Meet Nathan Ells

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nathan Ells.

Hi Nathan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always had a close relationship with music as far back as I can remember. My parents toured playing gospel music from the time I was born until my early teens. I started playing shows at parties and random house shows at 17, and by 19, I had quit college and dropped the scholarship I had received singing Italian opera to start playing shows at clubs downtown well before I was able to legally attend them.

By 21, I was well into my second band and was playing local shows to over 400 people regularly. By the time I was 25, my local band ran its course and I moved to California to seek a record deal. Within a year and a half of living in San Diego, I got a call to try out for The Human Abstract, an up-and-coming band based out of Los Angeles recently signed to Hopeless Records out of Van Nuys, CA whose vocalist had recently quit. After recording my vocals over an instrumental and driving up for a tryout, I got the gig and within a month’s time, had written Nocturne, and after playing a poorly attended gig (around 12-15 people) with the band, In This Moment, we headed out like a whirlwind across the desert to record the debut album. After some time spent in NC and NJ recording, we headed out on the first tour, and that was it.

We would be out on tour for 5 months at a time with no breaks, tours would get tagged onto other tours, and daily interviews before stepping onstage in another completely new environment, over and over and over. It was overwhelming and amazing. After visiting every major city in the continental US, every Canadian province, 2 warped tours, 20+European countries, & 60,000 records sold, playing alongside acts like As I Lay Dying, Trivium, All That Remains, August Burns Red, Ice Nine Kills, Every Time I Die, Bring Me The Horizon, Katy Perry, Killswitch Engage, Bad Religion, Pennywise, etc. I then got into producing music, mostly Hip Hop, Dancehall, and Reggaeton, with world-bat undertones.

I’ve worked alongside and under the wing of producers like Pat Leonard(Madonna, Elton John, Michael Jackson), Toby Wright (Metallica, Korn, Slayer, Alice In Chains), Sergio Chavez (Brian Mcknight, P.O.D., The Roots, Ladytron, Avril Lavigne), Eric Rachel (ZAO, Skid Row) and Jamie King (Between The Buried and Me). Recently I have made a return to performing live with my new project, Hidden Sixes, and am very excited about the future. We plan to be out on tour by late fall/early winter of this year so be on the lookout if you like heavy music. I am also revamping my clothing line, Discordian Rebels, mostly anti-establishment T-shirts, and art wear, but I did just do a shoe collab with Alive called Omens, now on sale.

However, Hidden Sixes is my number one priority. I know this is a business venture-related magazine, which I respect greatly. It’s a major contribution to the community of young entrepreneurs here, no doubt. That said, I would also like to say that a band should always be friendships/mutual respect first, then music, then business, in that order.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I will try not to be too negative, but the end of my time with The Human Abstract was a very troubling time to say the very least. We didn’t split ways into good terms. It was extremely hard on me and still is emotionally and practically.

For example, The Human Abstract has 36,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and when my name pops up, there is a link that goes to some random artist named “Nathan Ellis” (not Ells, which is my actual last name) that is not me. A lucky random person who is benefitting from my work with the band. That is no accident. Classic THA immature prankery.

This is after running my name through the mud and having someone else fail miserably at singing my words onstage as me in my place. Unfortunately for him, the vocalist after me was heckled by my fans until he quit. I went through a few years of being estranged from my former life. Everything felt very personal and I was left asking myself, why did this happen to me? Then I owned up to my personal mistakes, and my role in the events leading to where I was in my life at that point, and much strength was gained from this.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am known first and foremost as a vocalist. I’ve spent countless hours in front of the mic, onstage, in the studio, and at home, probably amounting to 1/3 of all the hours in my life. No good art exists without some degree of obsession. Vocals are my forte, but I’ve also been playing guitar for 20+ years. I can get by on most stringed instruments.

What I am most proud of is being flown to Nicosia by Layne Redmond to sing traditional Greek hymns, backed by 15 female hand drum players of Cyprus, for friends, fans, and Cypriot government officials. I consider that a major highlight of my career up to that point.

I recently was given the honor of being the official press for the Muddy Roots music festival under the name “Kool Police” with Kelly Garcia and will be releasing “Rootdown”, a documentary on the festival’s triumphant recovery following the Covid-19 epidemic.’—–,

What sets me apart from others is my determination. Determination has helped me achieve everything I’ve ever accomplished in life. I consider it to be the most valuable and defining of my strengths.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Aside from determination, which has gotten me through so many discouraging times in my life, I would have to say that focus is a key factor in anyone’s success. Not only is the focus itself important, but also knowing that what you focus on ends up defining you as a person is of the utmost importance.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hidden-sixes-merch.creator-spring.com
• Instagram: @hiddensixes
• Facebook: @hiddensixes
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCcv5zu7gdIEMHEaaLY7rbUQ