Lindsay Ell, a Calgary-born artist, has been recognized by Forbes as “one of the most exciting and talented young performers in country music.” A multifaceted talent, she is not only a singer and songwriter but also a guitarist, producer, and television host.
Ell defies easy genre classification. Her primary focus is country music, which has its roots in the folk traditions of British immigrants to the United States. However, Lindsay blends acoustic performances with soulful rhythms and meaningful lyrics, adding elements of rock and blues to create a unique and compelling sound. Discover more about her life and career on calgary-trend.
Early Creativity
Lindsay Elizabeth Ell was born on March 20, 1989, in Calgary. At six, she started playing piano, and by eight, she had discovered her father’s guitar collection, sparking a passion for the instrument. By age ten, she was already writing her own songs.
Ell honed her electric guitar skills to near perfection and, at 13, met Canadian guitarist, singer, and songwriter Randy Bachman, who became her mentor. Bachman introduced her to the works of various jazz and blues guitarists, igniting her love for blues while also deepening her appreciation for leading rock guitarists.
She graduated from Bishop Carroll High School a year early. During her farewell event, she gave her first performance. After high school, she enrolled at the University of Calgary to study business.
The Start of Her Music Career
Randy Bachman co-wrote and produced Ell’s debut album, Consider This, released under Bachman’s Ranbach Music label in 2006. In 2008, Ell toured with blues guitarist Buddy Guy, and in 2009, she released her acoustic-focused album Alone.
During this period, Lindsay frequently traveled between Calgary and Nashville, Tennessee, to write songs while performing live as much as possible to refine her craft. Simultaneously, she studied remotely at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, earning a certificate in songwriting and guitar in 2011. This flexible education allowed her to advance her music career, perform across North America, and continue learning.
In 2013, at 21, she moved to Nashville, signed with Stoney Creek Records, and released her debut single, “Trippin’ on Us,” which received significant airplay across Canadian and American country radio stations during its first week.
Musical Milestones
In 2014, she released two more singles, “Pickup Truck” and “Shut Me Up,” both of which gained popularity. That same year, Ell made her debut on the iconic country radio program Grand Ole Opry and has since performed there several times.
Her 2017 album The Project reached No. 4 on the Billboard Country chart, followed by The Continuum Project in 2018. That year, she performed the Canadian national anthem at the NHL All-Star Game and won the Canadian Country Music Association’s Interactive Artist of the Year award.
In August 2020, Ell released her second full-length solo album, Heart Theory, which explores the seven stages of grief: shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, testing, and acceptance. Each song embodies one of these stages, such as “Hits Me” for shock and “Ready to Love” for acceptance. The hit single “Want Me Back” became one of Canada’s top-charting tracks of 2020, encouraging listeners to embrace self-confidence and shed the chains that hold them back.
Ell’s success led to her hosting the second season of Canada’s Got Talent in 2022. Around this time, she also released the glossy pop single “Right on Time.”
International Recognition
Much of Ell’s success stems from her connection with international audiences. In 2013, she participated in the We Are Pioneers World Tour, the first headlining tour of American country group The Band Perry. She gained further exposure at the 2018 UK-based country music festival C2C: Country to Country.
Ell has performed in numerous international tours, at one point visiting eight European and Asian countries in just 32 days. She has often expressed her ambition to expand her career beyond North America to countries like New Zealand, Japan, and Germany.
She has shared the stage with global icons, touring with Australian country star Keith Urban, American singer Brad Paisley, and the band Sugarland. Ell has appeared multiple times at the CMA Awards, performing alongside notable acts like Carrie Underwood and Little Big Town.
When asked for advice for aspiring musicians, Ell endorsed the “10,000-hour rule” popularized by journalist Malcolm Gladwell. This theory posits that 10,000 hours of deliberate practice—roughly three hours daily over ten years—are required to achieve mastery in any field. However, Ell acknowledges that while practice is essential, innate talent also plays a crucial role.
Overcoming Challenges
In February 2023, Ell revealed her struggle with an eating disorder, a mental health condition often associated with low self-esteem and affecting mostly teenage girls. This disorder has the highest mortality rate among mental illnesses.
Ell’s courage extends to her music. In 2020, she released the single “Make You,” sharing her experience of sexual assault at age 13 and her journey toward healing. In a 2020 interview, she disclosed that she faced a similar traumatic incident at 21, emphasizing that everyone has “skeletons in their closet” that shape who they are.
