This Ella is no ordinary rock princess!

This Ella is a rock princess with attitude that puts a very different spin on fairytales in her new album ‘In Tongues’ out on June 28.

In the new album ‘In Tongues’ Ella has studied the archetypes present in fairytales and the fact that many are more bloody in their original conception than the watered down versions we present to children.

The delightful Ella Hooper visited Tassie twice last year including the New Year in January. The visits saw her as a tourist sampling the food, scenery and of course MONA. Ella also visited Franklin Town Hall which is now the Palais Theatre.

Ella says she loves the ‘Awesome’ combination of the traditional natural attractions of Tasmania and it’s acclaimed cultural attractions, including of course MONA.
It’s been a busy time for Ella, promoting her new album ‘In Tongues’ and her new single ‘Haxxan’ a word which translates as witches in Scandinavian. And of course some fairy-tales have their origin in Scandinavia. There is a stunning clip to Haxxan in which Ella seems to be in a trance or possessed of something unworldly as she dances uninhibited. It’s what’s we don’t see that fuels our imagination.

There is also a song on the album called the ‘Red Shoes’ which takes a twist to the fairytale, Instead of portraying the female protagonist as someone to be punished for her ambition Ella gives no apologies for such ambition. In a world where Ella says female singers are either the sex kitten or the fey soft, folksy, gentle ukulele playing musician, Ella is a young woman exploring personal and feminine power but she is also able to admit she doesn’t have it all worked out.

Ella talks with me about the darkness and light of the album ‘In Tongues’. I comment to her about Haxxan’s openness to interpretation and how she feels about Morris Gleitzman’s comment of ‘magic spaces’ where the author or creator and observer meet and the very personal communication that takes place. Ella tells me she is a big fan of Morris Gleitzman and agrees with the communication that takes place between the artist and the audience. Indeed communication is something Ella loves. I suggest Ella is an author at heart and she tells me that writing was her childhood ambition. Ella has acted and also dappled in what she says is ‘kooky’ painting. True to her interest in communication Ella tells me she has interest and ambition to work in media so watch out for her.

Ella will have a residency in Melbourne for a couple of months after she launches her single on April 26. Ella will further the launch with a gig at the Worker’s Club on Thursday May 9th supported by ‘Spender.’

Soon after, hopefully we will see her perform in Tasmania.

Stream the single, Häxan here:
http://soundcloud.com/ellahooper

View the clip for Häxan here:
http://youtu.be/2y0WJNs_bnk

Buy tickets to The Workers Club gig on May 9:
www.theworkersclub.com.au/ 1300
Paula Xiberras