Elle Darlington has all the makings of your classic popstar: a whimsical, dynamic vocal range, the songwriting prowess to make any song an instantaneous pop hit, and a high-energy aura that’s both contagious and compelling.
Similarly to the rest of the world, Darlington started uploading her music to TikTok during lockdown – where we found a fresh way to discover artists without the help of a label. From there, it didn’t take long for the world to fall in love with Elle Darlington, who amassed over 1.1 million followers thanks to her song covers.
In October of 2023, a few short years after Darlington’s college tutor suggested she start posting her music online, she released her debut single, “wish you would.” Reminiscent of pop-diva greats like Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande, Elle Darlington entered the music scene swinging (even hitting insane whistle notes).
“wish you would” displays her dreamy voice and ear worm-y lyrics that send me back to the early 2000’s. Her voice is glamorous and her music hits the sweet spot between nostalgic and completely, utterly unique. In terms of debut singles, it’s hard to craft one as astonishing an introduction to an artist as “wish you would.”
Since then, Elle Darlington continues to prove she is bringing back the era of the popstar. Following up with a refreshing holiday song, “Christmas Is You”, Elle often nods to Mariah Carey’s iconic “All I Want For Christmas Is You” as her go-to Christmas jam.
And then there’s her latest release, “hiatus”, which blends pop and R&B almost seamlessly. A song about needing a break from someone who isn’t good for you anymore, “hiatus” is yet another immaculate contribution to Darlington’s discography. You can listen to “hiatus” below.
What makes Elle Darlington different isn’t the features in magazines like Peopleand Rolling Stone, or the record deal with Columbia Records…but the effortless talent that just exudes from her, the way the term “popstar” can be thrown into the mix and no one will bat an eye. Because some people just have the It Factor, and she’s one of them.
As she takes the world by storm, I got the chance to speak with Elle Darlington about her new singles, what comes next, and much more. Check it out below!
PD: You’ve been studying music your whole life. Who were your inspirations growing up and how did they influence your career?
My first awakening into music was watching Hannah Montana when I was super young. The show was what first introduced me to ‘pop stars’. I wanted to be like her so bad! As I grew up a little I was obsessed with Rihanna, Beyonce, and Ariana Grande.
PD: Your career took off on TikTok, where you began posting covers and gathered a following. Did you have a plan when going on the app? What kind of covers are your go-to?
No! I had no expectations, it was actually a tutor at my college who suggested I start uploading videos. I made my account for fun in lockdown to keep myself busy and it grew from there. I like to keep my videos spontaneous so there’s isn’t much planning involved. I do love to cover a power ballad though!
PD: Your debut single, “Wish You Would”, came out in October. After working on this project for over two years, what have you learned about yourself as a songwriter so far?
I need to write about true experiences. It took a while to become comfortable opening up to people so that my songs could reflect my life and my vision. Once I learned how to channel my emotions it made the process way easier for me and I really feel like the more genuine I am, the more people can relate to my songs.
PD: You have an amazing way of storytelling. If you had one piece of advice for those starting out, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid of what people are going to think of you. Everyone starts somewhere! And trust your gut, if you believe in it, go for it.
PD: Your new song “Hiatus” is coming out in February. What was the inspiration behind it?
“hiatus” came from a relationship where I was feeling really unappreciated and had to learn to put myself first and walk away. I hadn’t heard the word put into a song before and I thought it was a really interesting way to talk about a breakup.
PD: What is one thing you want your audience to take away from your music?
I want my audience to connect my music with whatever they’re going through. Sing along to it, cry along to it.. anything it makes them feel really!
PD: What’s next for you in 2024?
I can’t wait to show everyone all the different things I’ve been working so hard on over the past couple of years…so lots of music to be released in 2024! and hopefully a lot of live shows too.
Jai Phillips
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