Earlier this year, on a snowy Sunday morning in January, over 60 singers from Uniting Voices took over the iconic Metro Chicago stage to perform solo pieces at our Get Amp’d Solo Showcase. While most performed covers of contemporary songs, musical numbers and world music that inspired them, a few chose to perform original music that they had written. One of those singer-songwriters was Ella St. John, whose performance of “Piper” had the crowd and judges in awe.
Last month, Ella released her debut EP, “Space and Time,” which includes “Piper” and four other songs. Ella is entering her second year in Voice of Chicago, and prior to that, she was a member of the Albany Park Neighborhood Choir. We sat down with her after the album release to learn more about what inspires her, how it felt to perform on the Metro stage and how being a part of Uniting Voices helps her as a solo artist.
Uniting Voices Chicago: Who are some of your artistic influences?
Ella St. John: I’m definitely inspired by a lot of artists. I think at the time I wrote most of the songs, I was listening to a lot of folk music; both modern and more traditional. Saintseneca, Phil Ochs, Simon and Garfunkel, and The Wild Reeds played a big role in the sound I developed over the years. But the one artist that influenced me the most was my dad. I grew up singing his music both on and off stage, as well as trying to help him write. He has always inspired me to write my music and he’s the first one I go to when I have a new song idea.
UVC: What inspires you to record music?
ESJ: Releasing my own music has definitely been a lifelong dream of mine. When I was younger, I used to try and write songs in GarageBand or on my old ukulele. I always wanted to be able to put those songs out there and I'm really glad that dream came true.
UVC: You sang one of the songs from this EP, "Piper," at our Get Amp'd Solo Showcase in January. How did it feel to perform that song on the iconic Metro Chicago stage?
ESJ: It was a really surreal experience. I was so excited to be playing in a space like that, especially one where so many incredible artists have performed. I definitely remember looking in the mirror and saying, “You’re about to get on the stage the Ramones performed on!” in the mirror before the show. I also wrote the song “Let It Be This Way” while backstage because I thought it would be cool to write a song at the Metro.
UVC: What is your favorite memory of your experience in Uniting Voices so far?
ESJ: Performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 at Chicago Symphony Orchestra was a truly unforgettable experience. Getting to not only hear the music, but be a part of it in a space as stunning as that one, and with musicians as talented as those in the Symphony, was amazing and I'm really grateful I got to be there.
UVC: Does being part of an ensemble like Voice of Chicago help you as a solo artist as well?
ESJ: It definitely does. I think being a part of such a large ensemble filled with so many talented singers and performers has really helped me think more deeply into the music when I’m writing songs. I’m not just hearing a simple melody, but all of the other harmonies and parts that make it a real song. Beyond songwriting, being a part of the choir has given me a lot of confidence. I think getting the opportunity to go into “performance mode” so often helped me slip into the rhythm and made sharing my music a lot easier.
UVC: What are you most excited about going into another year of Voice of Chicago?
ESJ: I’m excited to get back into rehearsals and keep making music with the ensemble!