Ella Clayton – Could It Be You (2026)
I don’t think anything hits quite like some well-made folk music as spring is really taking hold. So when the second studio album from East London artist Ella Clayton, Could It Be You, dropped in my inbox, I couldn’t have been happier to potentially find my soundtrack to the season.
From the opening track ‘Please Me’, it is clear Clayton’s vocals are the driving force behind her art. With a beautiful range, the sound of her voice complements the music perfectly and helps drive home the narrative being woven through her work. I loved how with ‘Please Me’, she explores how holding out for something real and right can be framed as avoidance. As the second track of the album, ‘Mouth Said Money’, played, I realised this was going to be one of those records where I’ll struggle to pick a favourite, since it’s so different yet equally enigmatic as ‘Please Me’. The foot-tapping melody of ‘Mouth Said Money’ had me singing a long song almost instantly, a sign of a fantastic lyricist.
Keeping the trend of variety in her work comes ‘Dolomites’, with its more indie sensibility and a cadence I can only compare to a personal favourite of mine, indie legends Modest Mouse. The stop-start tempo works perfectly and kept me enthralled throughout.
Like I said, I knew I’d struggle to pick a favourite on Could It Be You and after many, many listens, I can firmly say ‘Ripples’ is the track which has resonated with me the most. It’s a beautiful arrangement that I continue to get more lost in every time I listen to it.
As the record progresses, it’s like uncovering a treasure trove of gems. Another standout track for me was ‘October Trip’. It really tapped into my love of country; it had the melancholy of every great country track, and I loved the exploration of fear and love. Following this came ‘Seagull Song’, which offers an insight into Clayton’s musical talent with some beautiful riffs that carry her vocals wonderfully. Lyrically, ‘Seagull Song’ is an example of great storytelling by a fantastic modern bard.
Wrapping the whole record up with its lead single, ‘As You Are’, was a stroke of genius. Its exploration of the platonic love for friends really resonated with me as it’s something that I think we all overlook, but when it’s brought to our minds, as Clayton has done with ‘As You Are’, we can’t deny its importance. On top of this, it is just a well-crafted pop song that will stay in your head long after the record’s stopped spinning.
I couldn’t just leave it at Could it Be You, I had to go back and listen to her back catalogue, since there is a lot more to enjoy from Ella Clayton.
Find out more about Ella Clayton on her official website, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
This artist was sent to us by Measure PR.
