ELLA DUNSHEA JUST RELEASED A NEW TRACK AND WE'RE PRETTY NOSEY OVER HERE AT WIZARD WATER, WE THOUGHT WE'D DIVE RIGHT IN.
In this insightful conversation, we chat with Melbourne’s own Ella Dunshea, a singer-songwriter who's making waves with her unique blend of folk, indie pop, and rock. With her debut EP, *Glass Half Empty*, freshly released, Ella dives into the personal stories behind her music, the evolution of her sound from adolescence to now, and the impact of her recent head-shaving—a bold move that’s as symbolic as it is stylish. Join us as we explore the heart and soul of an artist on the rise.
TRACK REVIEW
Ella Dunshea’s track, *Victim Complex*, immediately grabs attention with its bold chord progression that perfectly sets the mood for what’s to come. The lyrics flow seamlessly with the music, creating a powerful narrative that feels both personal and universally relatable. The production is top-notch, with a dynamic progression that makes you feel like you’re right there in the story. The line, “Nothing's your fault and you can't be wrong, but you are,” stands out as a lyrical highlight, delivering a punch that resonates long after the track ends. Phoebe Bridgers’ influence is evident in the emotive storytelling and atmospheric sound, but Ella makes it distinctly her own. This track is sure to be a crowd favourite, especially live, where its energy will undoubtedly make it a standout moment for audience sing-alongs.
Your debut EP, Glass Half Empty, has been years in the making. Can you share what the journey was like from writing these songs as a teenager to finally recording and releasing them?
It was such a nostalgic experience going back through the songs, trying to find which ones I wanted to record. When I wrote a lot of the songs when I was so young, I didn’t write them with the intention to put them out, and honestly I’d forgotten about a few of them, ‘Funeral Fantasy’ and ‘Victim Complex’ in particular. Recording them and putting them out was honestly a pretty healing experience - giving that sad little teenager in lockdown her time to shine.
The themes in Glass Half Empty seem deeply personal. How does your songwriting process help you navigate and express your emotions and experiences?
I use songwriting as an outlet, as most musicians do. When something happens to me, good or bad, a lot of the time my first thought is how excited I am to write a song about it. I’m grateful that I have that sort of silver lining… even when my heart is broken or I’m having a bad fight with a friend, at least I get good songwriting material!
You held your debut headline show as a charity event to support the Black Dog Institute and Projex J. What inspired you to turn this milestone into a fundraiser, and what impact has it had on you?
Mental health is an important topic for me and I think the conversation belongs in every space. After losing someone in my life to suicide, and this not being the first time that has happened, I decided to donate half of the money I made at my debut headline show to Black Dog Institute, as I admire the research they do into different mental illnesses and making life easier for those who suffer from them. The other half of the money made that night was donated to a Mornington Peninsula grief support group Projex J. I know the founder of Projex J ,Chantelle Ross, personally and I think she is doing such amazing work for our community, helping provide support for those suffering gut wrenching grief.
I think that raising awareness is so important too and just reminding people to be kinder, more patient and gentler with everyone you come across. Everyone is dealing with their own struggles and kindness can go such a long way.
It felt really great to be able to hold an event like this and get our community together. I would love to do more charity events in the future.
The EP launch party in Fitzroy was sold out. How did it feel to celebrate the release of your debut EP with such an intimate and supportive crowd?
The launch was such a fun and cosy night. I love playing to smaller, more intimate crowds because I can always feel such a connection to the people in the audience. I’m so grateful to every single person who came along, listened to the music and my storytelling (and put up with my attempts at comedy). I left the venue that night feeling like my glass was half full for sure!
Your sound has been compared to artists like Phoebe Bridgers and Olivia Rodrigo. How do these comparisons resonate with you, and how do you define your unique musical identity?
I am totally flattered when compared to either of these artists as they are two of my favourites and it’s an honour to be mentioned in the same sentence as them. I take a lot of inspiration from Phoebe Bridgers especially and I think that’s evident on my EP. I love the way she can write about a specific experience but still make it so relatable, that’s definitely something I try to recreate when writing lyrics. My main goal with my music is to make someone else feel like I get it, the same way I do with my inspirations.
Shaving your head is a bold and powerful statement. What motivated this decision, and how has it influenced your personal and artistic journey?
It’s something I’ve wanted to do for such a long time for so many reasons. I’ve been working hard over the past couple years on my self esteem and self love and this just felt like the final thing I needed to do - shed that final layer and just exist how I am.
I also think it’s so important to play around with your look, life is too short to worry about looking a certain way. It’s way more fun to try out different things and be creative with every aspect of yourself.
You’ve shared the stage with bands like Fossil Beach, Fancy Face, and Sledgehammer Honey. How have these live experiences shaped you as a performer?
I think opening for different bands and artists has been good for my growth as it puts me in front of different audiences, people that would usually probably not come and see me live. That’s been good for getting out of my comfort zone. I’m grateful to have so many talented musician friends and we all take turns opening for each other.
Growing up on the Mornington Peninsula, how has your environment influenced your music and storytelling?
I’m lucky to have grown up on the Mornington Peninsula, it’s such a beautiful place. There’s lots of opportunities for creative people to express themselves and grow. For me that was doing singing and acting lessons from a young age, getting lots of opportunities to perform in front of people. The Mornington Peninsula Shire are really into performing arts which is great, there’s always an event or showcase to get involved with. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do if I didn’t grow up on the peninsula.
What’s next for you after the release of Glass Half Empty? Can fans expect new music or live performances in the near future?
I’m always working on something! I’ve been writing heaps and I’m really keen to get back in the studio. I am also never happier than when I’m performing so keep an eye on my socials because I’m sure I’ll be around!
As an artist who blends poetry and music, how do you approach the balance between lyrics and melody in your songwriting?
As maybe annoying as this answer is, it sort of just comes to me. Normally I’ll get an idea for lyrics and the melody just flows most of the time. When it doesn’t flow I usually just have to rework it until it does. I’m obsessed with words and playing around with them and the melody comes naturally.
Kommentare