Ella Henderson
Ella Henderson
Gabriella Michelle "Ella" Henderson is a British singer and songwriter. She was a contestant in the ninth series of The X Factor in 2012 and got into the final 12, finishing in sixth place, despite being a strong favourite to win. She was subsequently signed to Syco Music...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionPop Singer
Date of Birth12 January 1996
CityTetney, England
growing massive music records swing
My grandfather was a massive influence in my music. Growing up, he would play a lot of old-school records to me. A lot of jazz and swing music, actually, growing up.
artist flat gigs head hope label leave listen maybe record school sign sit songwriter
My plan was always to leave school and live in a flat with some friends, have a 9 to 5 job, and try to get as many gigs as I could. I wanted to keep writing and then eventually, in my twenties, head to a record label and hope they'd sit down and listen to my book of songs, sign me as a songwriter and maybe an artist in development.
reggae reggae-music
I love reggae music; reggae music's like my go-to.
hiking incredible inspires love top
I love hiking to the top of mountains in L.A. and seeing incredible landscapes. It really inspires me.
teaching piano house
I started playing the piano from the age of three and I started teaching myself; we always had a piano round the house.
meaningful thinking talking
I think a lot of people assume from my music and stuff I'm constantly talking about deep and meaningful things, but then with my friends I'm just a class clown.
self empowering example
I just used to love the sound of especially a female vocal like Ella Fitzgerald for example, it's just that empowering self-control that can make a whole room go silent. I fell in love with that sound.
taken kids age
I just love making sounds. Anything that made a sound, as a kid I was just taken back by and would sit with it for ages and just try and make all different sounds on it.
artist old-and-new music-love
I definitely love music that's coming out now, there's some really exciting fresh artists coming through which is really cool. I guess it's from old and new, where my influences are based.
growing-up writing thinking
I knew what I didn't want, and I knew whatever it was going to be it had to be believable and it had to come from me and I had to drive it. The way I write is very honest and when I think of the music that I listened to growing up, I loved it because I believed it.
growing-up dad parent
My parents brought me up on all different styles of music, like my Mum would listen to Motown R&B and my Dad was quite 80's driven, so I was always surrounded by music growing up.
brother play piano
There was always a piano around the house and I've got other brothers and sisters but I'm the youngest, and none of them ever wanted to play it. So I guess I was the only one that was gonna end up playing it, if it was one of us.
song thinking world
I think there's thousands of good songs in the world - the songs that we can all sing along to, songs that are just so catchy they end up being in your head. But I think a great song is something that emotionally engages with you and connects with you.
song cuz goosebumps
I always feel like when I've listened to a great song I know it, 'cuz it's the only time I'll ever get goosebumps or something like that.