Deeper
July 7th
Behind The Song
I was raised in a really strict religion and it lead me to have some brutal internal struggles with perfectionism. For most of my life I was living in a fear mindset, terrified to make mistakes, and basing my worth on what others determined it to be. This lead me to fall into spouts of deep depression and paralyzing anxiety. I felt more alone than I ever had in my life, like no one really knew me. After finally hitting the basement of rock bottom, I realized I had to make a big change for my own health and happiness. So I stepped away from my childhood faith and started blazing my own trail.
This was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I lost relationships with friends and family who didn’t agree with my choices. But for the first time in my life I was living for me. I wasn’t looking to everyone around me for validation, I was finally looking to myself. And through the mess of it all, I actually started to let people know the real me.
The me who didn’t agree with everything. The me who wasn't perfect. The me who said no and established boundaries. The me who deserves to be loved exactly as I am. This song encompasses that deep feeling we all have to be known and loved for who we truly are, and I hope it helps others feel less alone on that journey.
Ellee's Story
Ellee Duke is an American Artist, Songwriter and Entrepreneur. Blending real life stories with original, quirky pop beats, Ellee Duke has a gift for expressing complicated feelings in an accessible, vibe-setting way. Ellee got her first Billboard #1 with a song she co-wrote called “Craving,” a 2019 collaboration with Arty and Audien. She’s also written songs for Walk off the Earth, Alexander Stewart, and Ali Simpson, and is currently CEO of her own label, New Me, LLC.
Ellee's core values of integrity and empathy afford her a loyal, eager audience, garnering 100k+ monthly Spotify listeners, millions of views on TikTok, and 5+ million streams internationally. Growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah, Ellee dreamed of becoming an artist from the age of 5. She began penning her own material right away and by age 17, had hundreds of songs. This propelled Ellee straight to Nashville where she found early success with major labels and publishing deals. But as a young woman in an industry that demands an ideal from you, finding yourself is close to impossible.
“Throughout the years I really lost myself trying to be what I thought other people wanted. Being in the music industry at such a young age, I fell into this mindset even deeper.” Ellee chose to embark on a journey back to self, and quickly found healing in being an independent artist and songwriter.
Now with multiple tours and releases under her belt, Ellee is taking the music world (and TikTok) by storm as a creative, executive, and role model. 2021 found Ellee at the Superbloom Music Festival, after touring with Rachel Platten, and LeAnn Rimes. Also the winner of the National Durango Songwriting Contest, Ellee was featured on five Spotify Editorial Playlists in just the first month of release.
With a fresh outlook and untold experience, Ellee is writing her most vulnerable work yet. She’s been focused on building a healthy, loving relationship with herself and is ready to divulge to her fans just how she made it out of the dark. “So many of us struggle to figure out how to exist in a world that constantly tells us how to live…I want to show others [that] anyone can become the person they were meant to be by living authentically.”
