Ego Ella May
Background information
Born1992 (age 30–31)[1]
Croydon, London[2]
OriginSouth London, England[3]
GenresJazz[4]
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar[5]
Years active2014–present[6]
LabelsUpper Room Records[7]

Ego Ella May (/ɛg-oʊ ˈɛl.ə meɪ/ eh-go eh-luh may born 1992)[8] is an R&B, neo-soul, and contemporary jazz musician from South London, England.

Early life

Ella May was born in Croydon.[9] She was named for her Nigerian heritage and after Ella Fitzgerald. She started singing in her late teens. At age 19, she taught herself how to play guitar, make beats, and produce her own music.[10]

Career

2014–2018

In 2014, Ella May released her first EP, Breathing Underwater, which AFROPUNK stated, "gave me goose bumps from start to finish".[11] Vice described her as "the future sound of neo-soul".[12]

In 2015, she published her EP, Zero, which SPIN dubbed, "an irresistible combination of soul, jazz and electronic".[13]

In 2018, her track "Table for One", made The New York Times list of most notable new songs.[14] It was included in the soundtrack for the third season of Sex Education.[15]

2019–2021

In 2019, Ella May released, "Tea & Sympathy". Earmilk called the track "an absolute feast for the ears".[16] Her song "Girls Don’t Always Sing About Boys" was described as stunning by OnSmash.[17]

In 2020, she released the single "Give A Little", which Clash declared a superb preview and likened to Guru's Jazzmatazz.[18] She released a second single, "How Long Til’ We’re Home?" about feeling, "too African for Britain, too British for Africa."[19] Ella May was signed by John Boyega's label, Upper Room Records. Her album, Honey For Wounds was the first to be put out by the label.[20] Vinyl Chapters gave the album a 4/5 review, writing, "it's a thoughtful and gently soulful album from a fresh talented artist that has a big future ahead of her".[21] Ella May waited to release Honey For Wounds, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but decided "there may never be a better time" to release the project.[22] She won Best Jazz Act at the 2020 MOBO Awards.[23][24] She performed her songs on COLORS in July 2020.[25]

In 2021, Ella May was shortlisted for Soul Act of the Year and Vocalist of the Year at the Jazz FM awards.[9] She won Vocalist of the Year.[26] Her song "Breathe" was featured in Billboard's "R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week".[27] Her tracks, "Give A Little" and "Alright", we’re featured in soundtracks for Insecure and Queen Sugar.[28][29] GRM Daily wrote, "contemporary visionary Ego Ella May continues to showcase the elegance she possesses as one of the top up and coming singers to grace our ears".[30] Crash called her single "Introvert Hotline" divine.[31] She performed on BBC Four with a 42-piece orchestra for the EFG London Jazz Festival at London's Royal Festival Hall, premiering her track, "For the Both of Us".[32] Ella May also performed at The British Music Embassy, the official UK residency for SXSW.[33]

2022–present

In 2022, she covered "The Morning Side of Love", by Chico Hamilton, from Hamilton's 1975 Blue Note album Peregrinations. The track was featured on Blue Note Re:Imagined II, released by Universal Music Group. Albumism described the song as the "perfect slice of summertime bliss".[34] Soul House wrote, "Ella May sprinkles her vocal magic over an understated arrangement."[35] In reaction to the release of her track, "Miss U", Soul Bounce commented, "Ego Ella May and her unflinching approach to introspective songwriting is one of the best things to happen in music."[36] She was featured on Beau Diako's song, "Alone", and Allysha Joy's "Calling You".[37][38]

In 2023, she was featured on Kay Young's track "Woe is Me", which Clash described as, "intoxicating future soul, with the production carrying a Dilla-esque warmth."[39]

WDET-FM has described Ella May as having "a voice that evokes shades of Billie Holiday, Erykah Badu, and Kissey".[10] She is considered by The Guardian to be a "star of the UK soul renaissance".[40]

Discography

Albums

Honey for Wounds (Deluxe), Upper Room Records, 2021[41]

Honey for Wounds, Upper Room Records, 2020[42]

So Far, Tru Thoughts, 2019[43]

Extended plays

By the Way, Sony Music, 2023[44]

Fieldnotes Pt II, 2022[45]

Fieldnotes, 2021[46]

Zero, 2015[13]

Breathing Underwater, 2014[47]

References

  1. ↑ "Discover Weekly: Ego Ella May". 5 March 2021. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13.
  2. ↑ "Croydon born jazz singer picks up MOBO for debut album". London News Online. 22 January 2021. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  3. ↑ "Ego Ella May gets diaristic and truthful on a soulful debut outing". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  4. ↑ "Ego Ella May, Yazz Ahmed, Theon Cross and more for Blue Note Re:imagined II". Jazzwise. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  5. ↑ "May, Ego Ella – "So Far" – [Tru Thoughts] - KFJC Review". KFJC. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  6. ↑ "Ego Ella May Goes 'Underwater'". Soul Bounce. 30 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  7. ↑ "#NEWMUSIC | Ego Ella May - Honey for Wounds (Album)". 29 June 2020. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  8. ↑ Shiver, John-Paul (2022-03-21). "Ego Ella May : Fieldnotes Pt. II | Album review". Treble. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  9. 1 2 "Neo-soul musician Ego Ella May nominated for jazz awards". South London News. 2021-10-08. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  10. 1 2 Campbell, Chris (2022-07-18). "Ego Ella May makes music that heals the soul". WDET 101.9 FM. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  11. ↑ "free download: london's own future-soul songbird ego ella may's highly anticipated ep "breathing underwater"". AFROPUNK. 2014-04-02. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  12. ↑ "Listen to an Exclusive Stream of Ego Ella May's New EP". www.vice.com. 5 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  13. 1 2 Gallagher, Caitlin (2015). "Ego Ella May Gives Soul A Futuristic Twist On Her New EP, 'Zero'". SPIN Magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13.
  14. ↑ Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Russonello, Giovanni (2018-12-14). "The Playlist: David Byrne's Paranoid Party, and 10 More New Songs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  15. ↑ "Sex Education season 3 soundtrack: All songs from Netflix comedy-drama". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  16. ↑ Crandell, Evan (2019-08-29). "Ego Ella May drops stunner "Tea & Sympathy" ahead of upcoming album". EARMILK. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  17. ↑ Walker, Joe (20 November 2019). "Listen to Ego Ella May's New Song "Girls Don't Always Sing About Boys"". OnSMASH. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  18. ↑ "Ego Ella May's 'Give A Little' Was Inspired By A Reiki Session". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. 2020-05-29. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  19. ↑ "Ego Ella May Wonders 'How Long 'Til We're Home' On New Single". SoulBounce. 2020-03-06. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  20. ↑ Novak, Kim (2020-06-26). "John Boyega announces first album release on his record label is by Ego Ella May". Metro. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  21. ↑ "Ego Ella May: Honey For Wounds - Review". Vinyl Chapters. 2020-07-11. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  22. ↑ Yates, Jonathan (2020-06-26). "Ego Ella May on her debut album Honey For Wounds". MyLondon. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  23. ↑ "The MOBO Awards 2020: Full winners list, highlights and more". Capital XTRA. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  24. ↑ "ICMP alumna Ego-Ella May wins Best Jazz Act at MOBO Awards 2020". ICMP. 2020-12-10. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  25. ↑ Campbell, Joel (2020-07-14). "Ego Ella May performs for COLORS". Voice Online. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  26. ↑ "Jazz FM Awards 2021: Highlights". Archived from the original on 2023-06-13.
  27. ↑ Lee, Cydney (2021-10-18). "R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Pink Sweat$, Zack Fox, DreamDoll & More". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  28. ↑ "All of the Music Played During 'Insecure' Season 5". Complex. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  29. ↑ Oprah Winfrey Network. (2021). June 1, 2020. Queen Sugar. episode.
  30. ↑ Forte, Luke (2021-10-19). "Ego Ella May Delivers Soothing Visuals For "YoYo"". GRM Daily. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  31. ↑ "Ego Ella May's 'Introvert Hotline' Is Divine". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. 2022-02-22. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  32. ↑ "Ego Ella May - for the both of us (Official Video)". Wordplay Magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  33. ↑ "Give A Little", SXSW Online 2021, archived from the original on 2023-06-13, retrieved 2023-04-30
  34. ↑ "NEW MUSIC WE LOVE: Ego Ella May's "The Morning Side Of Love"". Albumism. 9 June 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  35. ↑ "Ego Ella May - 'The Morning Side of Love' (Review)". The House That Soul Built. 2022-06-08. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  36. ↑ D-Money (2022-06-20). "Ego Ella May Gets Candid & Vulnerable On 'Miss U'". SoulBounce. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  37. ↑ "Beau Diako & Ego Ella May Embrace Being 'Alone'". SoulBounce. 2022-04-12. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  38. ↑ "New Music Fridays - 6th May 2022". Vinyl Chapters. 2022-05-06. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  39. ↑ "Kay Young, Ego Ella May Combine On 'Woe Is Me' | News". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. 2023-03-16. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  40. ↑ Hutchinson, Kate (2022-03-27). "Summer of soul: meet the stars of the UK soul renaissance". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  41. ↑ "Ego Ella May - Hounds For Wounds (Deluxe Edition)". WORDPLAY. 30 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  42. ↑ Mosk, Mitch (2020-06-26). "Feature: Ego Ella May Pours Her Soul Out on Debut Album 'Honey for Wounds'". Atwood Magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  43. ↑ Wise, Jedd (2019-09-18). "South London soul musician Ego Ella May announces debut LP, So Far". The Vinyl Factory. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  44. ↑ "Theo Croker Links With Ego Ella May & D'LEAU To Bring Us What 'THEO SAYS'". SoulBounce. 2023-01-30. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  45. ↑ Shiver, John-Paul (2022-03-21). "Ego Ella May : Fieldnotes Pt. II | Album review". Treble. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  46. ↑ "Ego Ella May - FIELDNOTES (EP)". WORDPLAY. 23 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  47. ↑ Walker, Joe (6 February 2014). "Ego Ella May - Breathing Underwater [EP]". OnSMASH. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
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