Elliot Lee does not disappoint with their new EP, ‘Queen of Nothing’

Elliot Lee is no stranger to the music industry. Having begun their journey to success in 2015 on YouTube, Lee has gained over 50,000 subscribers to date. Now, they have over 150,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, thanks to some of their many hits, including ‘Dirt’ and ‘Upside Down’. Their EP, ‘Queen of Nothing’ showcases their extraordinary vocals, as well as an overall mysterious and unique sound.

What was impossible to miss during the first listen of this EP was the uncanny resemblance in style to Melanie Martinez. Lee seems to be a fan of hers, as her first-ever YouTube video was a cover of her song, ‘Pity Party’. There is no doubt though, that Lee has established their own brand and identity, supported by their dedicated fanbase, The Bubblegum Army.

In listening to the EP from start to finish, one can understand that there is a story being told throughout each song, in a perfect order. Each song seems to convey a different emotion, showing Lee’s character development as you work your way down the EP. It begins with a seemingly confident and narcissistic character in the upbeat first track, ‘Queen of Nothing’. In the final track, ‘Rubies’, the sound becomes completely unpredictable, and the vocal style shifts from other tracks on the EP.

In the first track, ‘Queen of Nothing’, Lee sings in the chorus, “If you are stuck / And you don’t feel anything / I can be your queen / Your queen of nothing”. It has a catchy, pop-like sound and contains seemingly motivational lyrics, but also carries a slightly melancholic undertone with the establishment of a hierarchical leader. The second track, ‘LaLa Land’, continues to convey catchy beats, disguising the paranoia that comes with being a leader. This is shown through various lyrics, such as “Can’t trust anyone” and “They wanna pull me down”.

After the second track comes ‘Pink (Freak)’, which shifts to more of a dark theme that feels almost as if Lee is holding in their frustration. This theme is continued in the last two tracks, ‘Drama Queen’ and ‘Rubies’. Both songs sound as if they would be greatly suited as the soundtrack to a villain’s revenge scene in a movie. In ‘Drama Queen’ the lyric “I’m just tryna be / Happy” is reiterated throughout, in a helpless tone. The entire EP ends with ‘Rubies’, in which Lee says, “You can bury me with all my gems / I’ll take them with me to the end”. They also shift their style, becoming more fast-paced.

Elliot Lee’s EP is nothing short of genius. Their ability to tell a story through every song by slightly changing the style and tone, is something that is uncommon and, quite frankly, a breath of fresh air. Every song is full of metaphors, which their fans will certainly love spending time dissecting.

 

Connie Burke

@connieeburke

Image: Elliot Lee ‘Queen of Nothing’ Official Cover Art