Snapshot of a Songwriter: Ellory Grace on Unpacking Nostalgia, Headphones-First Production, and Her New Single “Girl I Buried”
For teenage singer-songwriter Ellory Grace, music isn’t about looking back with full clarity—it’s about capturing the exact moment of transformation while you’re still living it. Building on an impressive 2026 that has already seen three single releases, the rising artist is preparing to drop her most poignant track yet: “Girl I Buried” (out July 31st).
Grounded in word-first storytelling, atmospheric production, and an undeniable emotional honesty that has earned her a growing community across Spotify, YouTube, and Zigazoo, Ellory writes not from the perspective of having everything figured out, but from the raw middle of growing up. Ahead of the new release, Ellory sat down with us to talk about launch-day routines, the specific cinematic scene that inspired “Girl I Buried,” managing creativity alongside high school life, and why the best lyrics always seem to show up when you stop trying so hard.
You’re still a teenager living through the exact things you write about. What is it like writing songs about growing up in real-time, rather than reflecting on it years later?
I think that’s what makes songwriting exciting for me. I’m not writing from the perspective of someone who already has everything figured out, I’m writing while I’m still in it. I’ve never really been someone who hears melodies first. I hear words. I notice little moments. I ask questions. Most of my songs begin with a question, a story, or a lyric I can’t stop thinking about. The melody is something I discover after I know what I’m trying to say. Sometimes I’ll finish writing and realize the song taught me something I didn’t even know I was trying to understand. It’s almost like taking snapshots of who I am in that moment. The funny part is I’ll probably listen back in five years and think, “Wow… she really had no idea what was coming.” And honestly, I think that’s kind of the point.
July 31st is right around the corner! What is your launch day routine going to look like when “Girl I Buried” finally drops on streaming platforms?
I don’t know if I have an official release-day routine yet because every release still feels surreal. I’ll actually be visiting my grandma that day, so I think that’ll be a nice reminder to stay present instead of staring at streaming numbers all day. I’ll definitely tell myself I’m only checking Spotify once…and then immediately check it again. My favorite part is seeing people start sharing what the song means to them because that’s when it stops just being my story. Hopefully this one doesn’t make everyone cry in the Target parking lot…but if it does, I’m really sorry.
Your music has already reached people on platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and Zigazoo. What has been the coolest or most meaningful fan interaction you’ve had since dropping “In Between”?
The messages that stay with me the most are the ones where someone says, “I thought I was the only person who felt this way.” It’s funny because I’ll write something thinking it’s almost too specific, and then people connect with that exact lyric. It reminds me that the more honest you are, the more people seem to find pieces of themselves in it. Knowing someone felt understood because of something I wrote is probably the biggest compliment I could receive.
If “Girl I Buried” were on the soundtrack to a coming-of-age movie, what specific scene would be playing on screen while the song starts up?
I picture someone packing up their childhood bedroom before leaving home. They’re finding old birthday cards, forgotten bracelets, photos, and little keepsakes, trying to decide what to take with them and what to leave behind. Nothing dramatic is happening. They’re just quietly realizing they’re saying goodbye to a version of themselves without even noticing it. I think that’s what the song feels like to me, that moment between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming.
High school years can feel like a constant loop of change. How do your friends react when they hear a new track and recognize moments or conversations you’ve lived through together?
My school friends and my friends outside of school are kind of two different worlds right now, and I actually like it that way. School is one of the places where I just get to be a normal teenager, and that’s really important to me. A couple of close friends have heard Girl I Buried, and it’s been really special hearing what they think because they’ve lived through a lot of those same growing up moments with me. I love having people in my life who know me as a person first and an artist second.
What’s one secret detail or hidden moment in the production of “Girl I Buried” that fans should listen for with headphones on?
I don’t know if there’s one hidden Easter egg everyone needs to find, but I would definitely recommend listening with headphones. We were really intentional about giving the lyrics room to breathe instead of filling every second with sound. I wanted it to feel like the story was unfolding naturally, not competing with the production. Sometimes what you don’t hear is just as important as what you do.
You’ve covered a lot of ground in 2026 already with three single releases! How do you stay creative and avoid burnout while juggling music, life, and everything else?
I’ve realized creativity doesn’t only happen when I’m sitting down trying to write a song. Sometimes it’s a random sentence I type into my Notes app while I’m standing in line somewhere, or a voice memo I record because I know I’ll forget it five minutes later. My Notes app is honestly a little chaotic. Half of it looks like song ideas, and the other half looks like someone accidentally sat on my phone. I think songs are my way of asking questions I don’t know how to answer yet, so I’m always collecting little moments that might help me figure them out. Somehow it all makes sense eventually.
If you could curate a 3-song playlist that seamlessly transitions into “Girl I Buried,” which artists or tracks would be on it?
I’d probably choose “I miss you, I’m sorry” by Gracie Abrams, “making the bed” by Olivia Rodrigo, and “Scott Street” by Phoebe Bridgers. I love songs that don’t rush to solve the feeling they’re talking about. They let you sit with it for a while, and I think Girl I Buried lives somewhere in that emotional neighborhood.
What is a daily habit, favorite spot in LA, or small ritual that helps you clear your head when you get stuck on a song?
Usually the worst thing I can do is keep staring at the same lyric, hoping it’ll magically fix itself. So I’ll go for a walk with my dog, hang out with my cats, listen to music, or draw…anything that gets me out of my own head for a little while. Coffee never hurts either. It’s almost annoying how often the line I’ve been looking for shows up the second I stop trying so hard.
What’s one message you want to give to your community of listeners on Zigazoo and Instagram as they get ready for July 31st?
I just want to say thank you. It still feels a little surreal that people spend part of their day listening to something I wrote in my bedroom or typed into my Notes app late at night. I never take that for granted. I hope Girl I Buried becomes whatever you need it to be. If you hear a little bit of your own story in it, then it’s already done more than I could have hoped for.
