ettie unleashes new single "Your Street" and connects with fans to dive deep into the emotional journey behind the track
- STAFF
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
By: Staff
“Your Street” is an electrifying anthem that showcases ettie’s unparalleled ability to turn pain into power.
Get ready to meet an artist who’s redefining what it means to be raw, unapologetic, and vulnerable in the world of music. ettie, the powerhouse behind the hauntingly beautiful new single "Your Street," has poured her soul into a track that cuts to the core of heartbreak, strength, and self-empowerment.
In this interview, we spoke with ettie about the journey that led her to this pivotal moment in her career. From navigating the highs and lows of personal struggle to carving out a unique space in a world that often demands conformity, she opens up about what truly drives her: a relentless desire to be heard, understood, and, most of all, authentic. "Your Street" is more than just a song, it's a statement.
But where did the inspiration for such a powerful track come from? ettie unpacks the intense emotion that shaped the song and reveals how it became a vessel for reclaiming personal power. With lyrics that blend pain and sarcasm, and a tone that’s both biting and healing, “Your Street” is a glimpse into a world where vulnerability is a weapon, and healing is a journey.
We also dive into the artist’s personal evolution, from her early years in London’s underground scene to the transformative experiences that have influenced her creative process. How does a near-fatal accident shift one’s entire perspective on life? How does writing music become a tool for personal healing, as well as a way to connect with others on a deeper level?
There’s so much more to ettie’s story than meets the eye, and “Your Street” is just the beginning.
Read on to uncover the thoughts, challenges, and triumphs behind the music that’s capturing hearts everywhere.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello ettie, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. We absolutely loved the stunning opening to “Your Street.” The cadence and your syllable enhancement is just incredible. Not to mention, the storyline and lyrical precision had us completely captivated. We’re so glad to have discovered your music. Can you share with us how your personal musical journey has led you to this point? Did your transition into a professional music career happen gradually, or was there a defining moment or event that pushed things into motion?
A.Thank you so much! I’ve always been a writer, I wrote my first song at like 9 years old before I really fully understood what I was doing. But this road wasn’t easy for me. I didn’t have a lot of people when I was growing up who believed I could do this. In fact, my senior school music teacher told me to my face that I wouldn’t have a career in music. Extremely harsh and definitely out-of-pocket, I know. Someone like that shouldn’t be a teacher. But it really motivated me. When someone says I can’t do something, I will work as hard as I can to prove them wrong. The more people didn’t believe in me, the harder I pushed myself. Because I knew deep down this is what I was meant to be doing, and it worked.
Q. What does “Your Street” mean to you personally, and why did you choose that title? Can you walk us through the journey of writing and recording the song?
A. The title comes from the final chorus lyric, “You could’ve had the world, but you settled for the corner of your street.” That was the first line I came up with, and also a line I’m really proud of. This song is based on something that happened to me at 19, when the person I liked cheated on me with the ‘girl you shouldn’t worry about.’ It’s taken me nearly 10 years to write this song, but as soon as I started I finished it in 15 minutes.
Q. You mentioned feeling like you’re better than what happened to you in “Your Street.” How do you reclaim your power in situations like this, both in your music and on a personal level?
A. Getting betrayed is one of those things that gets under your skin and doesn’t leave. I remember saying to this person multiple times ‘hey, I think this girl is in love with you’, and they called me jealous/crazy/the usual deflective stuff. But I was 19 and didn’t know better. Now I do. And I see that at the time, I was so much more worthy than being treated like that. Realising this only comes with time and space to process, and my way of navigating my emotions is through writing a song about it. I reclaim my power by making art out of what I go through.
Q. The line “Got cheated on, had a breakdown, bon appétit” is both striking and memorable. Can you share your thoughts on how you balance sarcasm and pain in your songwriting, especially in a line like that?
A. Hahaha, I wrote that to promote the song off of the James Acaster quote he said while on The Great British Bake Off, “started making it, had a breakdown, bon appétit.’ Because while this song is heartbreaking, finishing it and putting something so vulnerable out in the world is such a strange feeling. It’s literally standing on a stage in front of a whole crowd on strangers and baring your soul. I like to make people laugh, so any chance I get to say something funny I’m right in there.
Q. Do you find that your most vulnerable experiences translate into your strongest songs? When writing, do you share your most intimate feelings, or do you prefer to keep certain aspects of your story more veiled, letting the listener interpret them in their own way?
A. 100% agree. I write songs because I love telling stories, and to write a convincing and moving story you do have to start from what you know. But as emotional as I am, it takes me a very long time to write songs about the big things that happen to me (like how this song took nearly a decade). I’ve been bawling my eyes out writing my new songs, because I feel like the more I go on the deeper I go. Which is hilarious because I already have been a wildly emotional writer and person. But I think that when you’re writing so honestly, it’s difficult not to connect with even one other person’s life. People seek community in emotion, and so I don’t want people to see my songs as just things that I go through, I want them to see what they go reflected in it as well, and we can process it together.
Q. Are most of your songs drawn from your personal experiences, or do you sometimes explore entirely fictional worlds? How do you connect with the stories and characters in your music—do you see yourself as a part of the “cast” within each theme?
A. Both! A lot of my songs aren’t based on me at all. I’ve written a lot of songs based on things my friends are going through. Or I come up with a line, or a hook, and I’m like ‘those are cool words, I’ll write that story.’ Those songs will often touch on common themes that people connect with, and often times I will usually find my personal experiences woven in. Songwriting is incredibly cathartic, but it’s important to me to not use it just for my own catharsis. Songs are written to connect people together, and I write with that in mind.
Q. You’ve described yourself as a “writer first and foremost.” How does your background in English Literature shape your approach to songwriting and storytelling?
A. It shapes it so much. I’m a huge Shakespeare nerd and specialised in Shakespeare at university, and his way of creating characters that move with and symbolise plot lines, really shapes how I tell my stories. And his use of puns and humour really shapes how I write. I’m a big double-meaning and double-entendre person, and I learnt a lot about how to do that through reading and seeing Shakespeare. And just as Shakespeare didn’t intent for his works to be read, but to be seen on the stage, that really resonates to me as a songwriter, where my medium of writing is meant to be sung and performed, not read. It’s a different craft, writing what is meant to be heard and not read.
Q. In songs like “Marty McFly,” you’ve mentioned wanting to tell your younger self that it’s okay to be who you are. How does the passage of time resonate with you now, and how does that message continue to evolve for you?
A. “Marty McFly” is still one of my favourite songs of mine, because its themes are something I carry with me daily. As I’m getting older I’m spending a lot of time reflecting and growing from the mistakes and lessons I found in my youth. I came out at 23 so I spent all of those years hiding who I was, and making very questionable decisions. I still wish every day I could go back in time and shake my younger self and tell her to get herself together. But you can’t change the past or who you were, you can only change how you’ve learnt from it. I’ve also never got over anything ever really, so the passage of time is another one of those things.
Q. You’ve had a remarkable journey of self-discovery, particularly with coming out. How did this shift in perspective influence the way you approach vulnerability in your music?
A. I like to think that music is for everyone; I want everyone to be able to listen and connect with my music. But music doesn’t exist in a vacuum. My music is inherently queer, you cannot separate my queerness and my writing. And for a very long time, our stories and our narratives weren’t sung proudly. And that’s what I’m here to do.
Q. After the near-fatal accident in 2024, you shared that your perspective on life shifted. How has this new outlook impacted your creativity and songwriting process?
A. YES! Last year I broke my spine and my neck in a freak accident. It was horrible and the worst time of my life, however I walked away from what happened extremely luckily. I was very close to my whole life changing, or ending, and I was able to literally walk away. It really changed my perspective on self-doubt and hesitation. I used to spiral and ruminate on things for weeks because I didn’t believe in myself. Literally as soon as the accident happened my first thought was, ‘why the hell do I care so much about what other people think?’ It’s such a time waster. You should only focus on you and what makes you happy. So I started taking more risks in my writing, trying new things, going deeper into the process, and I feel like I’ve become a much better artist because of it.
Q. Looking back on those early days of performing in London and trying to fit into a pop-punk scene that wasn’t always welcoming, what do you think kept you going during those challenging times?
A. Spite most likely hahaha. I really, really don’t like being told I can’t do something. And as pop-punk is a heavily male-dominated industry, I have spent a lot of time at gigs being spoken down to by men. And I can’t stand it. I’ve often played in rooms full of men as the only female act. I’ve been told that I’ve been hired to fill a ‘diversity quota’, and not based on my own talent. It only drives me more to be the best artist on that bill.
Q. You’ve been incredibly open about your struggles with mental health, both through your music and in interviews. How do you view music as a tool for healing, both for yourself and for your listeners?
A. I grew up in a time where there was a huge stigma around mental health, so I’ve always wanted to be open about it. If people had been more open about it back then it would have really helped me. I have bipolar disorder, and for a long time I was ashamed of that. It changes how I see the world and how I process things. But it also makes me creative, sensitive, empathetic. I don’t want to hide a side of myself that could possibly help someone else.
Q. Outside of music, who or what has had the biggest impact on your personal growth or artistic perspective?
A. My friends. They are my chosen family. My friends showed me what it was like to be loved unconditionally. We will always meet each other where we are. I have such an incredible support system of people who have grown with me and never judge me, and I feel so lucky to have them in my life.
Q. If there’s one thing you’d want listeners to take away from “Your Street,” what would it be?
A. The second you feel like there’s someone else in the picture, then leave. You deserve more than anyone who isn’t choosing you 100%, 24/7. You’re the world, not the corner of your street.
Q. Ettie, thank you so much for sharing these intimate details with us! So, what’s next? Can you give us a sneak peek into your upcoming projects? We’d love for the fans to hear the latest news directly from you.
A. This has been a big year for me, I’ve released 4 singles that I love so much. But they’ve taught me a lot about what I want to sound like and what I want to say, and I’m writing so much now. So, I guess, watch this space…
ettie, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview