The Country Watchlist: Hannah Ellis
From rejection on The Voice to opening for Jake Owen and Joe Diffee, Ellis is set to make her mark on country music.
You might not know her but it’s worth keeping an eye out for Hannah Ellis. The Campbellsville, Kentucky native is a country singer/songwriter with a dynamic sound, sharp songwriting abilities, and a path blazed by Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini to follow.
Ellis dropped her latest single “Temporary Feeling” on August 25th, and it has swag. The song charted on the Spotify United States Viral 50 and is currently featured on its New Boots playlist.
“Temporary Feeling” straddles the line between country and pop/R&B with its groovy bass line and funk rhythm guitars. The track shines at the chorus where subtle scratching of a vinyl record, glass shattering, and voice improvs compliment the pop sounding drums and jazzy horns. When combined all together, you’ve got one hell of a head-bopping track.
The strength of the track makes up for the subpar lyrics which haters will criticize as “that pop junk.” Ellis sings about what we’ve come to know as the “standard modern country love song.” The ups and downs of a relationship but in the end, loving the person forever.
“Hundred years old, still be wearin’ your sweater” is pretty clever way of expressing enduring love, and the line itself is almost an earworm.
If you’re thinking about writing Ellis off, listen to her demo “If My Heart Had A Heart,” where her songwriting ability sparkles.
The song is vulnerable and showcases her raw vocals. Lyrically, Ellis took a favorite country topic, heartbreak, and gave it new meaning.
“If my heart had a heart it would go on and leave me alone/ It’d stop having a mind of its own / Let me forget you and let me let go / It would stop hanging on it would finally put this to rest / Instead of putting this stake in my chest / oh no it wouldn’t tear me apart / If my heart had a heart.”
Ellis’ prowess of the subtleties in her music both lyrically and musically, along with her versatility is what makes her one to watch for in the future. Her website suggests she’ll be releasing an EP, but no release date has been attached to the project.
In the meantime, I’ll be jamming out to “Temporary Feeling.”
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