OLLELLA
(oh-lel-uh):
cello-forward indie folk from Seattle, WA
Ellie Barber a.k.a. Ollella’s career as a musician started early, when she sang before she could talk.
She has since created a life as a multidisciplinary artist as an indie-folk cellist, vocalist, and songwriter.
Trained as a..
OLLELLA
(oh-lel-uh):
cello-forward indie folk from Seattle, WA
Ellie Barber a.k.a. Ollella’s career as a musician started early, when she sang before she could talk.
She has since created a life as a multidisciplinary artist as an indie-folk cellist, vocalist, and songwriter.
Trained as a classical cellist since the age of nine,
the Seattle musician merges her technical string background
with authoritative vocals and live-looping.
Described as “really outstanding” by NPR Music’s Bob Boilen and “so tastefully done”
by Michelle Zauner (a.k.a. Japanese Breakfast),
Ollella blends the acoustic with the contemporary, folk with pop, and tenacity with softness,
pulling on influences such as Feist, Cat Power, and Sylvan Esso.
She is a two-time finalist in the NPR Tiny Desk Contest (2024, 2022),
has had music featured in film and TV, and is a frequent collaborator with others.
She finds herself drawn to music because it unlocks a particularly organic flavor of humanity –
one that fits the type of world she believes in.
Kind words for Antifragile:
"The music is so inexplicably visual and the songs have that spare,
tasty quality that makes me want another one, and then another.”
– Marilyn Rea Beyer, Folkstage and The Midnight Special
“Ollella's vocals sound dreamy and captivating, somehow weaving tapestries of sound
as if her voice embodies the very layers she's singing about.”
– Americana Highways on “Mothers & Colors”
“It’s difficult not to be enamored with ‘At Rest.’
Many artists would be happy to achieve this anthemic statement amongst their discography
and to think this song is one within a full album.
We’re in for a treat with Antifragile.”
– Scummy Water Tower on “At Rest”
“Bending genres and steeping contemporary classical instrumentation in modernity and groove,
Seattle’s cello-wielding indie folk artist Ollella speaks on political divides with a uniting undertone….
Riding on an indie-rock beat reminiscent of Beth Orton,
Ollella’s vocals deliver the songwriter’s soaring melody.
The lyrics offer a timely comment on current social and political divisions
without casting doubt on anyone’s humanity.”
– Music Mecca on “Optimist”
"A moody meeting of minds happens in this brand new Ollella tune:
optimism versus pragmatism.
Ollella encourages empathy between the two, which I see as an act of love.
Ollella is an amazing Seattle-based cellist who often loops her voice and cello live,
but this track eschews her sometimes classical tendencies for a mellow indie rock sound.”
– Eugene Weekly on “Optimist”
Kind words for Back Back Back:
“…a jazzy, folktronica style that calls to mind Beth Orton”
– KEXP on “Head in the Clouds”
"Ollella’s debut [album] is unlike anything else we’ve heard so far this year and that’s a good thing.
Call it indie folk if you like, place it somewhere on the bluegrass spectrum if you must,
her innovative live-looping and improvisational vibe
keeps the album fresh throughout...
with no limits to her musical imagination and organic songwriting"
– Gavin Dahl, KRCL Music Director
“The chaos of many looped layers along with the infectious tom-heavy beat
consistent through the whole song really creates a pinnacle moment
just before dropping off that will likely leave you searching for more Ollella in the near future”
– Glide Magazine on “Head in the Clouds”
“Warning, this will get stuck in your head, but that’s not a bad thing”
– Sofar Sounds
“Ollella’s vocals are wonderfully expressive, and instantly captivating”
– York Calling
“Really outstanding”
– Bob Boilen, NPR Music
“So tastefully done”
– Michelle Zauner a.k.a. Japanese Breakfast
“It’s just violin, cello, and bass with a little percussion, but it feels rich, full, it feels huge.
It’s a really beautiful reminder of how you can do a lot with very little… just absolutely gorgeous”
– Robin Hilton, NPR Music, on “Tea Kettle Tea”
“Really beautiful… Mesmerizing… It’s so human”
– Nabil Ayers, President of Beggars Group US
“I’ve always known [Ollella] to be an exceptional cello player, but the songwriting – wow”
– Cody Lee, KDNK Music Director
“…floating melodies and keys that evoke nostalgic contemplation”
– Devon Williams, “Entries We Love” for the
NPR Tiny Desk Contest
“A wrecking ball of talent that hits right in the emotions every time”
– Ollella fan
“…organic and unstructured folk tunes… ever so emotive and honest”
– Illustrate Magazine
(oh-lel-uh):
cello-forward indie folk from Seattle, WA
Ellie Barber a.k.a. Ollella’s career as a musician started early, when she sang before she could talk.
She has since created a life as a multidisciplinary artist as an indie-folk cellist, vocalist, and songwriter.
Trained as a classical cellist since the age of nine,
the Seattle musician merges her technical string background
with authoritative vocals and live-looping.
Described as “really outstanding” by NPR Music’s Bob Boilen and “so tastefully done”
by Michelle Zauner (a.k.a. Japanese Breakfast),
Ollella blends the acoustic with the contemporary, folk with pop, and tenacity with softness,
pulling on influences such as Feist, Cat Power, and Sylvan Esso.
She is a two-time finalist in the NPR Tiny Desk Contest (2024, 2022),
has had music featured in film and TV, and is a frequent collaborator with others.
She finds herself drawn to music because it unlocks a particularly organic flavor of humanity –
one that fits the type of world she believes in.
Kind words for Antifragile:
"The music is so inexplicably visual and the songs have that spare,
tasty quality that makes me want another one, and then another.”
– Marilyn Rea Beyer, Folkstage and The Midnight Special
“Ollella's vocals sound dreamy and captivating, somehow weaving tapestries of sound
as if her voice embodies the very layers she's singing about.”
– Americana Highways on “Mothers & Colors”
“It’s difficult not to be enamored with ‘At Rest.’
Many artists would be happy to achieve this anthemic statement amongst their discography
and to think this song is one within a full album.
We’re in for a treat with Antifragile.”
– Scummy Water Tower on “At Rest”
“Bending genres and steeping contemporary classical instrumentation in modernity and groove,
Seattle’s cello-wielding indie folk artist Ollella speaks on political divides with a uniting undertone….
Riding on an indie-rock beat reminiscent of Beth Orton,
Ollella’s vocals deliver the songwriter’s soaring melody.
The lyrics offer a timely comment on current social and political divisions
without casting doubt on anyone’s humanity.”
– Music Mecca on “Optimist”
"A moody meeting of minds happens in this brand new Ollella tune:
optimism versus pragmatism.
Ollella encourages empathy between the two, which I see as an act of love.
Ollella is an amazing Seattle-based cellist who often loops her voice and cello live,
but this track eschews her sometimes classical tendencies for a mellow indie rock sound.”
– Eugene Weekly on “Optimist”
Kind words for Back Back Back:
“…a jazzy, folktronica style that calls to mind Beth Orton”
– KEXP on “Head in the Clouds”
"Ollella’s debut [album] is unlike anything else we’ve heard so far this year and that’s a good thing.
Call it indie folk if you like, place it somewhere on the bluegrass spectrum if you must,
her innovative live-looping and improvisational vibe
keeps the album fresh throughout...
with no limits to her musical imagination and organic songwriting"
– Gavin Dahl, KRCL Music Director
“The chaos of many looped layers along with the infectious tom-heavy beat
consistent through the whole song really creates a pinnacle moment
just before dropping off that will likely leave you searching for more Ollella in the near future”
– Glide Magazine on “Head in the Clouds”
“Warning, this will get stuck in your head, but that’s not a bad thing”
– Sofar Sounds
“Ollella’s vocals are wonderfully expressive, and instantly captivating”
– York Calling
“Really outstanding”
– Bob Boilen, NPR Music
“So tastefully done”
– Michelle Zauner a.k.a. Japanese Breakfast
“It’s just violin, cello, and bass with a little percussion, but it feels rich, full, it feels huge.
It’s a really beautiful reminder of how you can do a lot with very little… just absolutely gorgeous”
– Robin Hilton, NPR Music, on “Tea Kettle Tea”
“Really beautiful… Mesmerizing… It’s so human”
– Nabil Ayers, President of Beggars Group US
“I’ve always known [Ollella] to be an exceptional cello player, but the songwriting – wow”
– Cody Lee, KDNK Music Director
“…floating melodies and keys that evoke nostalgic contemplation”
– Devon Williams, “Entries We Love” for the
NPR Tiny Desk Contest
“A wrecking ball of talent that hits right in the emotions every time”
– Ollella fan
“…organic and unstructured folk tunes… ever so emotive and honest”
– Illustrate Magazine
