Some of the greatest musicians to have walked the earth trace the start of their musical journey back to praise and worship. The church was the very foundation of their illustrious careers.
Aretha Franklin, a multiple Grammy award winner, was the daughter of Reverend C.L Franklin, whilst Whitney Houston’s mother was a gospel singer and encouraged her daughter to sing solos in church. Furthermore, Beyoncé, with a record-breaking 28 Grammy awards, was a member of her church’s choir at St. John’s United Methodist Church as a soloist. Just a few of many that credit their upbringing in the church as a contributing factor to their successful careers.
Growing up in church has also been the bedrock of South London singer and songwriter Ruth-Ellen. “The church at a young age was vital to me. I sang in my school and church choir and had some solo opportunities too. It was like a training ground for me.“
As a child, Ruth-Ellen’s parents would regularly play the likes of the 3-time Grammy Award winning ensemble Sounds of Blackness and the 16-time Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Kirk Franklin.
When reflecting on her childhood, Ruth-Ellen says: “Listening to gospel was where I learnt how to harmonise-where I picked up vibrato, the message and the depth in the music. Also, the lyrics really connected with me at a young age.“
Her childhood inspirations alongside her time in the choir would help shape the versatile musician Ruth Ellen is today. “I would say I make a range of music from neo-soul to r&b, gospel, soul, pop and jazz.”
For many artists, music is the perfect platform to express themselves, and Ruth-Ellen is no different in that regard. She explains: “Music is personal. I can be quite shy, but music is the only thing I’ve had confidence in. It has helped me through situations and is a great way of escaping reality.”
The early peak of the Coronavirus inflicted pandemic which devastated the world last year initially had a detrimental impact on the entertainment industry as the world shutdown. However, Ruth-Ellen was able to use this period as a reset. She says: “It definitely birthed a new level of hustle within me. I was able to hone in on parts of my skillset, such as songwriting, and generally learning how to navigate as an independent artist.”
In recent years, we have seen independency within music championed as musicians seek to keep creative control of their art. Earlier this year, MIDiA Research released an annual global market report for 2020. Their findings state that independent artists and labels directly over-performed, collectively growing by 27% and increasing market share to 31.5%.
However, these statistics don’t quite reflect the lives of all independent artists attempting to make headway in the music industry. Ruth-Ellen isn’t afraid to be honest on how strenuous being independent can be:
“It’s tough. People say ‘be consistent’, but at the end of the day, you need money, and finding funding isn’t easy. You also have to find inspiration whilst being your own manager, administrator, look after social media, marketing.”
Despite the difficulties Ruth-Ellen has faced, there remains a steely determination to overcome the obstacles in front of her. “At the end of the day, I have a duty to show up for myself. Before I’m a musician or an artist, I’m a human being and I want my music to connect with people.”
Ruth-Ellen’s latest single ‘New Day’ is a testament song that celebrates embracing the trials and tribulations of life with self belief. Ruth-Ellen offers listeners an insight through the lyrics: “Brightest star that shines for all to see, it’s my time, plant my feet and stand up firmer”.
A combination of all the life experiences she has been through have helped the person and artist that Ruth-Ellen is today. The journey of being an independent artist isn’t an easy one to navigate. Yet Ruth-Ellen has never been more ready to make sure that her voice is heard.
Written by: Gerry Otim
Email: gerryotim@hotmail.co.uk
Instagram: @MidKnightGaz
