Ten Years Later, The Debut Single

I saw Ellen Beth Abdi live last May, supporting A Certain Ratio, and thought she was incredible. 

I signed up to Ellen's mailing list and his first newsletter landed in my virtual mailbox on Monday, with some welcome news.

"After 10 years of pursuing music, I’m finally releasing my debut single. 

It’s out [on] Tuesday 18th February. 

This has been a long time coming and I can’t wait to share it with you all."

Tenterhooks is a lovely three-and-a-minute pop song, dripping with hooks, from plinky plonk piano, parping synths and gently insistent percussion, all providing a soft cushion for Ellen's warm hug of a voice. 

And then you listen to the lyrics and, as the title suggests, realise that this is no happy clappy romantic narrative: 

"Tell me what you see and all you do / Make my teeth rot", 

"I feel so heavy, being this empty"

"No, I am not free"

There will be a proper video out later on Tuesday, There's currently a 20-second teaser on Ellen's YouTube page but I'll update this post to swap out the audio only clip at the top with the full length promo. [update - all done!]

When I experienced Ellen's live set last year, I enthused that she was "A genuinely lovely person with a humble stage presence and engaging between-song chat and background to the songs, all of that pales into comparison when Ellen starts to sing."

Here are a couple of performances to demonstrate. The first is an on-stage performance with Jamie Finlay, alongside Caitlin Laing-McEvoy and Kemani Anderson on vocals, with a version of Family from Jamie's album Sun Dogs.

This is followed by Ellen solo at the piano, performing Kingsway Bouquet at The Glasshouse International Centre For Music in Gateshead. Kingsway Bouquet was a highlight among highlights in Ellen's live set, and this version sent shivers down my spine.

You can find more Ellen-in-session loveliness here.

Tenterhooks will be available digitally via Bandcamp and all the usual outlets, with a debut album to follow in the Spring. I've joined the queue.