Today we’d like to introduce you to Anastasia Ellis.
Hi Anastasia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am a neo-soul singer-songwriter, originally from Brooklyn Center, MN. I’ve always been surrounded by art and music. My whole family is artistic in some way and that’s where I get a lot of my inspiration from. I was writing my own songs at a very young age, around 4-5 years old. I’d always known that I wanted to be a famous singer and that dream still stands today.
When my mother passed when I was 11 years old, I moved to Oakdale and attended a predominantly white school. I went through lots of dark moments throughout school getting teased for being dark-skinned or not acting black enough. After leaving the Twin Cities, I attended Minnesota State University, Mankato where I received my degree in Music Industry with a Songwriting emphasis. While earning my degree, I was able to dive deeper into music than I’d ever known possible and was able to expand my music palette. Though I enjoyed my time in Mankato, it was also the place where I realized how threatening my presence was to people just because I was black. I outwardly spoke on multiple occasions of the racial problems at my college and was often disregarded.
A year after college, not long after the murder of George Floyd, I found myself in a far too familiar place of being tokenized. Out of passion and frustration, I alongside other MN artists and music professionals created a series called Voices in the Back. This series interviewed BIPOC MN musicians about racial topics in the music industry and showcased them in an authentic light. They include interviews with artists such as Sophia Eris, Nur-D, and Diane Miller. Though a premiere date hasn’t been set, our final season of VITB will be coming out shortly.
Along with VITB’s final season coming out, I have new music coming out as well. The past few years, I’ve spent working on a sexier and playful side of my music. I am excited to dive deeper into this part of myself more throughout my music. My goal is to inspire others to find this light within them and chase after the person they were always meant to be. If you have a strong passion for something, we should all feel empowered to chase it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been pretty crazy! Though I’ve always had a passion for music when it came to how to navigate the music world, I was clueless till college. A lot of my mistakes were not understanding the places I needed to be. I met lots of musicians but few people that were making similar music to mine. By the time I met a community of them, it was my first year back in the Twin Cities after four years of Mankato and I sadly was outgrowing MN and well… the pandemic, too! I was desperate for change but wanted a place that still felt homie. That’s one of the reasons I chose Austin.
But moving to Austin, I left my support system and comfort zone. My battles with depression and anxiety have been all over the place since moving, but I’m glad to say I’ve met some truly sweet people to help me out. While going through this dark period, however, I’m starting to find a balance in my life. I’m seeing a shift in my lyrics because of it, focusing more on self-love instead of love songs.
A big part of my struggle has been my race. While in Mankato, I recognized just how much I’d been pinned up against other black singers, getting comments on my appearance, the way to talked and sang. I’ve had my fair share of getting harassed here in Austin too since moving. This made it harder for me to recognize if I was getting an opportunity because I deserved it or if it was because I was a black woman.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a singer-songwriter, performer, session singer, music lessons teacher, and aspiring model. I’ve been singing and writing music for about the same amount of time, starting in elementary school. I’ve been performing for about six years. I’ve played piano for about seven years and ukulele for two years.
I have a YouTube series called Voices in the Back that interviews BIPOC MN music professionals. I started this after a music organization and a group facilitated by one of my ex-college professors tried tokenizing me in an event they were putting on. I out-worldly spoke out on the matter and was quickly introduced to people that wanted to stop things like this from happening. Out of that came this series.
I also currently have two songs out on all streaming platforms, “Her” and “I’ve Been Thinkin'” by me, Anastasia Ellis!
I out-worldly spoke out on the matter and was quickly introduced to people that wanted to stop things like this from happening. Out of that came this series. New episodes come out every Thursday at 6pm starting April 28th.
I’ll be releasing my new single, “Bae” May 25th, and another song, “Without You” featuring another MN artist, Drawn To The Sky. I also currently have two songs out on all streaming platforms, “Her” and “I’ve Been Thinkin’” by me, Anastasia Ellis!
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My little sisters and I used to create these shows for my big sisters and my mom sometimes. Sometimes we would model, have a concert, make up a dance, put on a skit, etc. My mom loved it so much and it was some of my favorite times of us all coming together and bonding.
Pricing:
- Lessons: $40 for 30 minute lesson
- Session Singer: $50 per hour
Contact Info:
- Email: info.anastasiaellis@gmail.com
- Website: anastasiaellismusic.com
- Instagram: anastasiaellismusic
- Facebook: anastasiaellismusic
- Twitter: anastasiaellis0
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZAr_CXW6C9I4lYQIGEK32g
- Other: https://songwhip.com/anastasia-ellis
Image Credits
Josh Kloster Richiewitablikky
