Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellen Starski.
Hi Ellen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story starts in Reynoldsville, PA where I was brought into the world by a young (still in love) hippy couple who raised their kids on Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Heart, The Beatles, etc. My parents and grandparents musical tastes opened my mind so I could begin the curation of my own musical adventure.
It was the early 90s when I began to discover female vocalists that would forever shape my mind, heart, and ultimately my passion for music. Tori Amos, Bjork, Sarah McLaughlin, and Natalie Merchant are just drops in the bucket on a list of recording artists that shaped me into the artist I am today. My husband led me to Nashville in 2008, where we’ve lived happily with our young daughter ever since. If it weren’t for my family and all these artists, I never would have ventured to dream of pursuing a musical career. So, here we are making music, living, and loving this beautiful city of ours.
When I first met my husband (Shawn Starski), I had pretty much hung up my singing cloak, and mostly sang for myself writing and plucking away in our one-bedroom apartment in Antioch, TN while my husband toured 300 days a year. He’s a phenomenal guitar player. Once he decided to get off the road we started to record and write together. He released an album in 2012 where I performed under the moniker, “Elle.” The album received some great reviews and we were approached about recording a live in studio album shortly thereafter, but life took over with the birth of our daughter taking precedence.
Music is such a huge part of who we are that there was really no other path for us professionally. Shawn has been working for Gibson Guitar going on 9 years now, and I’m a full-time mom and recording artist! Whew, what a whirlwind of a journey thinking back. There’s also a section in this story where I had just moved to town and was serving tables at Red Lobster.
This is where I met my best friend Sharie Bardo who pulled me out of my apartment practically kicking and screaming to get me singing in public again. She’s been there for the entire Nashville ride, and I’m so grateful.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been a smooth road. There have been some solid highs and lows, but ultimately the struggles got me to those highs points. So, the rollercoaster is a part of my ride and has served as the influence for many of the lyrics and melodies I’ve created.
Getting out of my own way has been a struggle over the years. Low self-esteem felt like it could have been the end of my career with stage fright always lurking in the shadows. I can’t say these struggles aren’t still real, but I have learned how to combat them with great circles of family, friends, and colleagues.
The biggest struggle of all regarding music though has been Covid. Releasing an album during a pandemic that took two years to create was not an ideal situation to be in, but we plunged through with the thought pattern that “music is medicine,” and people have needed positivity and something to connect to during these difficult times.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Well, I’m a recording artist here in Nashville, and released my sophomore album during the beginning of the pandemic and like so many others were unable to support the effort with touring or shows. So, we really buckled down this past year and a half. Closed the doors and worked on ourselves.
We had recently spent months preparing for our Nashville release show at The 5 Spot to only have to cancel last minute when my parents were admitted into the hospital with Covid. My Dad is home and has made a complete turn around, but my Mom is still in the ICU battling this terrible disease. There is no way I’ll be able to consider rescheduling the show until she is home and resting. All our thanks to the venue, our fans, and the community for their support and outreach. She’s going to beat this with her incredible medical team, and all the prayers and positive thoughts that have flooded our days. This pandemic continues to remind us all how fragile everything truly is, and I will never take for granted another day with my family, and the chance I have to perform live.
There’s been a certain amount of freedom in the way that we’ve recorded these albums thanks to being an independent artist, but there are days I pray for the opportunity to work with a label. The doors they could open for me, and their expertise in music business would be a much appreciated help in the struggle to keep working.
With all that being said the artists, musicians, and music business professionals that I’ve had the honor of working with through exploring independent opportunities have brought me a long way.
My first album, “The Days When Peonies Prayed For The Ants” was produced by local recording artist Anne McCue, and my sophomore album was produced by Lucas Morton and Max Hoffman. Both experiences were enlightening and have helped me grow musically, spiritually, and personally.
Erin Anderson has also been a huge part of setting my career into motion. She has been hired on for consultation, and project management for both records. There are so many moving pieces that need to be managed which I’ve learned to juggle over the past 5 years, but ultimately none of this would be possible without the support of my family. With that being said I’m most proud of my daughter, Marè.
Any big plans?
My plans for the future… To be honest, I’m truly not sure about next week, but I hope to see the world in better shape soon and will help, however, I can to get us there.
I have plenty of lyrics and melodies for a third album, so I’ll probably start going through everything once the release show is over and see what stays and what goes. Having the show will most likely release a pressure gauge the will allow the creative stream to flow steadily again. Finger crossed.
We’ve also discussed moving out of the city for a quieter life in the woods. Maybe build our own little music studio, with a greenhouse next door for year-round fresh food, and a quaint house with a wood-burning fireplace. This all sounds like heaven to me.
Pricing:
- Signed Sara Vinyl $25.00
- Signed posters $20.00
- T-shirts $25.00
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.ellenstarski.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenstarski/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellenstarski/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCgpkczX3diKdKEtNfK7hJuA
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-995616981/sets/saras-half-finished-love-affair-ellen-starski
Image Credits
Album cover art by Patrick Dennis, and photos by Anna Haas
