Ever feel like throwing yourself a pity party on your birthday? Ellise did in her single, “Black Balloons,” which tells the dark tale of the dreadful feeling that can come with celebrating. Entering into her “madhouse,” we are shown the twisted thoughts that rummage through her brain during the party: “Spent the day in my own broken head//Living for people who wish I was dead.” The song is filled with polar opposites alluding to classic birthday endeavors like rotten cake, poisoned punch and of course, black balloons. As chilling as the song is, “Black Balloons'' is a gift full of clever metaphors and horror-inspired instrumentals that showcase Ellise’s talent for painting symbolic stories through her music. If there’s one wish I’m making after blowing the candles out, it’s for more music like this from Ellise.
There’s a reason Ellise is called the “princess of dark pop.” With two albums and an achievement of over 1 million streams monthly on Spotify, this single just adds to her success fire—submerging herself deeper into the industry. With a heavy dose of dark wit, Ellise can easily be compared to alternative/pop sensation, Billie Eilish; her similarities stemming from a production and lyrical standpoint. However, the eerily dramatic violins, haunted bells and a hint of bone-chilling fantasia in “Black Balloons” is what makes her and the music she creates stand out. Her siren-esque vocals are also alluring, conjuring a mesmerizing and festive track. After listening to this October single, it’s crystal clear that if Halloween was a person, it would be Ellise.
A San Francisco native, Ellise decided to trade in fog for smog and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 17 to pursue her music. She courageously set out to grasp her dreams and turn them into a reality. After making her debut in 2016 with her first single, “Dominoes,” she started making her dreams come true. Just two years later, her hard work paid off as her song “911” from the EP “Can You Keep a Secret?” went viral and trended on social media, earning over 100 million streams on Spotify. This led up to a life-changing milestone in 2020 when she signed a distribution deal with EMPIRE Distribution—allowing her to release her first album, “Chaotic” in 2021. Now, in 2022, Ellise is continuing to write and release hits, garnering her more streams and recognition. Ellise’s take on incorporating realism into her music is bold and daring, but her dark fairytale lyrical twists and theatrical vocal whimsy is what draws people in. The future of the music industry depends on artists like her, who are brave enough to go against the songwriting grain. With her newest single, “Black Balloons” she has shown her commitment, once again, to make a mark within the music world.
Written By Amanda Palacios
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