Holly Elle

Whether it is her smooth, sultry vocals or her strong songwriting craftmanship, Holly Elle is an artist to listen to. This EP features five strong R&B tracks that possess powerful bridges and a connective pop sensibility. Tracks like "Predator" highlight a vocal infectiousness that is chimed with a lively beat. The songs fall into one another with grace, definition

and stylistic creativity - a solid music addition to indulge in.
- New Canadian Music

Infinitude by Holly Elle is a great album, and I love it. This is the kind of album you can listen to over and over again because all of the songs flow effortlessly. Holly has a beautiful, strong voice. She is classically trained with a passion for pop.

The lyrics on Infinitude are powerful, and they give you strength to deal with some of life’s issues. The first track, "Make You Move," is a fun dance song, and you can listen to it anywhere. The third song on the album, "Don’t Come Home," is one of my favorite songs. This song is about the ups and downs in a relationship. "Fall" is one of the slow songs on the album, and Holly delivers it flawlessly. "Freak" is the last track on the album, and it is about sexual orientation. This is Holly’s response to bullying and teen suicides.

After listening to Holly’s album, I am convinced that she has a long career ahead of her.

You may purchase Holly’s album at iTunes.

Go to HearHolly.com to learn more about Holly. - The Celebrity Cafe

You better believe that I am going to be all over this EP. The lead single "Predator" made it's online debut right here on Taking Over The Universe, and it made a big splash. Holly has switched it up, and is moving forward with her music. "Leopardess" is a testament to her growth, and she is taking no prisoners.

The opening single "Predator" was a definite statement to those who had been following her up til now. She sounded more raw, with fierce lyrics to accompany it. She howls and roars her way onto the scene, making for the perfect opening track. I once had fears that she was following too closely to the likes of Ke$ha, but this single really settled those uncertainties once and for all. The names may be similar, but the content is far different. She isn't a drunk party girl (which is not a bad thing, I'm a Ke$ha fan, here) -- she is a bad bitch.

Signature to a Holly release, she isn't going to stick to one note for the rest of the work. "Seeing Red" is one of the best songs on the album, and this song slows things down without flowing over into the ballad area. The song about an over jealous boyfriend is layered on top of a very electronic and dark sounding track. This song sounds like it was produced by Simon Curtis, the best of the best when it comes to dark-toned pop. This new edgy side of Holly is everything I want from her in the future.

Though the first two songs may have a sharp edge to them, the third song on the EP lightens thing back up, taking us back to the feel of the previous release. "You Deserve A Song" is about a relationship that wasn't bad. Instead of writing about bad exes or failed relationships, she writes about finding the perfect guy. She feels the need to let him know he's done nothing wrong. This take on writing is so refreshing in a breakup-heavy pop world. The beat doesn't feel very distinctive, but it's the heart and content that bring it to the forefront of the songs she's released before.

Just when you wondered if this EP was gonna have a slow soulful song, "Wanna Be Loved" hits you in the face. This 180 turn brings everything to a halt, allowing for her to show the vocal skills she really has without all the shiny synths and guitars. Much like "Don't Come Home", this song feels so raw and real, making me fall harder into the Elle fandom than I had before. "Who I Am", the last song on the work, is another slower feeling song, but without as strong a punch as it's predecessor. The song is a statement that she isn't going to change for anyone, and if her needs aren't met, she is done. The song doesn't feel false, but it doesn't pack the same emotional punch as "Wanna Be Loved".

This release is a huge step in the right direction. Both production and songwriting wise, "Leopardess" is on another level than "Infinitude." It shows the collection of emotions, history, and voices that make up exactly who Holly Elle is. She can be dark sometimes, and she can let rip a few curse words along the way. The point is she isn't perfect, and this album shows her flaws and scars like trophies, turning them into works of art. Life is about ups and downs, and this EP captures that perfectly.

The album is up for preview and purchase on iTunes. - Taking Over The Universe

It may seem odd to consider Holly Elle, the girl from Chestermere, Alberta, as a diva. Yet Leopardess, her new EP, seems to solidify that deep within the small Canadian town was a glam queen just waiting to burst out into the open and attack.

Born and bred on musical theatre, European folk popular music that included the stuff of ABBA, Elton John and the Beatles, Elle’s sensibility for the dazzling side of life sprang into existence pretty early. “As a little girl my dad would always take me to the opera. I loved dressing up for it, which might be where I get my sense of glamour and probably why I love musical theater so much,” she says.

Like Lady Gaga, another glam-pop livewire who impressed the hell out of me early in her career, Elle’s strengths come through not in terms of sheer image-building but in how the glitzy contours of her personality make their way into her song delivery. She takes what may appear to be colour-by-numbers pop on paper and transforms it into her own living, glitter-breathing creatures.

Leopardess is very much its own beast, a stalking collage of danceable and confident pop that sparkles outward from a very pure place.

“Predator” is the aptly-titled first track. Suggesting that she perhaps plays with her prey before sinking her teeth in, Elle delves through an electro-touched jungle that pulses with dance floor readiness and an infectious chorus.

“Seeing Red” carries things onward with the emotional construct of a ballad, but the pulsing, throbbing tempo change is right on target and saves the track from Average Land. At times, Elle’s voice curves around the notes like a certain Super Bowl half-time show performer.

There’s also “You Deserve a Song,” an uplifting piece that speaks to Elle’s more encouraging nature. This isn’t as strong a song as the first two and it overstays its welcome somewhat with some extended repetition, but the chorus is catchy and the vocal blend is on-point.

“Wanna Be Loved” plays with a late-night feel and speaks of a decomposing relationship. Elle stretches the notes out nicely and pulls on some R&B influences in the chorus, leading into the anthemic “Who I Am” to close out the EP. The last song talks about finding what’s right and discovering the elusive notion of self. Once more, the chorus shines.

With Leopardess, Holly Elle continues laying the groundwork for what could be a very invigorating and exciting career. Taking a few more risks in the song department would benefit this Alberta native, but the glitter is in play and her prey best be on their toes. - Canadian Audiophile

“No labels everywhere…all around!” That’s pretty much Holly Elle’s motto. And if you listen to her music then you certainly wouldn’t be surprised by that statement. The newest rising pop singer scowls at the idea of regurgitating more of the same and praises individuality among everyone.

Elle’s latest releases entitled Freak and Don’t Come Home from her EP Infinitude, which came out this past August, reveal the creativity of a young woman who is unafraid to challenge bullying and encourages free expression of the heart. Her strong message against bullying promotes individuality and is tremendously complimented by her melodious vocals. She has a knack for inspiring confidence in her music that won’t get lost within the endless reproductions of the usual pop trends.

Elle’s individuality could be attributed to her worldly upbringing. She was born in Canada, but now lives in Nashville, where she feels there is a bigger market for her expanding career. She was classically trained in Opera and musical theatre, but also heavily influenced by artists of the 60’s and 70’s as a child, such as Elton John and the Beatles. As she grew older, she expanded her interests in music and enjoyed listening to pop stars such as Mariah Carey and R&B artists such as Brandy. Elle’s diverse musical background helped to shape her own artistic persona and she went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree of Music in Vocal Performance in Canada and another in Music Business from Belmont University in Nashville. Since then, Elle has made huge strides with her EP, Infinitude. Her latest release, Don’t Come Home, was recently featured on the finale of MTV’s Real World: San Diego. Last year, her single, Twisted, was showed up on the hit Bravo network reality show, Bad Girls Club. Elle prefers to express her individuality and creativity with as little restriction as possible and feels more confident doing so within the open genre of pop music.

“I felt really restricted when I was doing Opera,” said Elle, “I appreciate what I learned there but at the same time, I felt stifled because someone was telling me ‘you have to do it this way.’ There’s only one way to sing Opera and that’s the ‘correct’ way. I want to sing how I want to sing,” she said.

Elle enjoys the flexibility that the pop music genre brings her. She loves every kind of music and dislikes being identified as a performer of simply one genre. But she also feels the music industry is coming along and mixing things up more so these days. She enjoys watching country artists collaborating with rappers and seeing Taylor Swift switching between country and pop music among others.

“I love pop music first and foremost because to me, pop music means good songs that everybody can understand and love. So I think pop music is really all good music,” Elle said.

One of her most inspiring songs which seemed to have created the most publicity and went viral upon its release was Freak, which is an energetic track she wrote in response to the increase of bully-related suicides among teenagers across America. Elle was inspired to write the song in 2010, shortly after a bullied teenager named Tyler Clementi committed suicide after being severely bullied by some of his peers regarding his sexuality.

“It just sort of touched my heart. I think everybody at the time was thinking about it day and night,” said Elle, “and I just can’t believe that someone would feel so trapped, that that’s the only way out.”

Elle suddenly found herself immersed in advocacy efforts within the LGBT community and the music video she created featured high school kids being bullied by their peers. She was praised for her brave efforts to stand up against bullying.

“I love the idea of turning it into something positive you know, rather than having it be a really sad song. I wanted you to instead of focusing on the negative, to focus on the empowerment. You’re cool just the way you are and it’s awesome to be a freak… awesome to be different.” Elle said.

Authenticity is important to Elle and she feels that many music artists face the competitive challenge of being one and the same. She also feels the biggest challenge with women in the industry, as well as women in general has to do with physical self image.

“Especially in the music industry, there is the pressure to be extremely beautiful, extremely thin and for me personally I felt that in high school and I feel it a bit now. I think that’s a huge challenge to overcome,” said Elle.

But she does have hope and thinks the industry may slowly be changing regarding weight issues as well. “I think it’s already working a little bit because you see certain artists like Lady Gaga who gained some weight and she is saying ‘what’s the big deal?’ and people are embracing Adele and I love that,” she said. “For me, I’ve always been a curvier girl.”

Elle does feel that having a strong positive influence in a woman’s life can certainly help increase confidence among girls and women. She attributes her self-confidence to being around strong business women like her mother and also admires Oprah Winfrey and other entertainers like Beyoncé too.

“I mean that’s an inspiration for women, really strong women like that you know,” said Elle, “You take what you’ve begun with and you can expand it so far that it’s unimaginable and limitless.”

Elle is now finishing up a new album expected to be released in February 2013. It is safe to say that her inspiring and influential presence could take her through endless routes of success. She hopes to help others someday increase their creative potential as well.

“I would love to discover other talent,” she said. Her degree in music business will likely help her to do that in the future. In the meantime, we think Elle certainly knows how to give everyone a healthy dose of pop music, confidence and swagger! - The Girl's Guide to Swagger

She’s adorable and she’s a freak. How about you? Holly Elle’s “Freak” video. - Advocate.com

Singers Benni Cinkle and Holly Elle are the latest musicians to tackle bullying in the schools — each doing so with videos that feature LGBT youth.

Cinkle, you might recall, was the dancing friend from Rebecca Black’s massive viral hit video, “Friday.” After that video came out last March — picking up 180 million views along the way, an adorably awkward braces-sporting Cinkle was dubbed “that girl in pink” and summarily dissed by the likes of Perez Hilton and comic Daniel Tosh as well as hundreds of anonymous online bullies.

“They said I’m ugly, I’m fat, I can’t dance, and I should just go and hide because there’s no way I would ever make it,” Cinkle later told the Orange County Register. “They saw me for four seconds. They don’t know who I am. They’re just judging me for that dance.”

So 14-year-old Crinkle has channeled her 15 minutes of fame into causes she most cared about. She started That Girl in Pink Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness, involvement, and support for causes that affect kids like cyber bullying, dating violence, depression, eating disorders, and LGBT support. It’s not a surprise for the kid who’s already written a book for kids on how to handle cyber bullying, That Girl in Pink’s Internet Survival Guide .

Crinkle has just released her own hit viral single, “Can You See Me Now?” She wrote the song after reading what other teens were divulging about their lives at sixbillionsecrets.com and recorded it with music producers who’ve worked with Christina Aguilera and Rihanna. Now all proceeds go to three teen charities: The Trevor Project, To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), and GLSEN.


Another young musician released an even more diverse anti-bullying video earlier this year: Holly Elle’s “Freak” offers a decidedly more grown up flavor but features a fascinating and provocative mix of LGBT kids and others who are marginalized like a little persons, an amputee, a fat chick. Already a small viral hit, “Freak” was penned in response to the increase in bully-related suicides throughout the country — and aimed at increasing awareness of the epidemic.


“Bullying is something we’ve all had experience with,” says Elle, who wrote the song with Canadian singer-songwriter Freddy Litwiniuk “Bullying is something we’ve all had experiences with. Whether we were the victim, the perpetrator, or a witness, we can all relate and it strikes a chord. This video is for anyone who has ever felt different, so that they may see that being different is beautiful.”

A classically trained Canadian crooner, Elle has one solo album and two group CDs under her belt and a fast-growing LGBT fan base. But, she wants everyone to think of her, too, as just one of the freaks. She points to her own lyrics: “As the song says, ‘It really don't matter if a girl do a boy do a boy do a boy do a girl do a girl do a boy.’ The whole point of the song is to say that sexual preference doesn't matter, and it feels contrary to the message to turn around and say here’s my preference! So the answer is I don't say. I'm not interested in labels.” - Advocate.com