ELLISE: THE PRETTY EVIL ERA
Ellise is stepping into her Pretty Evil era and she’s not doing it quietly. Days after announcing her 15 city North American headlining debut, the goth pop Virgo princess sat down with NARCISSIST over Zoom, radiating that signature mix of sleek glam and raw, aching honesty. Her new album Pretty Evil is the most unfiltered version of Ellise yet, equal parts velvet and venom, peeling back the glittery trauma to reveal the woman behind the voice.
She told us about growing up in a house wired for music, moving to Los Angeles alone at 17, and surviving the music industry without backup. She toured with Madison Beer and Bishop Briggs before carving her own lane entirely. Now she’s front and center, commanding the stage on her own terms, dressed to kill.
We talked about the making of the Pretty Evil record, spirals in mental health, the thrill of independence, beauty standards and yes, a few conspiracy theories along the way—because of course she’s that kind of cool.
EARLY BEGINNINGS
With you headlining your own Pretty Evil tour and moving to LA at 17, what’s your earliest memory of connecting with music?
ELLISE: I have a few, but one that really sticks out to me is when I was in fourth grade. I did a back-to-school night performance and I performed “Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson. That was kind of one of the first times in my life that I realized how much I loved performing and singing for people. So that was definitely an early connection for me.
“Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson is a very emotional song for a fourth grader lol?!
ELLISE: I was a very emotional child. Something was deeply wrong with me because that was my first resounding pick. “
Forever an emo kid?!
ELLISE: Exactly! It was just never a phase, this is the real us.
Was there a specific song or artist that made you think “this is what I want to do with my life”?
ELLISE: Honestly, I always knew I wanted to be a singer from when I was really young, but when Lorde dropped the “Pure Heroine” album, I think that was the first time I heard songwriting that made me not only love singing but also made me think, “Whoa, this is an artist that has built their own world.”
When I listened to that album…I think I was 14 when she dropped it, I genuinely had the realization that being an artist is so much more than singing. You have to write in a way that is unique to you and create your own diary of music that’s completely different from everyone else’s. Obviously, you pull inspiration, and nothing is 100% original, but I think Lorde did such a good job of that, and she was so young when that album came out. I related to it really hard because she’s only a couple years older than me. So yeah, that was a big moment for me—”Pure Heroine” by Lorde. That album went quadruple diamond in my little earbuds.
Who was the first person to recognize your talent and how did they encourage you?
ELLISE: I think my mom and dad were definitely the first to recognize it. I was singing from a really young age, and when I was pretty little, my mom realized that I was vocally doing kind of good and sounding good. My brother, who’s two years younger than me, was also showing signs of being really good at piano at the same time. So my parents picked up that we were musical pretty early on.
They really fostered that—my brother was in piano lessons from a young age, and I was always pushed to go audition for musicals and the talent show and do choir. My mom and dad were very supportive.
That’s beautiful. You know, sometimes you don’t hear that story.
ELLISE: Yeah, I’m very, very lucky to have such supportive parents. And they’ve always been that way.
It just shows what positive reinforcement can do for a child.
ELLISE: Yes!
What was the very first song you ever wrote? Do you still remember the lyrics?
ELLISE: I literally do. I wrote it in first grade with my friend Skylar. It was called “Peace, Love and Happiness.” I don’t remember the verses, but there were verses—this was a whole song. I remember the chorus went:
“Peace, love and happiness, this is what we’re gonna fight for. Peace, love and happiness, that’s just the way we roll. So baby, take a drive down sunshine lane and I guarantee you’ll be cool!” That was my hook. Yeah that was what my little six-year-old brain was making.
Dude, it really shows that when you’re a little kid, that’s your truest self—we’re born naturally positive. It’s who we really are, before school kills our light and life starts to wear you down.
ELLISE: I think school’s evil. Totally, an evil institution literally.
Can you pinpoint the exact moment when you decided music wasn’t just a hobby anymore?
ELLISE: I think I never really felt like music was just a hobby, honestly. I took music really seriously from as early as I can remember. I was always kind of an overachieving type of child and wanted to be the best at things that I loved. I didn’t know what anything meant—I didn’t know if I wanted to pursue music in the way I’m pursuing it now, or go to college for music, or do Broadway, or what it was. But I always knew that I wanted my career to involve singing and doing music in some form. So I don’t think there was ever a moment where I had that realization. I think I had that realization as soon as my child self gained consciousness.
MOVING TO LA
What was going through your mind the first day you landed in LA at 17? Do you remember your first impression?
ELLISE: Oh, wow. I don’t know what was going on in my mind the first day. I do remember being very lonely when I first came to LA. When I think back on my earliest time in LA, I just remember the feeling of extreme loneliness. I moved here without really having any friends. I don’t have any family in the area.
I was young and pretty outgoing, but really quickly I got thrown into the ropes of LA and this industry, how people should and shouldn’t act, what’s weird and what’s not weird. It almost felt a bit like high school but with much higher stakes. So it was a lonely time, but I eventually learned to make friends and met amazing people after being there for a while. The beginning was just a bit of a rough start, but I was excited at the same time. I was a very optimistic, happy-go-lucky teenager, and I saw a bright future ahead.
Was there a moment in those early days when you thought, “what the fuck have I done?” How did you push through it?
ELLISE: Girl, I think “what the fuck have I done” today! Yesterday! I think how I push through it is, there’s a scale. The “what the fuck am I doing” scale can just never outweigh the “I’m doing this because it’s my purpose and I love it and I’m making people happy and I don’t want to do anything else” scale. As long as I keep those scales in check—and I think every artist has a version of those scales in their head—I think that’s the most important thing.
What sign are you, by the way, now that we’re talking about scales?
ELLISE: I’m a Virgo. What are you?
Oh, I’m a Libra.
ELLISE: My brother’s a Libra. I love all Libras, genuinely. One of my favorite signs.
What was the first song you ever wrote in LA? And how is it different from something like “Bite” or “Dead to Me”?
ELLISE: Oh my god, I think it wouldn’t even be comparable. When I first moved to LA, I was just figuring out my sound for the first time. I was writing all over the place. I knew my inspirations were artists who leaned darker—Lana Del Rey, Melanie Martinez, Marina and the Diamonds, The Neighbourhood. Those were all the artists I was super into at that time.
I think I knew kind of what I wanted the sound to be, but I had to develop it and figure it out. The early songs I made when I moved to LA, I would never even want anyone to hear them now—they will be locked away in a cage for the rest of time. I think the main thing is just the growth. It really does show almost a decade of growth of just writing and doing this whole music game. I hope that shows through in the music.
THE PRETTY EVIL ALBUM
How has your songwriting process evolved from the first LA days to creating “Pretty Evil”?
ELLISE: I would say the main evolution is it’s just so honed in now. I think now I’m at a place where I go to a session, I know what I want to say, I know what I want it to sound like. I work with people who get me so well, and I get them so well that we’re quick. Most of the ideas the producer is going to have, I’m going to like. Most of the ideas I’m going to have, they’re going to like. It just feels like a lot more smooth sailing, a lot less trial and error. Because of that, actually getting to the creative place of writing feels a lot easier. It just comes more naturally.
Your album title “Pretty Evil” feels like such a statement. What inspired this title?
ELLISE: It’s actually such a funny and not deep story, but kind of mixed with a deep story. I knew I wanted to have a two-track album title, and I wanted it to be either the two center songs or the top and bottom song. I wanted the title to be something polarizing because the whole point of the album is to show the really opposite ends of how amazing and how horrible a relationship can be.
I was just scrolling Twitter/TikTok one night, and I saw a Megan Fox meme. It was like, “I’ve been called evil, but never ugly.” And I was like, wait, why did that eat? So I kind of used that as my jumping-off point of inspiration. Thank you, Megan Fox, mommy. And yeah, that mixed with my idea of what I knew the concept wanted to be—I think that’s how “Pretty Evil” was born.
The album moves from “Pretty” to “Evil”—was this intentional structuring?
ELLISE: Yes, definitely. I wanted it to feel like a life cycle, and “Pretty” is sort of the beginning of the life cycle and “Evil” is the end. I also wanted them to be kind of similar song concepts but from two different lenses—sort of like the same coin, two different sides.
Which song was the hardest to place in the sequence?
ELLISE: I think it was a bit hard to figure out where I was gonna put the bangers like the really fast songs like “Dead to Me” and “Runaway Bride,” and then where I was gonna place the more emotional songs. I wanted the order of the album to have not only sonic unity but also for the meanings of the songs to sort of carry out a storyline. That was how I decided it. I wouldn’t say there was one song that was the hardest to place—it was more just figuring out the overall order of how I wanted things to match up lyrically and sound-wise.
Do you remember where you were when you wrote the first lyric for “Pretty Evil”? What triggered that moment?
ELLISE: The first song I wrote for “Pretty Evil” was “Valentine.” Honestly, I think just leaving my relationship and finally getting out of that was the biggest thing for me that finally allowed me to step into the mindset to make the album. So that was definitely a big point for me.
Were all the songs based on ex-relationships you had?
Not all. For example, “Ballerina” is really about my experience in the industry and just the experience of being a girl in general and how tiring it can be to be a girl in this era where everything is about being perfect and everything feels really high stakes. And then “Leech” is not really about a past relationship—it’s more just about people in general who suck and want to fuck you over and are there to suck your blood metaphorically.
What do you think about the standards of beauty right now? How everyone is starting to look the same?
I mean, I think it’s really tough. I think it’s mentally draining. I’m definitely no better than the rest of us—I’m a total victim to it. And, you know, the classic thing: we were never supposed to see this many hot people in our lifetime. And it’s kind of true. You go on social media and you see the most gorgeous people ever. And then you start thinking, “Well, what’s wrong with me?” Or you rule your life by numbers, and if something doesn’t do well, you’re like, “Oh, is this because of something wrong with me?” It can be really exhausting.
I honestly feel like a part of me wants everyone to feel the best they can feel and be comfortable with themselves, and I’m totally in favor of altering what you want to alter to make yourself feel better and more confident. But it’s also sad to see how changing our appearances is marketed to us all constantly, that it’s become so normalized and so trivialized. Because it’s not a trivial thing to do—like, I’ve had lip filler, I’ve done things, and it’s a permanent alteration to yourself. So I don’t know, I have really mixed feelings.
Same, and it’s also like, you know WITH PLastic surgery, how everyone wants the pony when they’re little, and once you get it, you’re like, “Well, I don’t care for it now, everyone has it.”
Yeah, exactly. And things go out of trend—like everyone was getting a BBL, and now it’s cool to be skinny again. It’s literally like trends on our looks, which is so insane. And at the end of the day, the only people we can blame are the men that run the companies that market us all this shit all day.
COLLABORATION & PRODUCTION
Working with Arthur Besna as your executive producer must have been interesting. What unexpected magic happened in the studio?
Arthur is great. I loved working with him. He executive produced the album, made eight out of the 12 tracks. I think there was so much magic in the studio with me and him. Honestly, the best part of working with him was meeting him and being like, “Whoa, I fucking love everything you’re doing right now.” We are just so in sync and we work really well together. It just felt amazing. We made the whole album—we made all eight tracks from June to September. And we made a bunch of other music too. So it was just great to get to meet a producer that I connected with so well.
How did your collaborations go with Ella Boe, JT Foley, and Madi Yanofski? How did they add to the album sound?
They’re also great. Ella Boh is incredible. She co-wrote “Committed for Life.” She’s so insanely talented. I love the fact that she is doing her own artist project now. She’s producing everything herself. She’s just such a baddie.
Madi and JT are also incredible writers. They wrote a lot of the album with me, and they’re just like—it’s just great. I get to make music with people who I really admire and who make other songs with other people that I actually love and listen to. So I’m very lucky, very blessed with who I make my music with.
“BITE” MUSIC VIDEO & STYLE
Let’s talk about your “Bite” video. Very glam, Very sexy.
ELLISE: Thank you!!
Was that your first time at the stripper pole?
ELLISE: Girl, let me tell you, I took two pole dancing classes before it. And I don’t think they did much. But you know what? I tried my best. I put my best foot forward.
Was that your creative direction in your music video “Bite”?
ELLISE: Yeah, it was me and the director Ben—we kind of co-created it. I wanted to do something very kind of risqué and also kind of showing this obsessive sort of relationship and this crazy wild dream sequence night type of thing. So it felt like the right vibe. Then literally “Anora” the movie came out like the day we shot it, and then people started being like, “Oh, this is a ‘Anora’ ass video,” and I was like, “No, I swear I didn’t know.
Yeah, you can tell Mikey Madison took a lot more pole dancing classes than I did.
Let’s talk about the fashion in the “Bite” video. What particular outfit did you love the most? What made you feel special?
ELLISE: I honestly loved the red jumpsuit for the stripper pole. I thought that was so cute. I had the thigh-high, massive stripper heel boots, and I felt so hot. The jumpsuit was just pushing my boobs together in a way that was so great. I had my hair straight in that look, and I never wear my hair straight, so it was just a cute look. I liked that one.
I noticed that you wear a red lip in a lot of your photos. Is that your signature? What’s the story behind finding your perfect shade?
ELLISE: I think literally if I was gonna die on a deserted island and could bring only one piece of makeup, it would be dark red lip liner. I usually wear “Burgundy” by MAC, but I have a million—all of my lip liners are the same color. I think I just love a dark lip. If I put on lip liner and have no other makeup on, I’ll feel like a baddie. It’s the one thing I just need.
Finding the perfect shade was just from buying every single lip liner known to man and going through them until I had one I love. But I don’t really have one shade—I just always have to have a dark lip. I wear a million different shades.
For fans wanting to recreate your signature lip, what’s your secret to making it last during an entire performance?
ELLISE: There is no secret—it’s gone by the time I’m off stage. If you can see my mic, it literally is covered in red lipstick. I’m making out with my mic the entire set, and that shit is off of me by the time I’m done.
What’s the most treasured piece in your wardrobe that makes you feel unstoppable?
ELLISE: I would say any of my prized possession boots. A nice tall heel boot—I just feel like such a baddie. I feel like nobody can touch me. And I like getting a few more inches of height. You know, it’s helpful.
Can you describe a moment on stage which you had your most favorite outfit for your onstage performance?
ELLISE: I think my favorite outfits on stage are anything that’s very baby doll looking. I love wearing something that’s kind of tight on the top and then has a big flowy skirt that I can just spin around in and feel like a fairy, mixed with huge shoes like big boots.
Is there a specific era or style icon that’s heavily influenced your dark pop aesthetic?
ELLISE: I think there’s a few things that influence the dark pop aesthetic. In fashion, I feel like Tim Burton—the outfits that he puts his characters in have really influenced me, especially when I was first getting into being an artist and figuring out my style. I was really looking to Helena Bonham Carter and sort of like goth icon baddies like her.
I think my biggest style icon would be Helena Bonham Carter for sure. I love her. I’m obsessed with all her red carpet looks. For more current day style icons, I would say Gabrielle—obsessed with her style. Devin Carlson, insane style.
I just love girls that dress like mythical creatures and fairies and layer a million different little tattered pieces of clothing and look like wood nymphs. Anything like that really speaks to me.
Is there a specific accessory or piece that’s become your lucky charm on stage?
I love wearing a garter on stage. I feel like I just need a little garter belt every single night.
Actually, for my headline tour, I’m gonna suggest that all my fans wear garters with me so we can all kind of be matching.
TOURING EXPERIENCES
How was your experience performing on Madison Beer’s tour?
ELLISE: It was so incredible, truly an unforgettable tour. I’ve never played on a tour that big before, and just getting to meet and see everyone, all the fans, and perform on such awesome stages. Also, Madison is just such a star. It was great to watch her every night, and she’s such a nice and kind girl. So it was an amazing tour, a great experience.
What was it like to share your new music with audiences for the first time?
ELLISE: It was amazing. On this past tour I just did, which was the Bishop Briggs tour, I played a lot of songs from the album, but before they came out because the album came out the second-to-last night of tour. It was so cool—every night I got to be like, “This is my song ‘Pretty,’ and it’s coming out in a week.” It was really cool because by the end of the tour, there would be girls in the front row that already knew the words to songs that weren’t even out yet. It was so sick.
What was different about performing on Bishop Briggs’ “Tell My Therapist I’m Fine” tour compared to Madison Beer’s tour?
ELLISE: I would say the biggest difference was honestly the audience. Madison and Bishop have very different fan bases and audiences. I’m very grateful for that because I kind of got to put myself in front of two very different groups of people. A lot of people at the Bishop shows would maybe not go to a Madison show, and a lot of people at the Madison shows would maybe not go to a Bishop show. So I’m grateful I got to put myself in front of such different groups.
You know, listening to your music, I could see it resonates with both of those kinds of audiences.
ELLISE: Yeah, it kind of feels like it works under both umbrellas.
Music Junkie praised your magnetic stage presence. What’s your pre-show ritual to tap into that energy?
ELLISE: My pre-show ritual is honestly just really getting super relaxed. I like to take 10 or 15 minutes before stage to have everything done. I want to be dressed and ready with my pack in my ears on so I can just chill.
I usually just look at a wall, dissociate a little, take some breaths. I really like to get in a relaxed state. Don’t let myself get nervous. And then as soon as I get on the stage, it’s like switch into pop star time!
So you’re headlining your own Pretty Evil tour. What’s the most exciting part about finally having your own tour?
ELLISE: Oh my God. I mean, I think just the fact that it’s my own tour! I’ve been so lucky to support amazing artists and had so much fun, but it’s just different when it’s your own headliner. My set list is going to be much longer. I’m going to get to do meet and greet. I’m so excited.
It’s been really cool. I was really nervous to launch this tour. I was scared no one was going to come, but people are excited, and I’m just so happy. It’s been a long time coming.
Can you tell us the ups and downs of touring?
ELLISE: Ups and downs—I mean, the up is you’re having the time of your life. You’re meeting your fans. You’re getting to sing for people. They’re loving it. You’re loving it. It’s such a high, such an adrenaline and emotional high.
Downsides—I mean, it’s a lot, it’s really mentally taxing. You’re not really living in real life when you’re on tour. I don’t really know how to explain that. I guess the best comparison I can make is like going away to camp, and you kind of don’t feel like anything is real. You’re waking up and sleeping at such weird hours. You’re driving all through the night. You’re living in a bus. It’s a really mentally taxing time.
But I think the adrenaline high is the only thing that keeps you from feeling how mentally taxing it is. It’s close quarters, but luckily, I’m really close with my team. I love my band. We literally are besties, and I’m really close with everyone I tour with. So you kind of just are having a really long sleepover in a moving vehicle.
You’re hitting 15 cities across North America. How are you preparing yourself mentally and physically for this journey?
ELLISE: I am going to be doing a lot more working out, a lot more cardio, a lot of yoga. I definitely want to be very in shape and fit for this tour because I’ve never played a set this long—this will be like double as long as any set I’ve played.
Other than that, I’m just staying positive, keeping myself in a happy headspace, and just letting myself feel excited instead of nervous or anxious and realizing that can just be channeled into excitement. So yeah, just trying to keep myself feeling that way.
This tour includes intimate venues like the Mercury Lounge and Moroccan Lounge. What excites you about these more personal spaces?
ELLISE: I think they’re gonna be really fun because you can see everyone so well, and I’m gonna genuinely be able to hand people the mic and let them sing to me. I’m going to be able to get in the crowd and hug everyone. I’m really excited for that. I’ve also been to these venues as a watcher, so I’m really excited to actually play them. It’s going to be so fun.
MENTAL HEALTH & CREATIVITY
How does your mental health struggles help your creative process?
Honestly, my mental health struggles dictate my creative process. I think all of my best music is sadly usually made while I’m in my worst mental state. And that’s just kind of the reality of my life. When I’m sad and when I’m feeling unstable or in a really bad depressive episode is really when I’m the most inspired to create.
ELLISE: So I kind of take advantage of those times to create so that when I’m out of them, I’m not feeling pressure to make something that’s inauthentic. So yeah, actually, my mental health inspires the shit out of my music.
I can totally relate. You have more energy to write when you’re like mad af, “fuck you!”
ELLISE:Yes, like nobody wants to write a fuck you song when they’re just chilling on a Tuesday. I need to write the fuck you song when I’m like, “Oh, should I jump out of the window?” You know?
How do you balance being vulnerable in your music while maintaining personal boundaries?
ELLISE: That’s a hard one. I struggle with being my real self on the internet sometimes. I like to share about myself and my mental health because I know that my music reflects those struggles, so I like to give context. But at the same time, I almost don’t love the idea of a lot of people knowing when I’m dealing with something.
So I don’t have a great answer for that. I think I’m still figuring out how to balance being an artist that does make all of that kind of public information without letting it get to me and without people crossing those boundaries. Hopefully, one day I’ll figure it out and we can circle back.
Do you ever feel lonely, and how do you handle that loneliness? Any advice?
ELLISE: I do feel lonely often. I kind of have a love-hate relationship with loneliness because I really do enjoy being by myself and I enjoy my alone time a lot. But I think sometimes, you know, shit gets lonely. You want to have people around you and you want to feel loved and not lonely.
For people who are feeling lonely out there, the best advice I have—and the thing I remind myself of when I feel like nobody understands me or I’ll never have someone be able to really understand my brain and the things I feel—is that that feeling is temporary. At the end of the day, humans are all so different that maybe no one’s going to understand you perfectly, but you will find your people that get it and get you and that you’re on the same wavelength with. And if you haven’t found them yet, they are coming, and everything you’re feeling now will not last forever.
Do you believe in manifestation and staying positive?
ELLISE: Absolutely. Yeah, I think manifestation has been a big part of the reason that I’ve gotten to do some of the things I’ve done, and it definitely plays a huge part in my life and even my mental health.
CAREER MILESTONES & INDUSTRY EXPERIENCES
Your breakout single “9-1-1” amassed over 440 million global streams. Can you walk us through the journey from your earliest music to that breakthrough moment?
Honestly, I just remember putting out “9-1-1,” and it was pretty early on in my career—I only had a few songs out. It also wasn’t a single; I just put out an EP and “9-1-1” was on it. I obviously didn’t have any expectations. I was just putting out music because I loved it.
I had originally written “9-1-1” with the thought of pitching it to Melanie Martinez, but I’m so glad I kept it—holy shit, thank God! I think there wasn’t much of a huge evolution between my early music and “9-1-1” as far as me as an artist. I was still such a baby when that song caught and started going viral that it was really overwhelming.
I was so happy at the time, but I didn’t really know much about the industry. I had no manager, no team around me, no one to really protect me from the sharks. It was a crazy time. But it definitely grew me up a lot and taught me a lot.
How did you start developing your signature dark pop sound?
ELLISE: My sound sort of started coming to me through making a ton of music and literally scrapping definitely hundreds of songs—multiple hundreds of songs. I didn’t start releasing music until two years after I had already been living in LA because I kept making things and being like, “This is not it. This is not the direction.” I’m a huge perfectionist—Virgo. So it took a while.
Honestly, my influences were really what made me want to make that type of music. I was super into darker pop music and kind of rock and ’90s rock—Nirvana, Chili Peppers, Sublime, Deftones, all of those bands. But then at the same time, I loved horror movies, horror books. I was a huge reader in high school and through my teenage years. I loved anything thriller, anything Stephen King, James Patterson. So just all of my media influences combined are really what created me as an artist.
You mentioned losing creative control after the success of “9-1-1”. Could you elaborate on those challenges?
ELLISE: I think “9-1-1” kind of blowing up when I was really young and naive about a lot did sort of backfire on me. I had this really successful moment, things were building, momentum was building, and I didn’t really know any better than to listen to what older, more experienced people were telling me. I didn’t trust myself.
A lot of the reason why I didn’t trust myself was because a lot of people were in my ear telling me to not trust myself and that I didn’t know anything and that they knew best. I sort of let myself fall into that. I think that was a huge downfall of my personal life, my career life, and my mental health. So yeah, there was a time where I kind of lost control of everything, and it took me a long time to reign it all back in and gain control again. So I’m grateful to be where I am now.
Yeah, a lot of people out there will say they know better, but they don’t.
ELLISE: Exactly. You know yourself and your creativity—everything revolving around an artist, no matter what kind of artist you are, you know your creative decisions for yourself better than anyone. That’s why you’re an artist, that’s what makes you an artist.
What’s the most awkward networking mistake you made while first trying to break into LA’s music scene?
ELLISE: I mean, literally, my whole existence was all awkward networking for like five years of living in LA. First of all, I don’t really drink, I’ve never been a drinker. So when I was like a little 365 party girl on the streets, I was kind of sober a lot of the time, and everyone would be really drunk, and I would just be so awkward.
There was a time where I was at the club and somebody introduced me to Lil Yachty, and I had no idea how Lil Yachty looked. I knew who he was and I knew his music, but I just didn’t know how he looked, and I didn’t know I was meeting Lil Yachty—I just thought I was meeting another dude in this group of people. I feel like he was kind of shocked or thought I was lying that I didn’t know who he was, and I said something so awkward. It was just really—I’ve just had a lot of really uncomfortable influencer encounters, but that’s just part of being an awkward girly. I’m true to this game.
How did you learn to tell the difference between genuine industry connections and people trying to take advantage?
ELLISE: I think it’s really all in the gut feeling and being super hyper-vigilant when you first meet people. I have a very strong belief in “trust is earned, not given”—not that you should automatically not trust someone and be super jaded and untrusting off the bat, but I do think, especially when it comes to work relationships, you kind of have to make sure somebody’s a real one. It will stand the test of time or it won’t.
But at the end of the day, if you have a gut feeling about someone and you feel like something is off, I think you should always at least kind of listen to that feeling and heed some amount of warning from it because it is there for a reason.
I totally agree with that. I actually have been learning lately to trust my gut feeling.
ELLISE: It’s a huge game changer. I could have saved myself from so much mess just by acting on something the second I knew something was up.
How did you learn to protect yourself and your art in an industry known for taking advantage of young artists?
ELLISE: Honestly, just through all the experiences I’ve had, the things I’ve been through in this industry. It’s made me very thick-skinned, and it’s also made me learn to not let anyone mess with me. At this point in my career, I can sniff out the bullshit and I can sniff out when people are trying to take advantage or when something is unfair. I just don’t let things slide anymore—if somebody’s doing me wrong, I’m gonna let them know.
There’s no reason why as an artist you should be expected to not know anything about the business side of your career. I think it’s way more empowering that a lot of young artists are starting to be more involved in the business side of their career, because if you don’t, then those people do swoop in and start to try to dig their claws in and do what they want for themselves. So I think just knowing what’s going on in your career is the most important thing—thinking of yourself like a store manager, and you have to know what’s going on in every department at all times.
What would you tell your 17-year-old self now about surviving the LA music scene?
ELLISE: Girl, honestly I would just give her a hug. I’d be like, “Babe, you have no clue what the fuck is about to go down.” I would just hug her and honestly give her the same advice we were talking about earlier: Just trust your gut. Don’t let people walk all over you. Don’t suffer at the hands of being nice to other people. Be nice and, you know, be a good person and move with that in your mind. But at the same time, don’t be so nice that you’re going to let somebody do something that’s making you suffer. That would be my advice to young me.
CULTURAL IDENTITY
As an Assyrian American artist in the dark pop scene, what unique perspective do you hope to bring to the music industry? Has your culture influenced any of your music sounds?
ELLISE: I think I do have a unique perspective because I grew up in such a niche culture that not a lot of people even really know about. It definitely made me grow up in a slightly different way than my peers. Whatever nationality, ethnicity we grow up learning and practicing definitely shapes us into who we are in a big way. So yeah, hopefully in the future, more Assyrian-leaning influence and Iraqi-leaning influence.
Are you first generation?
ELLISE: My dad is American, but my mom is from Iraq, so I’m first gen on that side.
Has your Assyrian American heritage influenced your fashion choices?
ELLISE: I wouldn’t say my Assyrian heritage has influenced my fashion choices, but I definitely would say it’s influenced my overall artist choices. I definitely want to always include my Middle Eastern heritage as a part of my identity as an artist.
I think maybe one day it would—I would definitely be down to do an Assyrian-inspired look in a video or something. We have really cute skirts with the coins on them, and you shake and they’re so cute. So I have a ton of those. Maybe I would wear one of those one day, modernize it. It could be a look, definitely not counting it out.
FUTURE PLANS & STYLE EVOLUTION
How do you see your style evolving for the Pretty Evil tour?
I am so excited about the looks on the Pretty Evil tour. It’s going to be very goth baby doll mixed with kind of cuntiness, like cheetah print, fun, big, bold colors. I’m still kind of planning it all out because the tour is still a little bit far, but I’m just so excited—the looks are gonna be so good.
I’m giving all my fans a dress code. I want them to dress like they’re going to their nicest formal dinner, like they’re having a night out—a rich, old Hollywood night out on the town!
Yes, no more basic jeans and t-shirt, dress up, make life special!
Right! Let’s pop out, you know!
Is there a dream outfit or look you’re dying to try but haven’t dared yet?
Anything vintage like archive Vivienne Westwood—the corsets, the big wedding dresses. Oh my God, if I could get married in a vintage Vivienne wedding dress, rest in peace to the icon that’s Vivienne Westwood, I would literally die happy.
What fashion risk are you excited to take for this next era?
ELLISE: For all the new stuff I have coming out later this year, I’m going to switch it up. I’m definitely going in a different direction visually, which of course will include the style and fashion choices as well. I’m excited. I’ve definitely kept the same basis of style throughout my career. I feel like recently it’s become more simple and sleek and streamlined and a little bit more mature. But I’m excited to switch it up and get a little bit more crazy again for the next era.
Anything changing with your hair, or you’re keeping it?
ELLISE: I think I might change it. I don’t know what—I don’t want to say what I’m going to change it to yet, but I do think I’m going to change it for the next era. Maybe longer. I might do it longer, I might change the color. I definitely want to pop out on tour with new hair though.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE HAIR TRANSFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE YEARS?
ELLISE: I have had like every hair color. I had the pink money piece for years, like 2018 to literally 2023—like, bro, it had a longer life than a gerbil. And then I’ve had every shade of brown, I’ve had light brown to black, I’ve been blonde, I’ve had blue, I’ve had purple, and red.
WhICH ONE WAS YOUR FAVORITE?
ELLISE: Definitely the pink money piece. It was just so iconic. I was obsessed. I only stopped doing it because my hair was getting so damaged. I literally had to stop. I had breakage bangs.
How do you see your sound evolving after this album?
I am actually already in the process of making the new stuff post-album, and I will say the sound has evolved a lot. You’re gonna hear hints of what you hear on the album in the new music, especially “Pretty.” I would say “Pretty” is the best bridging gap between the album and what’s coming next.
QUICK FIRE ROUND OF RANDOM QUESTIONS
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, on your next project, who would it be and why?
ELLISE: I would say Lana Del Rey because her songwriting just inspires me so much. I think she’s such a genius. She’s the blueprint. Literally, so many artists wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for her existence. And she raised me. Everything I said is 100% facts. So she would be my dream, dream, dream collab.
What visual artists or filmmakers influence your creative direction?
ELLISE: I love Mark Ryden, the lowbrow art guy that makes the crazy collections with the little dolls in crazy outfits and stuff.
Your website URL is elise.wtf—what’s the story behind choosing that particular domain?
ELLISE: Elise.com is out of budget, and I thought wtf was cute and silly. People who really understand my music know that I might be crazy, but deep down it’s all coming from a place of love.
What’s one question no interview has ever asked you that you wish they would?
ELLISE:That’s a hard question. I don’t know. Oh my God, I’m so bad at being on the spot. I guess it would be cool if an interviewer asked about—well, I don’t know. I feel like a lot of people ask the same questions, which I obviously understand because they need to know the basics, but it would be cool if people started asking really weird, off-putting questions. Honestly, this question is kind of like that—it stopped me in my tracks. I’m an A1 yapper, so if a question can stop me in my tracks, I’m impressed.
Do you believe aliens exist?
ELLISE: Absolutely.
If you were in a parallel universe, what would you be doing?
ELLISE: I mean, hopefully chilling on a yacht, a nepo baby, and have millions of dollars. I’m eating sushi somewhere off of a leaf.
Finish the sentence: If the world is ending, I will be…
ELLISE: Dying… I mean, yeah.
Let’s say you have like 48 hours with a huge budget!
ELLISE: Oh my God, holy shit. I’m going on a private jet to Japan, going scuba diving in some NASA submarine that probably exists with communication to talk to sharks and whales. I’m gonna travel to every country in the world, but it has to be in some crazy jet. Now I’m spending too much of the 48 hours on travel time. I need to work on this. I’m on it. Whatever the budget is, I’m spending it. Just know that by the time the 48 hours are up.
What conspiracy theories do you believe are true?
ELLISE: I think I believe a lot of conspiracy theories. I’m a true crime and conspiracy theory girl. And I’m also very nihilistic in the sense that I don’t really believe or not believe in anything. So I’m kind of like, you know what? Fuck yeah. Anything could be real.
There’s a conspiracy theory that we have never been to the moon and NASA is another money laundering front, Do you believe this theory?
ELLISE: I think we’ve been to the moon. I’m not going to lie.
Do you think the ocean is space?
ELLISE: I believe there is something crazy happening with the ocean. I don’t know if it’s space, I don’t know if the ocean and space are one, or if there’s Atlantis down there, what’s going on—but definitely the ocean is something where I’m open to anything could be possible and we just don’t have enough knowledge.
Do you think there’s other lands behind the Antarctica ice wall?
ELLISE: Dude, I don’t know, but if there is, we should go! That’s where Santa is..that’s where the North Pole’s been all this time!
What’s a good conspiracy theory, THAT YOU BELIEVE IN?
ELLISE: I can’t think of anything else. There’s just the ones that I’m like, this isn’t a conspiracy theory. Like, how they’re putting poison in all our food. Like, no, that’s just not a conspiracy.
I’ve been seeing them a lot lately. Have you seen the planes that do those cloud lines?
ELLISE: Oh, the chemtrails? Oh my God, we need to stream “Chemtrails Over the Country Club.”
For the Pretty Evil Tour she’s setting a dress code. “I want everyone to look like they’re going to their nicest formal dinner,” she says. “Like old Hollywood, rich, elegant, a night out on the town.” Her dream? A sea of fans in garters. “For my headline tour I’m gonna suggest all my fans wear garters with me so we can all kind of be matching.”
If you haven’t already fallen into her dark-pop universe, this is your sign—get a ticket before it’s too late.
Interview by Kimberly Mortensen
Get tickets for Ellise’s Pretty Evil tour here.