Are you in or out on Elle Mears? We are in! Elle Mears released a new single, “In or Out,” on February 28, 2020. Undiscovered Nashville is in on Elle Mears and her new single. Mears has been on my list of artists in Nashville to feature since I saw her play at Buscall last year. I was finally able to sit down with the singer/songwriter to talk about her new single and upcoming EP.
Elle Mears Is In On Music
Elle Mears, originally from Seattle, grew up in a musical family. Mears said, “My dad was a piano player, and he played in a worship band. My uncle is a renowned bluegrass player. As for me, I started playing the violin when I was four years old, and I began writing songs at seven years old. I was always writing poems, and that continued through high school.”
As much as we would love to see Elle tear into a fiddle solo, an injury sustained during high school would change Elle’s life as it related to music. The Seattle native said, “I broke my back when I was fifteen in a cheerleading accident, and I could no longer support the violin position anymore. So I picked up a guitar we had lying around the house and taught myself how to play. Playing the guitar helped me translate all those poems into songs.”
When Did Music Become a Career Option?
At sixteen years old, Elle stepped into a recording studio for the first time. Mears said, “I flew out east, and my uncle got me into the studio. He took three of the songs I had written, and we recorded them. That was the start.” This experience in the studio would be life-changing for Mears.
The singer/songwriter realized at that moment that she wanted to make a career in music. Elle said, “The first time I got into the studio, it was like magic. Something that starts as just an idea in your head, and you see everything get put together and come to life. The power in that is addicting.”
Songwriting or Performing
It is always interesting to learn which passion arose first songwriting or performing. Some singer/songwriters began singing, while some began writing first. Mears said, “Before attending Belmont for songwriting, I wrote to guitar and different chord progressions. At Belmont, Melissa Pierce helped me develop who I wanted to be as an artist. One of the biggest challenges as a writer is straddling the line between writing something commercial and something personal.”
Elle had been writing for years before moving to Nashville, but performing was a different story. The singer/songwriter said, “When I first moved here, performing was the newest part to me. I loved singing my songs and showing that part of my heart to people. However, performing was something I had to warm up to and learn.”
The Love of Performing
We all have those moments in our lives when we can remember falling in love with something, whether its sports, music, etc. Elle remembered the moment she began to love performing. Mears said, “Years ago I was performing at The Listening Room when it was still on 2nd Avenue. The crowd was dark, and you could feel the heat from the lights on your face. There was this moment where you think; these people are here to listen and experience something. I thought let me make them feel something. That was the moment I began to love performing.”
Music is a tie that binds people together. However, not everyone likes the same genre, but its undeniable music makes you feel something. Mears said, “Music is a different language, but it is one spoken universally. Everybody understands the way a song makes you feel, and getting the change to be the translator for that is cool.”
“In or Out” was and The Breakup Tapes
Elle Mears released “In or Out,” her latest single, on February 28, 2020. “In or Out” is the first single from her upcoming EP “The Break Up” tapes. Mears said, “I am excited about this song. The song has a cool vibe. However, it is the first song I have ever released that I didn’t write. Joanna Yeager, Andrew Beeson, and Cameron Bledell wrote the song. I saw Joanna play the song at the 30A Songwriting festival. Joanna told me the song was sitting in her catalog, and the song fit my EP, so I asked if I could record it.”
If you have not yet listened to this song, trust me, you need to. Everyone has been in a situation where you have been dating and wanting to move forward in a relationship. You get to a point where you are tired of waiting, so you ask the other person, are you in or out?
The second single off “The Breakup Tapes,” “Running from Reality,” is expected sometime in April. However, the exact release date is not yet determined. “Running from Reality” was the first song Elle wrote after going through a hard breakup. Mears said, “Running from Reality” is about the feeling after a breakup that is not real. You are wondering what went wrong, and you are stuck in this situation.” To say we are looking forward to the second single and the release of “The Breakup Tapes” is an understatement. The release date of the EP is not yet confirmed. Yet, it would be best if you began looking for it toward the end of April to the middle of May.
Fun Facts about Elle Mears
Elle has been honing her sound over the last year, releasing several songs: “Burning Silhouettes,” “Turning up Love Songs,” and “Sip It Off My Lips.” She also released a cover of Lee Brice’s “Girl” from the female perspective. She had previously done a similar twist on Thomas Rhett’s “Marry Me.” Her version recently hit a million streams online.
There is more to Elle Mears than just the music; she has several interests besides music. The singer/songwriter is a real estate agent, has a white belt in jujitsu, and has a dedication to fitness. Mears said, “I won gold at the Nashville Open for jujitsu, and I hope to compete in a national jujitsu competition as a white belt. Another goal for me is to compete in a fitness competition this year.” As you can see, there is much more to Elle than meets the eyes and ears. As Elle said, “If you need someone to walk you to your car, I’ve got you.”
So are you in on Elle Mears?
Undiscovered Nashville is so excited to see what is to come for Elle Mears. We think the sky is the limit for this talented singer/songwriter. Please join us in supporting Elle by following her on social media and music platforms. Stream her music, and you won’t be disappointed. Undiscovered Nashville will be saying, “Elle Yeah!”
