There’s an endearingly boyish charm to 19-year-old Ellis J Barraclough. The singer-songwriter from Hull plays for the purest of reasons: the simple joy of being able to use music to soothe his soul and express any mood he might find himself in. He maintains a healthy naivety about the finer details of the music industry, yet that industry is already recognising him, with early airplay from BBC Introducing, BBC Radio London and BBC Radio – not to mention his first nationwide tour as support and featured guest to Simon Fowler and Oscar Harrison from one of his favourite bands, Ocean Colour Scene.
Yet for all his youthful innocence, Ellis’s music feels like it comes from the heart and soul of someone who has been in the game for years. His sound can appeal to modern pop-leaning practitioners of the singer-songwriter tradition like Dermot Kennedy and Tom Grennan, as proven by his new single ‘Patience’. Listen HERE
‘Patience’ also shows that there’s a depth and a variety to Ellis’s sonic palette that’s rare for a musician of his youth. It’s a song that’s big on bright, road trip melodies fuelled by tangible emotions and a voice with the heartening warmth of an old friend. But scratch the surface and you’ll uncover more textures: a smidgen of Fleetwood Mac West Coast harmonies, a touch of Memphis soul, and an undercurrent of Wilco’s alt-country style.
His first steps were local pub gigs, before his first big paid gig came in unusual circumstances, when he opened at a book launch for the comedian and writer Lucy Beaumont, who described him as “insanely talented.” He also met a mentor in the shape of Vincent Garcia, veteran of Drizabone, the ‘90s soul/acid-jazz band who scored a big hit with ‘Real Love’ and whose remix of Shanice’s ‘I Like Your Smile’ turned the original into an international smash.
Having previously played the BBC Introducing Stage at the Humber Street Sesh, Ellis J Barraclough will debut his new five-piece live band, The Sunscreen, when he headlines the Hull Social on May 22nd. Tickets are available HERE.
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