A Thursday Tune - I Like You Best

At just 22, alt-pop singer-songwriter Ella Red is reshaping pop storytelling with her debut album, IT’S NOT REAL, a project that circles beginnings and endings with cathartic force. Opening with the stark line “I can see my corpse in reflections” on “Parasite,” she builds whole worlds from single lyrics. Across tracks like “He Asked For It,” “Religion,” and “Party Animal,” Ella balances rage, reverence, and playfulness. Singles such as “Ball and Chain” and “We’re All Going to Die” showcase her vocal range and existential wit, while “Predator” and “Funeral” experiment with form and imagery that feels mythic yet intimate.

Live, songs like “Aphrodite” resonate with women who see themselves in her lyrics on identity and self-perception. Ella embraces both softness and ferocity — pink dresses and bold truths — drawing influence from Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Rodrigo. Tender tracks “Cupid” and “Always the Artist” reveal vulnerability as power, before the album closes with its title track, a thesis on timeless existence through art. With millions of streams, viral singles, and tours with artists like LØLØ and Ellise, Ella Red emerges as a fearless voice of her generation.