Gen Z Highlight: Elle Mitchell

Gen Z

Feb 3

Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Elle Mitchell has been singing and songwriting since the young age of 11. Join Gen Z: We Are The Future as we delve into Elle’s debut single “Love & War” and meet her as a musical artist.

What was the moment you knew that singing and songwriting was what you wanted to pursue?

A few years ago, I watched Grace Vanderwaal’s America’s Got Talent audition and I was just blown away. The fact that she was able to write such an inspiring song and is also my age was just so amazing to me. Later that year, I wrote my first song which was completely inspired by Grace Vanderwaal’s audition.

Do you ever second guess yourself with your music?

All the time. I feel like people in general definitely have their sense of imposter syndrome which is something we are all working on. What I've learned to do is to be my best self rather than to compare myself to everyone else. That’s something that I've had to learn.

Who is your role model in the singing/songwriting industry?

Recently, I've been inspired by Lana Del Rey. She has this distinct quality of music. Her voice is so elegant and easily recognizable to everyone in a crowd. She also has this dreamy quality, which is something I've been trying to embody as I've been trying to find my genre. She’s been one of my biggest inspirations.

Who gave you the support to start singing/songwriting in the beginning? Who did you play the early songs for?

My family has been there since the beginning. I'm eternally grateful for them and lucky to have them there with me and along for the ride. My dad, especially, also does a bit of singing/songwriting and is also good with words. He and I will work on songs together, drafts, lines, or lyrics. So out of all the people in my family, he’s the most engaged with the creation of my music.

We are so excited for Love and War! Could you tell us about what led you to write Love and War and what the song is about?

Love and War, as a whole, encapsulates the complexity and uncertainty that love can bring and how it's never really set in stone. That’s why Love and War is the title and because love is never going to be only one thing: always good or always bad. In the song, I was delving into the uncertainty and gray area of love.

How do you think your music has evolved over the pandemic?

I would say that the pandemic was an eye-opener for me. It gave me space and quiet to get out of the craziness and just focus on my music. Life can be such a distraction but when you have nothing else to think about, it's a great space or opportunity for creativity. And that's what it ended up being for me: this great creative time. I ended up being able to have a lot of time with myself, but also time with my music. So that was amazing.

Can you remember the first time you got into music? Describe it to us!

This is a special memory, I went on a camping trip with my mom, brother, and another family. While we were there, we spent one night having a bonfire and one of the guys from the other family pulled out his guitar and started playing along. He asked for someone to start singing, and that was my first ever song that I've written with music. It was just this really beautiful moment, with the stars above us and I'll always cherish that.

A huge thing that Gen Z: We Are The Future is about is to inspire our audience. You have accomplished A LOT and pursued your passions. So, what inspires you and keeps you going?

Honestly, I'm so impressed with our generation. I would say that our generation is the most interconnected. I know sometimes social media can be a downer, but I think it also has such an amazing impact and brings us together for causes. That's what makes us unique and how we are so passionate about causes and we want to change the world. We'll all come together and unite under a common cause. That's inspiring because we end up forming powerful movements. My hope for the future is to use social media as a connector because it is something very defining for our generation. So we should use it to help us accomplish what we want for the world.

What is a piece of advice you would give to Gen Zers who are interested in the singing/songwriting industry?

I would say if you're interested in it, even if it's not singing/songwriting, even if it's something else creative--just start! Of course, when you first start, it's not gonna be exactly how you want it to be--especially if you're writing music. Your first song is not gonna be your best one, but if you keep trying and you continue to develop your songwriting/storytelling mind, you'll hone that gift. Its practice makes perfect honestly.

Check out Elle’s music on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/track/6l1eCrksTJOJLMEeRoONM7

Follow Elle on Instagram @ellemitchellmusic (https://www.instagram.com/ellemitchellmusic/)

Take a look at Elle’s linktree! https://linktr.ee/ellemitchell