Lindsay Ell has a lot going on. Many know her for playing guitar on stage with Shania Twain or as a judge on Canada’s Got Talent.
Recently, Ell has focused on her solo career. She dropped her latest EP love myself on Oct. 25. Although she’s released solo music for a decade, this one felt special to make. We met up with her in Los Angeles about recording this collection of songs and playing alongside one of country’s biggest stars.
Congrats on the EP! What was the recording experience like?
When I was writing love myself I knew that I wanted a different energy surrounding the recording of it. I thought a lot about what that meant and, in the end, decided that recording in a different city and with a whole new team could be just the change I needed. We recorded everything in a small studio in Brooklyn, and I think the intimacy of that can be heard in every one of these songs. Walking to the studio each morning let me get out of my head, giving me a fresh perspective, which I think you can hear, and makes this collection different than my other projects.
The lyrics are really personal. Was recording the songs therapeutic?
Most definitely. The past three years have been a personal and professional journey for me. I stepped away from so many things that weren’t serving me and worked to build my life and career back up piece by piece. A huge part of that was songwriting. Sometimes it’s really hard to say things out loud but when I step into a studio, it feels lighter somehow. Like I am writing something not only for me, but for others who may feel the exact same way. Telling my story through my songs has been healing for me, and I hope that these songs will find their way to whoever needs to hear them.
This project also marks your first time as producer. What made you take that step?
Stepping into a new format opened a lot of space for my creativity on this project. Being able to walk into the studio without any restrictions allowed me to approach songwriting in a whole new way, and it made me want to be more involved in the process from start to finish. Thankfully, my producer saw how inspired I was by the songs I had written and thought I could bring even more to them by being part of the production process. It was a learning experience for sure, but I can proudly say that these five songs have a part of me in them from start to finish and that is an incredible feeling.
You produced this with Doug Schadt. What did you learn from him in terms of production?
Doug is a creative genius, or as I like to call him, a production wizard. I think we connected so quickly when working on this project because of his willingness to follow any idea through, even if it didn’t work out in the end. Nothing is too wild or “out there” and, because of that, we were able to create something that feels truly like me. Looking back, the biggest thing I learned from him was being true to how you hear the song in your head, and finding the instruments and production tools to make it come to life without compromise. I’m so thankful for his level of dedication to this collection of songs — they wouldn’t be what they are without his magic.
What’s your favorite guitar pedal?
It is definitely hard to choose just one. My mind changes from year to year, sometimes from month to month. I’m constantly rebuilding my board at home. I have been traveling a lot with a Neural DSP Quad Cortex, which has been really great on the road this year. At home, my fave guitar pedal is currently the Centura Overdrive by Ceriatone. It’s the best Klon clone I’ve found out there!
How do you choose and prepare the guitars you take out on tour?
When I’m getting ready to go out on the road, I want to lean on the guitars that feel the easiest to play, and the ones that really call out to me. I generally bring strats on the road, and recently have been leaning into the feel of Fender Ultra Stratocasters. When I got asked to play guitar for Shania, it was quite the task to figure out what guitars I would play in the show. I use 14 guitars every night in Vegas, so I’m pretty much in heaven.
What’s your favorite song to play with Shania?
The song that taught me how to sing when when I was a little girl was “No One Needs To Know.” I remember watching the video for that song and wanting to be just like Shania Twain so badly. Fast forward years later, and now I get to play this very song sitting less than two feet away from her on a stage around the world — it’s just wild to think about! Anytime I hear this song when I’m out in the world, it is a reminder that literally anything is possible, even things you didn’t imagine were possible for yourself.
Do you have a favorite Shania look?
Let’s be totally honest, Shania looks incredible in everything she wears. It’s so inspiring to me to watch her create looks for every individual show, often from local designers. I’ve learned a lot from her this year when it comes to pulling together stage looks, and I hope that people will see pieces of her inspiration in the outfits I take out on the road next year.
What did she think of your cover of “That Don’t Impress Me Much?”
Shania is truly so supportive and has always been a champion of me. I can’t thank her enough for that, she’s truly changed my life and releasing this cover was a fun way to celebrate our journey together.
What’s your favorite moment from hosting Canada’s Got Talent?
Wow — this is a tough question to answer, it feels like asking a parent to choose their favorite child. BUT I will say that the upcoming season has a lot of very fun moments that I can’t wait for viewers to see! I also feel so grateful for the opportunity to showcase all of Canada’s incredible talent on a global stage.
For more from Lindsay Ell, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.