Hannah Ellis has long wowed the country music community with her songwriting. Her work on other artists’ albums is noteworthy, but her debut album puts her on the trajectory to be a much-buzzed-about artist in her own right.
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Ellis’ debut, That Girl, has an impressive variety to it. The album, which arrives today (January 12), has a healthy amount of good old-fashioned party songs (“Country Can” being one of the biggest anthems) and songs that showcase Ellis’ vulnerability. Both she pulls off in spades.
American Songwriter caught up with Ellis to chat about That Girl and the many shades of her personality that color this record. See our conversation, below.
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American Songwriter: Was there an overarching theme in That Girl that you set out to achieve while writing this album?
Hannah Ellis: That Girl is one of the song titles on the record. That song itself is all about embracing the fact that I wear my heart on my sleeve. I think that sets the tone for this entire record. It’s about a girl who loves too hard, cares too much, and has too much fun sometimes. I think it’s just about embracing who I am. And being okay with that. I think it will resonate with other people as well.
AS: There’s a good mix between introspective songs and good old-fashioned party songs. Was that important for you to strike that balance?
Ellis: Absolutely, because there is more depth to my personality than maybe you would expect on the first meeting. I love to have a good time, but I can also sit down and talk you through your heartbreak or be vulnerable. I think we tried to capture all of those sides and emotions on this record.
AS: What do you hope listeners get out of this album?
Ellis: I hope that they take away the growth that I got to experience while I was writing this record, which is the idea that whoever you are is okay. Be totally fine with the good and the bad parts of yourself that you’re still working on. Maybe we don’t have to constantly be becoming this ideal version of ourselves.
AS: I love that idea. I really resonate with “Someone Else’s Heartbreak.” I think it’s such a clever angle. Can you talk about that writing session?
Ellis: That song came from my little sister. She called me in the morning on the way to my write and her boyfriend of two years had broken up with her. I was listening to her and I knew I wanted to write a song for her that day. At first, I wanted to write a song that was like “We didn’t like that guy anyways” but I knew that wouldn’t have been helpful for her to hear at that moment. I’ve been on the receiving end of heartbreak and I know that you’re just not ready to hear those things yet. I think we were able to come at it from a very unique perspective.
If this were someone else’s heartbreak, someone else’s lonely
I’d just tell ’em give it time but I can’t take my own advice
When it’s my pain, I swear I’m the only
One that ever loved somebody like I loved him
I’d be sure that I’d be okay
If it were but it ain’t
Someone else’s heartbreak
AS: I also really love “Too Much And Not Enough.” Can you walk me through that one?
Ellis: That song was so special. My co-writer, Emily Weisband, actually had the title. She said, ‘I have this title and I don’t really know what it means, but it also sounds like something that might resonate with you.” As soon as she said it, I thought “I have to write that” because I was kind of in that moment.
It was a very sneaky Jesus moment, if you will, kind of going through those insecurities as I was out on the road doing a radio tour. You go into these rooms and you have these big personality confident moments and then you leave and you’re like “Did I crush it? I don’t know.” I think we just got really honest about what it meant for us to say, “I love this part of myself but it’s also the thing I’m insecure about.”
AS: I love Emily and her writing. How do you go about picking collaborators?
Ellis: It’s awesome because a lot of the writers on this record are people that I met when I first moved to Nashville who know me and know how to help me tell my stories in the best way. Emily, whom I’ve known for 10 years knows, [can say] “You wouldn’t really say it like that.” It makes the writing process more fun and more honest.
AS: Is it easy for you to be vulnerable in a writing session?
Ellis: Most of the time, it’s very comfortable. I’m a very “heart on my sleeve” girl, which you’ll hear throughout this record. I have no problem sharing my vulnerabilities with people. But, I will say I think a song like “Too Much and Not Enough” took that one step further because it’s something that I actively deal with versus something that I’ve already processed.
I’m so sure of myself
And so insecure
I wish I could care less
A little bit more
It’s confusing as hell
Being constantly stuck
Between too much and not enough
AS: “Country Can” was huge for you. Can you talk about writing that one and what the reaction you’ve received means to you?
Ellis: “Country Can” is one of those songs where we filmed ourselves singing the first work tape because we knew it was special. We [knew] it was going to speak to people. We wrote it at a time when the world was really divided. We were constantly being reminded of all the ways we were different and we thought the one thing that brings everyone together is music, especially country music. You stand at those shows and sing along to your favorite artists and you don’t think about the things that make you different. We tried to capture that in the song.
Country can, country can
Get a cold one in my hand
Make these old boots wanna dance with somebody
Make my two lane, four wheels roll down a winding back road
Nothing turns my radio to gold like country can
AS: Country music plays a huge role in your day-to-day life, but can you remember a moment growing up that was impacted by country music? Maybe a particular song that made you want to be a country artist?
Ellis: The first time I heard “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift I thought, “Wait did this girl read my diary?” I think it colored my songwriting moving forward because I realized that I wasn’t just telling my story, I was going to be telling other people’s stories [too].
Photo courtesy of Robby Klein / Curb
