct? Yeah, yeah, I grew up in Reading, England. I moved to New York and then, yeah, I'm here. Okay, tell me about Reading. England, obviously have a big festival out there. It's literally so. Well, Reading's like the bigger place, obviously. I grew up in like, a really, really tiny town called Play Hatch. And then literally it's more called a Hamlet. They call was six houses, really tiny. Reading is like a massive city. So I just say Reading because it's like the easiest people know the festival and stuff like that. But okay, definitely small town. And when I moved to New York, it was like culture shock. But definitely it was. It was going from tiny, tiny town to Manhattan, which was just like, so much freedom. Freedom beyond, like, belief. Yeah.

4:02 What age did you move to New York? I think I was 11. I, like, it's. It's kind of a point of contention. We never actually know when. When I moved, but I think I was. I think I was 11 because I had my 12th birthday there. Okay, so you spent a major. I mean, 11 on in the States. And not only that, but like, in New York. I mean, you went from this little town to moving to Manhattan as a child. Wow. Yeah. Like, unfortunately, when I was in New York, I was like, insanely homesick. So, like, Easter break, I would go back, Christmas break, I would go back summer break. Obviously I would spend the entire summer back home with all my friends in England. So, like, I. It felt like I wasn't. It felt like I was almost like visiting New York, less, like, living there because we still had our place in England. And like, I felt.

4:54 I felt way more at home in England, which I still kind of do these days, even if it's been like so long. It's been like 10, 15 years since that. Sure, but what took you to New York than your parents or something? Yeah, it was like my family's job. I didn't really see much. My dad and so I. They. We moved. Moved. And then I obviously saw like, a lot more of my family, which is really nice, but we were all kind of going through this, like, huge transition and no one was really talking about it, so I think that was a bit tough. I thought it was going to make us, like, closer, but it didn't really. Okay, so what about music? How do you get into Music like, are you in piano lessons or anything like that? Do you come from a musical household? Yeah, because of that move. Honestly, like I. I was in. I was in like, you know, kiddie music lessons when I was in England, but when I moved to New York, I was like, okay, I have to make the best of this. And. And the entertainment space, like musical theater wise or classical music wise in New York is so prevalent. So I did I kind of like use that sadness and like homesickness and otherness and I put it into music.

6:08 And I thought I was going to be a musical theater kid, but I can't act for shit. So suddenly became my thing. And I also had a lot to say. Like I felt like I had. My parents wanted to put me in therapy and all that stuff. And I was like, I honestly just want to like write a lot of stuff down. And I realized that it was mostly because I'm sure a lot of people like feel similarly like therapies too in your face. And I think doing it through art is a lot more disguised, I guess, and it feels way more beautiful and purposeful to me at least. So you started singing obviously, like, and that was in musical theater and. Well, yeah, you did some in England, but when you moved to New York you pursued it as far as like musical theater went. Yeah, I did a lot of.

6:53 I did a lot of musical theater and then I did a lot of like. I was. I was fully like an opera kid from the age of like 14 onwards and I was doing a lot like young met stuff and I just kind of like got bored of it and I was writing on the side. And when I started going out at the young age of like 14 in New York City, I was meeting a lot of producers and whatnot. And so when I was like, they would ask me to be in sessions like, oh, you sing. Let's just put her on as a top liner. They didn't wrote then so that I would like sing on their songs and like perform at their shows. Really. I was so young and I had braces, I looked crazy. And it was just like so weird because I was doing classical music in the day and then staying up really, really late at night be at these clubs which I loved because I was like working at like technically working feel like I was like doing anything bad. But talking about it now sounds kind of funny. Yeah, I mean that's so young. 14. And then obviously your. Your parents were supportive of that idea that you could do that, like give or take. Yeah.

8:01 I remember a couple of nights while my parents were like, this is not a show. Like, you're obviously just going out to, like, go out. And at that point, we had, like, a house where I could kind of sneak out. So I snuck out a couple of times to go. To go sing. But, yeah, it was. It was just such a funny time for us, I think. So you kind of grew up in the. More like this, obviously, in the live performance space, but also in the studio where you were toplining first for artists that had songs written. Yeah, most of the. Most of the time, like, my creation was happening in the studio. Now it's actually, like, completely opposite. Like, I. I write at home. I have a studio here, and I write myself, and I just do that all the time by myself. But back then, it was very much like studio life. I was, like, pretty much the only girl in the room. A bunch of, like, random producers, you know?

9:02 Yeah. Okay, so with, like, at what point did you decide that you wanted to kind of start your own thing? Like, you know, have my. Your own project and really pursue it instead of being, like, a voice on someone else's project or song? Like, when do you start writing your own songs and trying to pursue. I think it was when I got frustrated with those. Like, one session I had where I was like, these lyrics are just bad, and I felt, like, silly singing them. Especially as a girl. I was like, this. This has nothing. Like, like, the person was basically trying to, like, talk about what a woman feels like. And obviously I wasn't contextualizing it at that point. I was just like, this sounds dumb. I would never say this. And I think a lot of, like, women. Other women wouldn't say this either. And I think it's because it was obviously written by a man. I couldn't write. I couldn't write for a young boy, so. And I. Nor would I want to try and emulate someone's experience like that. So I think I just got maybe frustrated about.

10:03 About male writers trying to write about the female experience. And I. And I was like, maybe I'll just give a crack. Like, I'll, like, do my best and give a stab at it. And I think at the beginning it was, like, pretty bad. I have, like, videos of me singing of songs that I used to write, and they were, like, really, really bad. But again, it's like, you just gotta. Like, you gotta start something out the. Faucet a little bit, and then. And then the good water will come out. So I just. I just plugged away at it for, like, a really really long time. Okay, and you stayed in New York up until. When did you move to Los Angeles? I was in New York for, like, eight years. And then when I'm. I actually moved back to England because I was like, this is my chance. I'm an adult. I'm gonna, like, go back to England and, like, maybe this will be my, like, forever home.

10:51 I went back to London to finish my degree and, like, get my chops up in songwriting. And I was doing a lot. I was literally writing every single day in the studio. Like, didn't release one thing, but I was just writing a lot for other people. I didn't release anything myself. And I was there for three, four years, and then I came here for a week, L. A. And I really just. I fell in love with that, and I stayed. Okay, so you started off writing for other people after the. After, you know, doing the top lining thing and singing other people's songs, then you ended up writing for other people? Yeah, like an alias. Because they didn't want. Obviously. I think now I'm. I'm proudly, like, putting my name out there as a writer. But at that time, I knew, like, I had a bit of foresight that I knew that I was still, like, learning how to do all that stuff. So it's nice now because no one can find any of my old, old writing stuff.

11:51 So you did that, and then at what point did you get kind of sick of writing for other people and you're like, I want to just make this. I want to do my own thing. I want to put out my own. I wouldn't say I got sick of it because I literally do it, like, to this day, and I honestly really love it. Okay. I. I do love, love, love it. But I think at that point I was like, I'm not doing this. I'm gonna just do it for myself. That was like. I think I was about four to five years in of singing top lines and doing other people's stuff. And I felt at that point I was, like, ready, and I was just bored. And I think a lot of the, Like, a lot of my life has been moving around, and most of the time, the moving around has been, like, catalyst by me feeling really bored. So that's a good signal for me to do things. Okay, so if you start getting bored, then, you know it's time for a change. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And then so you put out. I'm just going off your Spotify. You put out song in 20 some more than one. But you put out music in 2020. Was that like, kind of the first. Like, this is my, like, Ella Rosa. I actually, like, put music out before that, and I had. It was with a distribution company that I think went under.

13:05 And I never really followed up about it because I honestly was like, I shouldn't have that anyway. But it's really sweet listening to that music because I was like, that was my first go at being an artist fully, I think. Did it sound anything like what you have out now? No, my God, no. No. I think I found my sound now that I'm really, like, living on in, like, for the last two years. Which is so funny because it's full circle. It's like coming back to the Edmund esque. I know it's not edm, but, like, electronic space that I used to do when I was toplining when I was like, 15. Yeah, yeah. So because you. You went through what. What were the songs that up that you said that got taken down? Were they more like singer, songwritery or what? Like, yeah, they were like, more. I think I was like, edging on the more R B space. And I think, like, I didn't have much, like, I wasn't. I just didn't have much to say about the R and B space. I'm like, I love. I love writing about love, but I'm like, that's not something that gets me excited. I like writing about situations and different funny things that are relatable. And I think I was really, really trying and pushing on the R and B stuff. And I was like, wait, I'm pushing something that I don't even have anything to talk about?

14:27 And so what, like, what was kind of like. I mean, you're doing this for a while, right? Was there, like, a moment, like, once you start putting out your own songs that like. Like what was kind of like a validation or kind of like a early success that you had that kept you continuing, you know, pursuing it? Oh, I was just actually thinking about this the other day because I was a bit hungover. And you know when you're having those anxious thoughts when you're like, what am I doing in life? I think it's a constant, like, back and forth. Because I'll have a day like that and then someone will call me and be like, I'm in H and M and, like, your song's playing. And I'll be like, okay, settle. Like, I can do this for a bit longer. Or, like. And it's hard not to associate those types of accolades with, like, happiness and success because it's like, what's the other benchmark? It's hard to find a benchmark that isn't, like, material and also, like, a bit toxic. So I think, yeah, there's always some sort of, like, vanity to it. Right. Or, like, you know, like, you have to, like. Because if you're putting stuff out and you can, like, love it, but then if no one's listening or no one cares, then it's like, well, how are you gonna survive on. It's not like you. Yeah.

15:41 In the first place was to, like, know that I'm not going crazy and that I'm relating to people. And I want to be like, as I grow up, I. To be, like, an example to young women of, like, this is like, we're not all tiny, skinny, tiny blonde girls, like, going around being cute. Like, there's multifacetedness of, of feminineness. And I think that if that's the, if that's the goal, I need to get away from, like, having, Having, like, accolades be my reason why I continue, you know? Yeah, but, yeah, but, like, again, you still kind of need those continue, I would imagine, to go forward. Right? Yeah, you. Unfortunately, yes, you do. Like, I think at the end of the day, like, young artists always ask me, like, what, like, why, why should I do this? Was this good? And it's like, the less you think about that, the better you do in your art. Because if you're, Then you start making stuff for that, you know, and you start making, like, the TikTok moments or you make stuff, but it's not art, in my opinion. That's controversial.

16:54 But I think you have to have some type of, like, thumbs up in society to be like, okay, some people are, like, hitting the mark here. They're feeling, like, heard, seen. Yeah, you have to have some type of affirmation, basically, right? No, it can be anything. Honestly. At the beginning, it was like, just my mom hearing my music and her liking it. And like, you know, it can be really anything, depending on the person. But just picking the right things is really important, I think. Or you'll go insane. Yeah. So, I mean, getting your song in H M is huge. So. But, like, early on, were you getting, like, you know, validation from a mom for mom or, like, did you have, like, a song that got playlist? I mean, what was kind of like the earlier things that started helping, you mean, like, okay, I, I, I am good at this. Let's keep going forward.

17:46 There was one song, I think it was called take Yourself Home, which is one of the ones that I don't have on Spotify and I think it's on SoundCloud that got put on the the Hills and I'm a huge hills. That's awesome. Yeah. And when I was younger in England, like chubby little me eating snacks on the couch would like be watching Hills all Saturday with like my friends. And that to me was like a full circle moment. So stuff like that is really, really, really, like, makes you feel very good. Yeah, I can't imagine. Yeah. Song that show that you watch is growing up and then your song is playing in it. Yeah, that's cool. Very, very cool. So you put. You put some songs in 2020 and then obviously you have an EP that you put on 2022 f off. I'm fine. Tell me a little bit about that ep. Did you like tour it or is it just something. I mean. And then I guess. How did you get to LA real quick?

18:42 Just. Okay, yeah. So first. Well, I'll say how I got to la. I was here for a writing camp. Yeah, you said that. And you didn't leave. Right. Or you came out here. Okay, but so what year was that when you came out to LA? I think it was 2019. It was like just. I was here for a good year before COVID happened. Okay. And I think even Apple Find was. Like before COVID I believe not on Spotify, but maybe. Okay, yeah. Because I had a whole. Maybe I switched it over to a different. Yeah, I switched over to a different distribution after Covid. But it did come out. I remember I had a release party and it was like people were around. And then I think Covid, like fully full fledged happened and that was like. I.

19:30 It's funny because the. The title at the time did not mean what it means to me now. But I at the time, like, it's very. It's very R and B coded. Like there's a lot of like R and B artists who are featured on it. There's like really cool rappers on it. And like I'm really happy I did. I fully sent it. But I don't feel like longevity wise it relates to me in any way. I think that was like a me trying to fit the mold of like the people I was around at that at that time. Interesting. Okay, so once you came out in four for. You came out for writing cab and then in 2019, then you stayed. What about when the Pandemic hit? Did you stay in L. A? No, I actually went. It was such. It was such a funny time, you know, when it was when Trump was Like either come or go, do what you want. And I was like, oh my God, what the fuck do I do? Again? Me. Like my 6am I allowed to swear? Sorry. Yeah, you can.

20:30 My like 6 year old inner self was like, go back to England. This is your one chance. So I did, I went back to England and I think I already had had my, my flights booked before, like the full lockdown. So I was already in England. And then, and then that's when he was like, either come back or don't come back. And I didn't have a passport at that point, so I was like, I didn't have an American passport then. So I was like, I think I'm just gonna stick it out. Because being in LA at this point didn't seem worth it. Which now I kind of regret because I see people or artists who were staying in LA and like doing little like, you know, those like Covid pod writing camps or like when people were like testing a lot and still working. And I kind of like, I see them a bit ahead of me now and I'm like, I should have maybe just done that because I really was like down bad during COVID I was like gin and tonic at 1pm every day. But.

21:31 Yeah, so then you say, but you ended up going back and then you. When did you come back to la? You know, I, I actually came back like six months afterwards. So it wasn't that, it wasn't that long. But we're gone very. Yeah, it was when people started to get the, the vaccines. I came back, was here for like a little bit and I just, and I just stayed again. I got like, I moved to the east side of LA and I finally started to love LA again, which is really nice, very cool. And you put out another ep Anxious Attachment style. That one changed my life. Like for real. That one like really was. I want to get, I'm gonna get a tattoo of it on my arm.

22:14 Because it really was like a turning point for me. I'd met so many inspiring people literally like within a week of themselves. And that it was a very, it was, it was a good example for me of like what synergy can do to art. And the people involved in the art can make a huge, huge difference. Less is more is, is kind of what the vibe I was getting at. And also, and also like, if you think it's cool, it's cool. Like that project, I was like throwing up all the time out of nerves, just like, are people gonna like it? I don't know. At the very End when I actually released the whole thing, I was like, I really think it's sick and I love it. And I would dance to it and I would go out to it. This makes me like excited to go out and like, that's the whole purpose of it. So I'm just gonna release it. And that was the time when I fully, like let go of the people pleasing artist in me and then it worked out. Obviously. That's. Yeah, I've heard that before though. You know, it's like those things that you hold back that you're like, ah, this is not good. I should maybe I shouldn't even put this out. And those are the ones that will take off and, and open doors and change. Yeah. Things for you. It's a gut feeling. I felt. It really did feel like a gut internal feeling. And you said that change, I mean aside from just musically and sonically and, and, and everything else. But like, how, how did Elsa, that album

23:45 or that ep, like change your life? I mean, I think it changed my life in the way that like people saw me in a way that was different to the rest, but also like relatable. I got so many more collaborators from that. Like, so many people were like, this is a sound that I'm looking to make. And it. And it was almost like that people were looking to me for that sound, you know, like the really UK coded electronic music. And that's always what I have wanted to be like an expert in my field. And I'm not saying I'm that, but I'm definitely saying like, that project was a good example of like what I could do given the time. Yeah. And then you got the remixes that, that came after. Right? You were able to collaborate with a bunch of people that remix the song. Yeah, and I loved doing that too because it was so like, here you go, take it, do what you want. Like, there were, there were no edits really to any of the. Those remixes. People literally just did it. And I was like, I with it, let's just release it. Oh, wow. And did you give each person like specific song, like, okay, I want to do this one record or you just send it out to a bunch of people and said, do what you want. Yeah, it was hard because once I read release, once I reach out to a couple people, like some people like, oh, I want to do this one and I want to do that one. So like the list kind of narrowed down, but I knew the people who were gonna do the. The ones that like, I already kind of knew who

25:18 would Want what? Okay. Yeah, just the vibe of the song. Yeah. Awesome. Well, the newest one you put out is fun, but you have some, you know, obviously red lights is out and gross and off and on and are you. Tell me about fun and then is this gonna be compiled into another ep? Yeah. So fun was really fun to make. I. I'm kind of like releasing music every six weeks at this point. Like, I'll be like taking out Christmas and stuff like that. But I'm releasing my next song, Stay for love, on the 15th of November. A couple weeks. Yeah. Which is like two weeks now. I haven't announced it yet, but I will in like two days. Yeah.

26:05 I have so much, so much new music, which is just a heightened version of kind of what I've done in the past. And I'm bringing in my opera, like, classical roots into it too. Oh, amazing. Yeah. So I'm really, really excited about the next body of music. Yeah. Cool. And then is it just going to be more like, are you going to continue with that release schedule kind of every six weeks or so, Put out song or are you saving or a bigger project? We kind of are going to do. I think I want to do. I don't think I know I want to do just single, single, single, single. Even though they're all kind of in the same vein, like, I think that that's gonna be like, way more fun creatively for me. They are more just put into a time frame which is called like the Overarch. It's overarched, like Stimulated series is kind of what I'm calling it because I'm like, stimulated right now. So that's.

27:02 That's the time frame. I'm not necessarily calling it like a project, but I would say that the music is within that sphere. Love it. Well, I love what you're doing. Do you have any shows. Are you doing any shows coming up to support it? Yeah, I actually have also this party series that I do called Simulated, and it's every season. I have one on the 14th, which if you're in LA, then you should come. And it's the winter one's going to be me performing, summer's going to be me DJing and the spring. And for ones are going to be like, little creative moments in between. But. But I'm definitely, like into producing, you know, events a lot and putting on little crazy moments for people to have fun at. I love it. That's amazing.

27:50 Well, I appreciate your time. Thank you so much for doing this. Thank you. I have one more quick question. I want to know if you have any advice or aspiring artists. Such a hard question, because I'm still figuring out myself. But stay real, because there are so many people out there who will take take what is real from you and, like, try and do it themselves. And so you got to stay really, really unique and true to yourself. Is so cliche, but it is really, really true. If you think it's cool, it's cool. I'm sure it's very, very cool. So just release it.

28:33 Bringing it backwards, Bringing it backwards, Bringing it backwards, Bringing it backwards, Bringing it backwards, Bringing it backwards.