ELLISHA GREEN
ABOUT
West Midlands based singer/songwriter Ellisha Green combines heartfelt lyrics with delicate accompaniment to create a fusion of pop, folk and jazz. She released her debut EP ‘Platforms’ in November 2016, receiving excellent reviews from Slap Magazine and iTunes. She has been featured regularly on BBC Introducing and Brum Radio as well as performing live on Black Country Radio.
Small in stature but big in voice, this young performer has travelled across the UK supporting international artists and has appeared at various festivals including Nozstock and Mello Festival. She was awarded Wyre Forest Young Musician of the Year in 2016 along with Best Composition and Best Singer as part of Bewdley Youth Festival. She is currently studying a music degree in Birmingham and is also to release new music in the coming year.
So here's where I attempt to talk about myself a little bit. Firstly, welcome! Secondly, just incase you haven't picked up on it already, I'm a songwriter. More importantly, I write songs and then perform them. I've been writing since the age of eleven and I'm hoping I've progressed a little since then. However, my musical journey started a long time before that.
Ironically, speaking and words haven't always come natural to me. I couldn't speak properly until the age of five but I'm fortunate enough to have incredibly supportive parents who helped me to get speech and language therapy. Basically my brain wasn't wired properly (not much has changed) and I couldn't put words in the correct order. Well, I soon got the hang of it and officially joined back with my mainstream school. Go me!
Music has been a part of my life since I was small, well...smaller. It was important for me to do a lot of repetitive activities to train my brain so I started out by dancing. The stage has always been another home for me. I used to prance around with other tiny dancers (yes I hope you just sang that). My first taster for singing on stage was when I did a solo number to 'Smile', a song from a musical called Annie. I remember my dancing teacher trying to get me to do a cartwheel but it never seemed to be something that I could get the hang of. I learned so many skills there, although I'm not the best nowadays. I would love to get back into it again.
I was about eight years old when I left. I continued to perform inside and outside of school. Every year my school would do a performance at The Rose Theatre. One year they were looking for someone to be 'The Spirit of Australia', preferably a student from one of the higher years. I was in year three when I was lucky enough to get the role. I shan't forget it.
Musical theatre became a new love. I'm generally a quiet person so to learn a script and play a completely new person gave me a new burst of confidence. I once played 'Leroy' from Bugsy Malone, a big, fat boxer and just like in the story I became a stronger person with every performance. Unfortunately I don't do shows as often now but I've made some amazing memories.
I should probably talk about some music then? My parents bought me my first acoustic guitar when I was five years old. I cried out of happiness. I had some lessons here and there and progressed onto electric for a while, completing some grades and gaining some more musical knowledge. I started writing because of my brother really. I remember him showing my family some songs and I was jealous of the attention he got. Sibling rivalry is healthy.
My first gig was when I was fourteen, as part of Bewdley Youth Festival. I even got paid which I still have the check for. It was the first time I realised that being a singer/songwriter could be a potential career in the future. Esther Turner was headlining on the evening and has been a huge inspiration for me ever since. From then on I've worked hard to get more education on music and learn as much as I can. I joined a performing arts college and went on to complete a course in music.
Fast forward and I've performed a variety of gigs across the UK with my music, I've been featured on BBC Introducing Hereford and Worcester, I won Wyre Forest Young Musician of the Year 2016, I've released an EP and I'm about to go on tour in the UK. Pretty insane I think and the adventure has only just begun...
