MP3 | Elizabeth Willis — ‘One’

Armed with a back story that’s at once familiar (prodigiously musical child walks away from a lifetime of classical study and performance to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter) and inspiring, Elizabeth Willis is a cut above your average singer-songwriter. She’s even had rapper Ludacris – not, incidentally, a hero of ours with his misogynistic, homophobic lyrics – singing her praises to Rolling Stone magazine.

‘One’ is the first single to be taken from her self-titled debut, released on iTunes a few weeks ago, and showcases the poppier end of her rich, melancholy sound. “I play generally in the lower minor keys, like Russian pieces,” she says, revealing her love of Soviet culture and composers. She’s even studying Russian Literature at private women’s liberal arts institution Smith College, the alma mater of Sylvia Plath. She lists her more contemporary influences as Tori Amos, Amanda Palmer, Cat Power and Joan Armatrading.

MP3: Elizabeth Willis – ‘One‘ [link expired]

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