Ellie Lawson is an artist whose compelling voice and rich sonic landscape reflects a life journey of personal determination and self-discovery. Born in South London, the vocalist/lyricist/musician/ composer has invented a unique musical world that is both beat-driven and organic, lyrical and edgy, thoughtful and entrancing.Many of the songs on "THE PHILOSOPHY TREE", her debut album, are rooted from early homemade demos composed alone in her bedroom, back in her mother's council estate house. Seeded from a bohemian, and yet liberating up-bringing, Ellie's inspiration was ignited in her early teens on discovering conscious artists like KRS-One, The Fugees, and later on when she started playing the guitar artists such as Tracy Chapman, Nick Drake, Kate Bush, Bjork.She soon branched out from writing to hip hop instrumentals that she used to buy in record shops, into writing her own material on guitar and keys as well as collaborating and searching for instrumentals from producers that she could get in the studio with. It eventually led to LA, to collaborate with producer DJ Lethal on the final album, alongside contributions from William Orbit on two tracks, and recordings in London by herself. The Philosophy Tree's tracks were produced, mixed and played on by Lawson and a superb ensemble of guests including DJ Lethal (House of Pain, Limp Bizkit) John OBrien (Dr. Dre, Joss Stone) OD Hunte (Missy Elliot, Byron Stingily), Jeff Philips (Michelle Branch) and Matthew Gerrard (Kelly Clarkson, Edens Crush)The Philosophy Tree has Ellen DeGeneres and Billboard singing its praises; and is ONLY available in Barnes & Noble stores nationwide and online at www.barnesandnoble.com. See ellielawson.com for the latest news, exclusive pics, and video footage.
