Opening up can be difficult at the best of times; for many of us, there’s an inherent temptation to hold back from being candid about life’s struggles, or to even allow ourselves to feel them at their full intensity. Basingstoke-born singer-songwriter Ella McMurray knows a thing or two about this, and has shared her learnings in her characteristically succinct and poetic style on her new single “OK”, premiering exclusively via Mission Statement Magazine. Drawing on elements of indie pop and R&B and garnished with lo-fi percussion, it’s an expertly executed little ditty that finds the acoustic and the electronic going hand-in-hand, complete with a clever, beachbound visual to boot.
Penned after spontaneously investing in a ukulele and learning a handful of chords by ear, the making of “OK” entailed a no-frills approach, with the 25-year-old setting out to create a straightforward, self-produced song with a crystal-clear message. “It came to me really quickly and naturally after a counselling session,” she explains. “I get frustrated when someone asks me how I am and I don’t know whether to give an honest answer or not. I think writing “OK” was me trying to vocalise ways for easing someone in pain into being vulnerable and unafraid; even if just with a simple conversation, begun by answering ‘how’s your day’ truthfully.”
VIDEO OUT NOW
Words by Luke Ballance - @lukeballance