East London’s soulful storyteller Ella Clayton has officially entered her next chapter with the release of her second studio album, 'Could It Be You?'. Arriving two years after her acclaimed debut 'Murmurations', this new 11-track collection sees Clayton refine her blend of folk-inflected soul, transforming the anxieties of modern life into a series of warm, cinematic revelations.
To celebrate the release, Clayton will take to the stage at the legendary 100 Club in London on 28th May, bringing the record’s organic energy to one of Soho’s most iconic basements. The album itself was born from a desire for tactile, human connection. Collaborating with producer Lester Duval, Clayton decamped to George Ezra’s Hotel Quebec studio. In a whirlwind three-day session, the band tracked the rhythm section live, capturing the breathing room and raw immediacy that defines her live performances.
The record is a masterclass in emotional navigation. It opens with the soul-drenched ‘Please Me’, where Clayton admits, "I could lie again / echo, let go, pretend / but I'm gonna fall for my best friend." It is an anthem for the "anxiously avoidant," trading hesitation for a leap of faith. Elsewhere, the synth-laced ‘Dolomites’ provides a gritty, feral escape, while the string-swept single ‘Ripples’ addresses delicate emotional territory with unflinching grace.
Reflecting on the album’s core, Ella shares: “This record is a journey through longing and self-interrogation, the search for something or someone outside of myself to tell me who I am and what I want. I hope that people recognise themselves in these snapshots from my life and take comfort in the shared experience.”
From the comical first-date disaster of the title track to the lockdown-inspired nostalgia of ‘I Miss Strangers’, the album feels like a cohesive map of the human heart. It concludes with the sun-soaked ‘As You Are’, a soaring tribute to platonic love. By the final note, the search for external validation ends. As Ella puts it: “Nothing is fixed. As these songs unfold, there are moments of revelation, flashes of strength, and the growing realisation that no one else holds the answers. It can only be you.”
Get lost in the soul-folk sounds of 'Could It Be You?' on all platforms now, and catch Ella on tour this May. For more, be sure to also connect with Ella on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram.
