Ella Vos: A Fearless Voice In Indie Pop Returns With "Kawaii"
From motherhood to overcoming cancer, her resilience and empowerment.
We're thrilled to share that indie-pop gem Ella Vos is making her highly anticipated return this Friday with her luminous new single, Kawaii—the first release from her upcoming project, which continues her heartfelt exploration of womanhood and femininity. Known for her ethereal sound and deeply personal songwriting, Ella has built a reputation for crafting soothing yet powerful songs that resonate on an intimate level.
The single captures Ella's signature dreamy synth-pop sound, blending shimmering melodies with introspective lyrics. As she revisits the places in LA that have shaped her life, she reflects on her journey through nostalgia and self-discovery, reimagining her past with the wisdom and resilience she's gained. ‘Kawaii’ perfectly sets the tone for the new album, which celebrates transformation and the beauty of embracing change.
Her journey as an artist has been anything but conventional. From navigating the music industry as a mother to battling postpartum depression—an experience she first channeled into her breakout single White Noise—Ella has consistently transformed life’s challenges into music that connects. At the height of her career, with hundreds of millions of streams to her name, she was diagnosed with lymphoma while in the middle of a U.S. tour. Against all odds, she fought through it and made an incredible recovery, all while facing industry setbacks, including a label deal that took nearly half of her streaming royalties.
Through it all, Ella Vos has remained a fearless, independent voice in the indie-pop world, using her platform to discuss not only personal struggles but also broader themes of self-discovery, resilience, and empowerment. Now, as she steps into this new era of her career, we sat down with her to talk about her evolution as an artist, her creative process, and what’s next on her journey.
Ella, your journey has been one of both triumph and challenge—from navigating the music industry as a mother to overcoming lymphoma while on tour. When you look back at everything you've faced, what moments stand out as the ones that truly shaped you as an artist?
When I began my solo project, I wasn’t totally sure what I wanted life as an artist to look like. I had been playing in bands and touring most of my 20s, and before that, I was studying classical piano. When I was pregnant with my son, I knew I had a story that needed to be told, so I quit all my gigs and focused on writing. The first moment that shaped me as an artist was writing and releasing my first song White Noise, which I wrote when my son was 5 weeks old. As a new mother, and nearing the end of my 20s, I was worried that the music industry wouldn’t accept me. But to my surprise, the song took off. Suddenly I was confronted with major label offers, management deals, booking agents, etc. But I was concerned that it was too early in my career to let others into it who may have a different vision, so I remained an island and let only a few in. I don’t think this was necessarily the best decision, I didn’t get a variety of input on what I was doing with my career.
Instead, I followed the guidance of one person, one man, who signed me to a production deal, managed me, and co-wrote and produced my music. It wasn’t until 2020 when I realized how unhappy I was with the relationship I’d been intertwined in. I began to hate writing, and wanted to quit music altogether. Luckily, my partner Tommy reminded me that I didn’t need this one man to be able to have success in music. I severed all my ties with them, which, as a chronic people pleaser, was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. I think this moment shaped me more than the post Partum depression, the cancer, the divorce… it was the act of saving myself and saying “I am worth more than this”. Since then, I’ve been more confident in every way, which has led me to not only being the sole owner of my career, but pursuing other avenues such as producing other artists.
Your debut single White Noise was an unfiltered look at postpartum depression, and since then, your music has continued to explore deeply personal themes. Was there ever a time when being this vulnerable felt daunting, or has honesty always been at the core of your songwriting?
Oh my goodness, being vulnerable at ALL was so daunting. It wasn’t easy for me to find confidence as a songwriter, I heavily dealt with imposter syndrome. Until recently, I’d always been a quiet, introverted, shy person. I rarely spoke up for myself, or told anyone how I actually felt. I basically only communicated through playing the piano. But hearing from my listeners, how they reacted to my vulnerable lyrics, I realized it wasn’t about me.
It was about helping people feel seen, and express their own story. I’ve always wanted to help others, and for my music to have a purpose outside of myself. I’ve never done it for fame or critically acclaimed success. Since releasing my debut album, it’s become my purpose, to infuse songs with raw experience, so to create a better, healthier world.
In the midst of a rising career, you were diagnosed with lymphoma, yet you fought through it while staying active in your music. How did that experience shift your perspective—not just personally, but also in how you approach your art and the industry?
Music had always been my way of healing, so it was never a question to take a break while going through treatment. Looking back, I probably shouldn’t have pushed myself so hard, but I was terrified to lose momentum with the success I was having. (Mostly terrified because I was being told on a daily basis from my producer that if I slowed down it would all be over.) I was sick for an entire year; I lost 50% of my hearing for 10 months, and lost my voice many times as I battled chronic infections, yet wrote and recorded an EP, played festivals, and stayed active on social media. Despite all this, I think much of the industry wrote me off, thinking I wouldn’t be able to hustle hard enough. I started to get criticized for sharing my story of motherhood, as they assumed I would quit music and become a full-time mom?! It was extremely frustrating. Even though it had only been 3 years into my career, I was now no longer a brand new artist, and opportunities stopped coming.
