Ekelle – What it means to be eclectic, eccentric, and empowering

BY JANIECE CAMPBELL

“I make music for women; it’s all about embracing yourself and being you. Sometimes, I’m hype on the track, and sometimes, I want to be sad on the track. It’s about expressing our different ranges of emotions, especially as black women, where we get put into boxes and people want to see us in a certain way. We’re such multifaceted people, I just want that message to shown.” – Ekelle

Are you feeling that the music scene in the city has been a little mundane lately? Well, this week’s brilliant Women Empowered refuses to let you write her off as just another Toronto hip-hop artist! Introducing Ekelle, an upcoming talent with a unique flare that you need on your playlist pronto!

Raised in a Guyanese-Caribbean household and residing in the West End of Toronto, she was bound to have a well-rounded and great appreciation for music at young age. Growing up in the 90s, she fell in love with several hip-hop, pop and R&B sensations in that time period. From Destiny’s Child to Spice Girls. From Britney Spears to Missy Elliot. Much to her mother’s dismay, her eyes stayed glued to the TV to watch music video countdown shows, such as YTV’s “Hit List” every Saturday.

Inspired by the timeless sounds of that era, it wouldn’t be long before she chose to venture into the music industry herself. In the beginning stages, she fell into a bit of a rut in choosing the right lane for her career. How could she pick just one genre when she was enamored with so many?

She began to construct her own distinctive style that matched her wide-ranging love for music with her even wider-ranging personality. Thus, the genre “Hood Pop” was born! There she had it, a sound she describes as popular music with a street edge and a direct reflection of her personal interests and experiences. It also shares the same name of her latest EP released earlier this year.

“Hood Pop is a combination of hip-hop, pop and R&B. Sometimes I might sing or sometimes I might rap. I do whatever I feel will tell the story of the song the best,” she says. “My musical style doesn’t necessarily fit one genre, so I had to create my own. I realized that in making music, based on all the genres I liked, I couldn’t stick to one thing. If I made a song of what I think would be considered as a standard rap song, it’s not because there are some pop elements in there. So, I realized that I’m a bit different. And as soon as I began to embrace that, more opportunities came. I decided to lean into it and call it Hood Pop, because I’m telling the real stories of my life, but I also want it to be fun.”

Her innovative melodies elevated her to high places, having performed at various venues including Afrofest and Durham Caribbean Festival, and even receiving a video nomination for a CUT Hip-Hop Award. In 2019, her highly polished debut album Dark Skin & Tattoos garnered her features in EARMILK, I Am Hip-Hop Magazine, UK-based entertainment outlet FlavourMag and several other international online publications.

A woman who’s completely comfortable in her skin, her relatable animated lyrics revolve around themes of happiness, heartbreak, and sexual orientation. In 2020, in honour of the Toronto Pride Parade and the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, she released the single “Gimmie,” a sexually liberating dance hit to let listeners know that she’s here and she’s queer!

“I do identify as pansexual,” says Ekelle. For clarity, this means that Ekelle’s bountiful love knows zero boundaries and her attraction to others is not limited to biological sex or gender identity. “I think for a long time, as being someone who’s more of a femme appearance, people assume I’m not queer. There have been a few times where I’ve been involved in LGBTQ+ blogs or podcasts, and they referred to me as an ally. I got tired of it! So, I started bringing this into my music so that people understood. I’m in it!”

The soaring heights of her career today can be attributed to overcoming the deeply low points in her life. In 2015, after returning home from a vacation, Ekelle was falsely charged and arrested at Pearson International Airport.

“It was very scary. It was devastating. And to some degree, it was embarrassing. I’m not going to say I’m a perfect human being, but I’ve never been involved in legal drama before. The police have never brought me home. Growing up in a single parent home, I always had the mentality that I have to be doing well and uplifting the family. So, when this happened, that shook things up and it was hard to deal with.”

The legal battle took a detrimental toll on her self-esteem, confidence and also caused her to be in a constant state of anxiety and depression. Ekelle dealt with the majority of the pressure on her own, from losing friends to being in severe debt due to legal fees.

“I had to pay out-of-pocket because I didn’t qualify for legal aid. I had to bust my butt and work all these crazy jobs. It’s like working kept me busy and allowed me to not think about it too much. But there were some days where I’d feel really depressed about it and ask myself, what is the point? They’ve made their decision already. The system doesn’t treat our people well so am I even going to have my truth be told?”

Throughout this unforeseen circumstance, there was one thing that kept her motivated. Music.

“It probably sounds cliché to say it, but it was all about having something to do. Going to the studio and recording songs or going to other artists’ events. Remembering that it’s not the greatest situation to be in, but you’ve already worked so hard to get this buzz and make connections. Why stop now and put all that work to waste?”

Eventually, all charges against her were dropped, prompting Ekelle to push harder in personally developing her craft and striving for nothing less than excellence.

Most recently, the ultimate party girl released a boisterous banger guaranteed to make your body move. “I Need That” tells the energetic story of a girl so ready to break out and turn up that even a lockdown couldn’t hold her back.

“My latest song is definitely pent-up COVID frustrations for sure! Before this [pandemic], I’m someone who would rarely be home. I’d usually be commuting for work, or a show, or an event afterwards. I was always on the move. So being inside was an adjustment. But the few moments that we get to come out of it, it’s like yes! Put on your best dress, put on your makeup and strut to go to the grocery store. I wanted the audience to remember that even though we’re locked in, you can still be sexy. You don’t have to wear those sweatpants every day. And even if you’re going to, at least have some fun and dance!”

For now, Ekelle is taking her time to enjoy the balance between work and fun. When she isn’t making quirky Tik Toks, she’s in the process of working and recording her upcoming album. Fans can expect a project coming later this summer. Until then, she continues to network, work on collaborations with fellow female artists and hopes for more growth and expansion in her one-of-a-kind artform.

Want to keep up with Ekelle? Follow her on Instagram @officialekelle and listen to her crazily addicting latest hit, “I Need That” on all streaming platforms.