October – Ellie Lawson

Introducing another fantabulous Artist of the Month.  With exceptional vocal talent, some great sponsorship deals and featured on the Ellen De Generes show, this month’s choice was an easy decision! So congratulations to Ellie Lawson, an amazingly talented artist currently raising finance on Slicethepie and our Piewatch ’Artist of the Month’ for October! Enjoy!

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Ellie and Ellen... Proof!

Piewatch - When did you first realise you had a talent for making music?

I used to sing for hours into my great aunts tape recorder when I was young and make up songs for my friends at school but it never occurred to me that I had a talent as I just did it without thinking about it. It all got forgotten about until I was 17 as I started scatting along to the instrumentals on the back of hip hop records I bought by ‘A Tribe called Quest’. I realised that even though I was babbling, a lot of my lyrics were making sense so I set about recording myself and also writing pages of lyrics in wonder at what I might discover! I was hooked and my journey kept me that way as I got deeper and deeper into it by learning the guitar, using recording equipment, making beats and writing proper songs. I realised that this could actually be something that I could do as a career when I made friends with a music journalist in a bar and he said my music was ‘interesting and different.’

Piewatch - What would you say is your biggest achievement to date?

My biggest achievement to date is definitely performing on the Ellen De Generes show and her saying that she predicts I will be the “hugest, hugest star” I watched the recording the other day on youtube actually and having such a sincere and talented woman say that is a great feeling.

Piewatch - Who are your musical influences? Any unexpected ones?

Yes definitely! My journey got started with A Tribe called Quest, I have been motivated by the wise words of artists like KRS One, Guru, Lauren Hill, My voice and my song writing has been inspired by Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell and Tracy Chapman. I would say that I have been greatly influenced by my own subconscious voice which I’ve captured by recording my free styling, listening back and rewriting what I hear!

Piewatch - Moving onto your first album “The Philosophy Tree”, when was it released and was it well received?

I released it independently with Barnes and Noble bookshops in August 2005 as an exclusive in 400 of their stores and I did a bookshop tour. They placed copies by the tills and played it in store. I got loads of emails from fans saying they went into the store to buy a book and came out with my CD. They bought 25,000 copies from me so for an independent release it was a pretty good one!

Ellie Lawson, the face or legs in this case of Quiksilver Women!

Piewatch - How did the Quiksilver deal come about and what doors has it opened?

The marketing manager approached me on Myspace and asked me if I would be interested. I met her in her hotel in London and she chose me to be the first ambassador for the new clothing range called Quiksilver Women as my music, image, story and attitude totally fit. It was amazing for me to be given lots of brand new clothes as they are exactly the style I wear! It has opened so many doors for me as what they are doing is basically the future of the music industry. Partnering up with brands, especially respected ones makes so much sense. They are promoting me in Europe, USA and Australia, have paid for my new music video and I have played in their stores. Its a very natural and grass roots type sponsorship which is pretty unique to Quiksilver.

Piewatch - Congratulations on reaching a showcase on Slicethepie, how do you plan on turning your fans into investors?

I plan on turning my fans into investors by telling them what a huge difference their investment will actually do for my project. It makes so much sense that if you love an artist you would invest in their future, especially if that means you will gain financially from it too. This is the right way of doing things because by giving say 10 pounds in advance you are actively involved in helping make an absolutely amazing next record by giving the confidence, support, total motivation to succeed and the fundamental ability to afford a decent studio and engineer. Plus, because the fans will actually make money from that investment when that album is successful and will get a copy of the album a year later its a total win/win and a really exciting and fulfilling way of spending money! It is so much better than a record label giving the money which means nothing to them and nothing to the artist. The fans investing the money make it really meaningful.

Ellie waiting for the train....

Piewatch - What is your favourite song you have written and what is it describing?

It’s difficult to choose because I love all my songs for different reasons but my favourite song currently is ‘Apple’ because it feels relevant to me right now. It’s about making sense of my life, being true to myself and sticking to the path. It’s a song of hope and intrigue and it’s poetic and creative. I’ve just made a video for it with brilliant animation.

Piewatch – What is your best rated track on STP? Why do you feel this is?

The best rated track is ‘Strong’. It’s got an extremely high rating and this is definitely because it is my most universal tracks. The lyrics in the chorus are “You don’t make me strong anymore and I know I’ve got to walk away, I’ve got to be brave.” Everyone has a situation large or small that isn’t serving them anymore and which they need to change and I think people have connected with the way the message and melody work in a very honest and sincere way.

Piewatch - If you achieved financing tomorrow what would be the first thing you would buy?

I would get straight in the studio and stay there for as long as I can. I would buy an apple computer and a video camera and I would send my Slice the pie investor’s videos of how I am getting on in the studio every week with studio jams and previews to new songs and ideas.

Piewatch - Who do you currently like in the charts?

I love Muse and I like a little bit of Jamie T, his lyrics and flow. I am in to artists with messages and there aren’t that many. There’s scroobious pip, but he’s not in the charts. I have a marmite thing with Lily Allen, I like that she that speaks her mind but I wish that she’d sing more about bigger issues than fickle relationships, but then I feel that way about a lot of artists in the charts.

Ellie Live!

Piewatch - If you could have any super power what would it be?

To freeze time so I can sit and think and have all the time in the world on my own and with the people I love. Time flies too fast!

Piewatch - Elvis dead or alive?

He could definitely be alive.

Piewatch – Any irrational phobias?

Seeing a picture of Tony Blair makes me want to throw things at it…but a lot of people would probably think that was very rational!

Piewatch - We have a picture of STP Chris on the Piewatch HQ wall, but that’s another story….Anyway, sorry! McDonalds or Burger King?

You must be joking! I gave that rubbish up years ago! Nowadays when I get on a train and someone is eating it I can smell the chemicals in the food that I didn’t used to notice at all. Scary.

Piewatch - Respect! Any last words?

Thanks for reading this! Hook up with me on Twitter, Myspace and Facebook.  I will be officially releasing Lost songs in the new year and will have tons of fun events, videos and new material. Write to me, love, Ellie xx

Piewatch hearts Ellie, check her out on