Los Angeles native Ellie D. has always written songs straight from the heart. Unafraid to reveal her vulnerability, her music is often a reflection of life and the experiences, good or bad, that shape us. With her latest single, “New Scars,” she opens up about a bad breakup. Within the melancholy pop tune, she finds a place to expel all the things she has bottled up inside and is honest with herself about how some breakups cut deeper than others, leaving a lasting, emotional trace.
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“New Scars” is about that one defining breakup in your life,” she notes. “It questions why those who give the most love and care are often the ones most destroyed in the end. I wrote most of the lyrics to this song a couple days after my breakup, at my most heightened emotional raw state. A few weeks later I made the song. In my relationship, I was the one who put in all the effort and care, but in the end, I got heartbroken.
Through unleashing her pain, Ellie D. realizes that her wounds will eventually heal, but she also remarks on the one-sidedness of heartache, noting that while she’s suffering, the person who hurt her is probably doing just fine.
With its raw lyrics, simple, yet catchy pop arrangement and indie-rock overlay, the track captures the palpable mood of a young woman experiencing her first, heavyweight emotional blow, caused by being vulnerable and infatuated with someone who was really never there for you or felt the same way. “New Scars” reminds us that it’s harder to realize you gave more than you received, and knowing you weren’t as important leaves a jumbled knot to untangle.
There is an organic, unforced feel to her songs, and ”New Scars” is no exception. It’s not a sappy breakup song, rather an honest lament about getting caught up in something that was never real to begin with. What is real, though, is Ellie D’s ability to take us along on her journey, and on the way, we are reminded of our own moments of joy, pain, content, longing and everything else in between.
Releasing music since 2018, Ellie D. has found a sweet spot in writing catchy, genuine tunes delivered with soft, enveloping vocals. Downtempo, methodical and pop-laced, her brand of honest and expressive music is sun-kissed by the glow of her hometown of Los Angeles and stirs up a multitude of vibes from chill, moody, playful and reflective.
Words: Patti Sanchez
For more on Ellie D., make sure to follow her on Instagram.
