Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elle Brightly. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Elle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I have always wanted to pursue a career in the industry, especially in music. I would write down any little song idea I had in a journal, filling every page with lyrics after lyrics until i would have to buy a new one. My parents were so incredibly supportive, so they put me in several music lessons such as violin, guitar, and bass. The moment I truly knew i could pursue this passion professionally was when i was in middle school. I came into my parents room and begged to be sent to auditions for labels in my area, or any musical opportunities. That next week I was on my way to my first audition for a record label in Austin. I was so nervous and very excited, not able to believe how quickly everything was moving. The producers conducting the audition were so kind and made my twelve year old self feel comfortable in showing what I could do. To my disbelief I booked the job! It was the most amazing rush of emotions realizing that my dream was actually a tangible goal that I had reached.

Elle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am most passionate about creativity and the musical inspiration that it gives me. From the young age of 8, I have been writing songs to express my feelings, thoughts about life, and sharing vulnerable lyrics in hopes to make everyone become part of a kindred spirit. Then at 12, being signed to a record label- Dauman Music-, my passion turned profitable, which was a dream come true. My first song through Dauman Music charted #8 on the Music Week Charts and my newest single “We” made it to #16 on the charts! Not being limited to meeting the best industry people and new opportunities constantly being presented, this creative outlet has helped me mentally. As a teen, stress enters in without a warning, but music has always soothed my soul. My creative juices flow when I am writing, and the world becomes a huge writing tool where I can pick my ideas from hundreds of life experiences and emotions. As DJ’s spin my records at clubs and the dancers are enjoying the music, I would feel truly accomplished if what I have written resonates with someone and makes them feel understood. This makes my passion feel worthwhile because music has always been the thing that makes me feel seen and for someone else to feel that would mean everything.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson I had to unlearn is to not be afraid to fail. I was always told by teachers to never be afraid to fail and i feel as if that is not the way to go about things. I feel like if you really want something you should be afraid to fail because it puts more importance on getting what you want. It adds a certain drive to what you want to accomplish. I experienced this in my first audition. Everyone told me to not be scared about failure, but i was because i wanted to be selected so badly. If i went in with the mind set of I’m fine either way, i do not believe i would have even entered the studio in the correct headspace. Not that it is an “all or nothing” mindset, but an “I really want this” mindset. Because of this ambition I had coming in, I was cool and confident, putting in all of the necessary work beforehand. I was offered the job on the spot and was so overjoyed. I truly believe it was because i was afraid to fail and that led me to accomplishing my goal.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being an artist for me is the conversation that it sparks when I tell people that I am a singer-songwriter. It spins a conversation from small talk to an intentional, exciting talk. Music is something anyone can relate to and always introduces a fun banter about life goals and never saying no to opportunities. I always tell people that i feel so fortunate that each step along my path i have been graced with the absolute best experiences, and that all stems from saying yes to each chance I have been given. It is so rewarding to feel as if I have played a small hand in inspiring someone to take a leap of faith in any aspect of their life, just by sharing that i have.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ellebrightly.com
• Instagram: ellebrightlyofficial
• Youtube: Elle Brightly
• Soundcloud: Elle Brightly
• Other: Apple Music/Spotify/Pandora- Elle Brightly

Image Credits

Derrick Leblanc, Justin Foley