I had already been performing in clubs like Bowery Ballroom going to rap battles and being the only singer. I was one of the last artists to really release a physical CD to get a deal without having any following, just off the strength of my music and my songs. My work was being used and paid for, but when I stepped out as an artist, everything was new. So I was writing for people, I was co-producing with my dad.

But on a professional level, I just wasn’t an artist. It was the beginning of my professional career, I had already been doing music since I was like 12. Like my voice was more pronounced.Ĭan you speak about your breakout years in the industry, 10 years ago and how they’ve influenced your current project? That was my healing crew, I got to be the queen bee and do what I wanted and they supported me in what I wanted.

was my violinist for a short period of time and we actually started working together after years of not even talking and he brought me in with some guys who had been working with Brent Faiyaz. Yeah, so I found the producers I was working out in Los Angeles with some guys. Were you heavily involved in the production process? How so? With this it was much more free, I just wrote what I felt. I just captured what I was feeling versus at other times I’ve taken a more academic approach to songwriting in the past using structure, themes and A/B format, verse, chorus, verse, chorus. I feel like I wrote more in a stream of consciousness. The writing process was different for these songs. What was the writing process like for this album? I’m happy, I’m ready to shine and share and grow. I waited many years I don’t regret anything and I’m elevated. How does it feel to release your latest album Ellevation? Keep reading below for our exclusive interview in which Elle expands on her breakout years in the industry, how the industry has changed and why she details love and heartbreak in her music. We recently got a chance to catch up with Elle Varner and hit up her concert at Sony’s Music Hall in New York City.

Standouts on the EP include “Casanova,” “Kinda Love” and “Wishing Well” featuring Rapsody. With the assistance of unforgettable beats, Elle’s lush vocals are filled with depth. Though it’s just 35 minutes, the release sticks true to her roots: love, feelings and getting over a past love. Led by the lead single “Pour Me (Thinkin bout u)” featuring Wale, Ellevation is proof that she has been cultivating her sound and voice. Back in early July, Varner unveiled Ellevation, a 9-track EP filled with an assortment of beautifully written songs.

Elle varner music