Loving someone is hard on its own. But watching them love someone else is even harder. “If You Want Me To,” by ellakate is a sophomore record that gets under your skin in the best way. With hauntingly beautiful vocals and intense instrumentation, this song crafts an intimate peak at the singer's personal life. Ellakate describes her love for her friend; Daydreaming of being with them but willing to let them go on to be with someone else. She wants her friend to be happy but the love she feels is still there. Through cheeky lyricism, we get a taste of flirtation in the chorus that leaves a mark on the listener. She brings us into a relatable soundscape with push and pulls that are found in her vocal choices. She sings about loving her friend while offering assistance in setting them up with their crush. Her words are conveying one thing but her tone shows her true feelings.
The song comes off as a subtly heartbreaking ode to unrequited love. The vulnerability of her writing is impeccable. the maturity of the song and the intensity of the production makes for a pleasant listen. Ambient textures in the bottom layer of the production cause a comforting effect. While the instrumental is covered in a slight jazz-pop feel. When these aspects are combined we are left with a slower record than ellakate's debut single “High Maintenance”. The striking instrumental plays off the yearning of her lyricism as well. “If you want me to// I’ll make your dreams come true //every day you’ll hear her say how she loves you” these lyrics are powerful. She is acting as a fairy godmother in this verse. She is willing to make her friend's dreams come true while silently hoping they'll choose her instead. A cheeky nod to her own feelings is present but the offer is still clear. You can’t help but wrap yourself up in this ballad. It's truly an intoxicating listening experience.
Ellakate is a singer/songwriter born and raised in Atlanta, GA. She grew up in an extremely musical family and has been writing since she was a child. Her talent is recognizable and polished. With her alt-pop style and sultry, romantic vocals she has been compared to artists like Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey. Though her sound is similar to these artists ellakate brings a new flavor to her music. Her style is not entirely like either of these artists. She’s doing something different with her music that is exciting to get a taste of. I can’t wait to hear what else she brings to the table. Ellakate expects to release more music this year and the next.
Written By Kaiana Lee
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