RnB/Jazz/Pop Singer Gracie Ella Finds Peace and Comfort in New Single “Skin”
Canadian singer-songwriter Gracie Ella conveys a beautiful combination of soulful vocals, vulnerable songwriting, and a wide array of diverse influences in her music. Through her art, the Oakville, ON native wants more than anything to comfort listeners. On her latest single, “Skin,” Ella shares how confident she has become with herself and how she doesn’t desire anything but her own independence and invincibility.
When I’m uncomfortable
I remember where I’ve been and
When I fall
I know where I fit in
I’m invincible
I’m wearing all my sins
And I wanna let you know that
I’m comfortable in my own Skin
With producing and writing contributions from Jesse Singer and Chris Soper, Ella was able to write what she calls one of the most genuine songs she’s ever written.
“We sent it off to several music executives, but it never received a huge reaction,” she says. “That did not discourage me, however, from bringing the song into the world. Years went by and I went through many life changes and much hardship in my personal life. I had planned to release a few other songs, but I knew that the day I released “Skin” would be an especially healing time in my life.”
Every single mistake that I have made
Has made me into the woman I am today
And everybody who hurt me that’s okay
I’ve got a thousand scars and I am grateful, grateful
After losing her beloved pet cat Mosey, Ella knew she had to finally record “Skin” in order to bring herself out of her sadness and grief. In April 2024 she called up her friend and producer/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Derek Downham to help her with the single.
“We finished the song in 3 sessions,” Ella says. “The vocal take was one take, with no autotune. Although there is nothing wrong with using autotune, it can very easily be overused. Derek was and is incredibly supportive towards me emotionally and musically. He knew that the song deserved to be recorded with real instrumentation and focused on capturing a real performance, while adding sounds that enhanced that performance.”
As relatable and down-to-earth lyrics coincide with soft acoustic guitars and Ella’s signature soul, “Skin” is as pleasing to the ear as it is comforting and peaceful to the mind.
Throughout her musical journey, Gracie Ella has established herself as a highly successful songwriter, vocal arranger, and multi-instrumentalist. After studying in a prestigious jazz vocal program at university, the Toronto-based creative left after two years to pursue her music career. Over the past five years, Ella has worked with numerous renowned figures within the music industry including James Fauntleroy (Beyonce, Rihanna, Drake, Bruno), T-Minus (Drake, Bieber, Nicki Minaj, The Weeknd), Jenna Andrews (Drake, Dua Lipa, Little Mix), Jamie Hartman (Calvin Harris, Rag’n’Bone Man, Kygo), Swagg R’Celious (H.E.R., Kehlani, Zhavia Ward), Stuart Crichton (Selena Gomez, Backstreet Boys, Kesha), Mike DZL (Future, Meek Mill, Miguel, Kehlani, Jazmine Sullivan), Amy Allen (Halsey, Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes) and Oak Felder (Kehlani, Brandy, Demi Lovato, Nicki Minaj), among many others.
Since 2020, Ella has released several singles and music videos for her songs “Sleep on Me (Eyes Closed),” “Lady,” “Butterflies,” and “Beat Me To It.” She has also become an incredibly successful and talented guitar player and keyboardist, having been recently featured on R&B singer Jojo’s latest album Trying Not To Think About It on the song “B.I.D.” Ella’s latest single “Skin” is out now.
“Skin” is such a powerful anthem of self-confidence and independence. Can you share more about the inspiration behind the lyrics and what they mean to you personally?
Skin for me personally is about self-acceptance as a whole. It’s about not being ashamed of the mistakes you have made in life, and knowing that they don’t define you but rather, help shape your evolution as a person.
The decision to record “Skin” without autotune and with real instrumentation is intriguing. How did that choice impact the final sound and emotion of the track?
I think the choice was made to just capture more rawness and authenticity. I listen to a lot of older music from era’s that never used auto tune and I just feel like it was the right direction for this song as well. I think it worked well thanks to Derek Downham’s expertise.
Can you tell us more about the creative process of “Skin”? How did working with Derek Downham shape the song, especially considering it was completed in just three sessions?
Well it was originally written by myself, Jesse Singer, and Chris Soper (who write a lot with Emily King) in Los Angeles in their studio. I was on a writing trip put up by my former team Francois Lachance and Jeff Fenster helped connect us. I was writing a lot of poppier-sounding songs and I just wanted to write something with more depth that was more accurate to how I was feeling at the time. So we wrote most of the tune and pitched it but nothing was really happening and it ended up sitting in my dropbox for a few years.
I then decided that it was one of my stronger songs and that I wanted to re-record it and put it out. I added a bridge to the song and then finally brought it to Derek Downham. When I showed him the tune, it didn’t take long for him to help me finish it. We tweaked the chorus and the structure of the bridge and then recorded it in two days in his home studio! Day one we recorded the guitar and percussion which was actually just us drumming a piano bench, and clapping! Derek added string sounds and then we recorded the vocal the second day!
It was a really fun easy process for us.
Having studied jazz vocals at a prestigious university before leaving to pursue your career, how has your formal training influenced your artistry, particularly in creating songs like “Skin”?
School didn’t have barely impact on my songwriting. Although I am grateful for certain classes that helped me understand jazz theory and I do believe in studying your craft whatever that may be…. I have been writing songs since I was 16 and the main influence is always my life. The experiences that I go through are really what help to shape the songs I write. All the artists that I love and admire and listen to, help inspire me and teach me how to write more authentically. Like Yebba, Daniel Caesar, Aretha Franklin, Michael Kiwanuka, Emily King, Erykah Badu… the list goes on!