Lindsay Ell

Biography

Lindsay Elizabeth Ell (born 20 March 1989) is a Canadian-American country pop singer, songwriter, guitarist and television personality from Calgary, Alberta. Her music incorporates elements of rock and blues. Her debut extended play, Worth the Wait, was released in March 2017. Her first full-length country album, The Project×The Project11 August 2017 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Waiting on You3:542Champagne3:053Castle3:224Good2:495Wildfire4:316Mint2:567White Noise3:358Criminal3:239Just Another Girl3:0410Space3:1011Always Kiss the Girl3:3412Worth the Wait3:28, was released in August 2017 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Album Sales chart. From 2022 to 2025, she was the host of the revived Canada's Got Talent reality television series.

Early life

Lindsay Ell was born in Calgary. She started playing the piano at six, until she discovered her father's collection of guitars scattered throughout the house, switching at age eight; "I fell in love with the guitar," says Lindsay. "It's a huge part of who I am." Lindsay fell in love with the blues and started songwriting at age 10. Ell was valedictorian for her class at Bishop Carroll High School, from which she graduated a year early. She went on to study business at the University of Calgary and music at the Berklee College of Music, in addition to pursuing her music career.

Career

Randy Bachman discovered Ell when she was only 15 years old. Bachman described her as "the most talented and multi-faceted artist I've come across in many years". Bachman co-wrote and produced her first album Consider This×Consider This2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Seize the Moment3:402Blue Sky Day3:533Take It From Me4:094Bittersweet4:015Consider This3:556Slightly Out of Tune3:447Girl on the Moon4:068Let Me Keep Fallin'3:289Sacrifice3:5310A Thousand Miles Away3:5411Listen to My Heartbeat3:41. It was recorded at Bachman's studio on Saltspring Island, and Ell herself co-wrote most of the 11 songs. The album was released in 2006 on Bachman's record label Ranbach Music and distributed by Fontana North. Ell toured with blues guitarist Buddy Guy in 2008. On her 2009 album, Alone×Alone3 February 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Constantly Be5:002Ready For Love3:523Might As Well3:534Fallen House3:495High Hopes3:446Hit Em Where It Hurts3:137Northern Lights4:168Shut Up And Sing4:019Soleil4:1110Good Mother4:2611Alone (Acoustic Mix)3:4212Alone3:42, she moved to a more acoustic sound compared to her debut.
It was her first songwriting trip to Nashville that brought her full circle to her country roots. She travelled back and forth from Calgary to Nashville for a couple years to participate in songwriting sessions while playing as many live shows as she could to hone her craft. At the age of 21, she permanently moved to Nashville and signed with the US-based record label Stoney Creek Records.
In December 2013, her first official single, "Trippin' on Us", debuted as the most added song for country music radio in both Canada and the United States with over 50 first week adds. Ell has since been called "a true triple threat" by Guitar World; "a star in the making" by Taste of Country and "a distinct figure in the modern country recording camp" by Country Weekly. Lindsay is a guitarist and her style has been influenced by John Mayer, Keith Urban, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins, Buddy Guy, Randy Bachman, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. She typically plays a custom Les Paul Goddess and Martin acoustic guitars. She is an official Martin Guitar artist.
Lindsay made her Grand Ole Opry debut on 15 April 2014 and has since made several appearances on the show. On 24 March 2017, Lindsay released her debut EP, Worth the Wait×Worth the Wait24 March 2017 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Waiting on You3:552Criminal3:233Space3:104Standing Here3:075Worth the Wait3:296Stop This Train4:36, featuring six songs, one of which is a cover of John Mayer's "Stop This Train×Stop This Train14 July 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Stop This Train4:36". "Worth the Wait shows off Ell's talent in all capacities, as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter," wrote Sounds Like Nashville in a review of the project. On 28 January 2018, Lindsay sang the Canadian National Anthem at the 2018 NHL All-Star Game. In March 2018, she performed at the C2C: Country to Country festival in the UK. On 29 July 2020 upon her label's request Lindsay flew to Nashville to perform a remix as a guest artist on her label mate Tucker Beathard's newly released single titled "Faithful". The track was the first promotional single released upon the announcement Beathard's upcoming album titled KING, however the version that features her was left off of the album and was instead only able to be streamed via YouTube.

On 14 August 2020, Ell released her fifth studio album, Heart Theory×Heart Theory14 August 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Hits Me3:292How Good2:423I Don’t Love You3:344Want Me Back3:135Get Over You3:046Wrong Girl2:367Body Language of a Breakup3:428Good on You3:179The Other Side3:0910Go To3:1811Make You4:1812Ready to Love3:15, featuring the singles "I Don't Love You", "Want Me Back×wAnt me back23 June 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1wAnt me back3:10", and "Good on You". In October 2021, it was announced that Ell will host the second season of Canada's Got Talent, which aired in 2022. She served alongside Priyanka as cohost of the 2021 Canadian Country Music Awards.
In 2023, Ell departed Stoney Creek Records and the BBR Music Group. She subsequently released the single "Sweet Spot×Sweet Spot24 March 2023 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sweet Spot2:54". Her song "Right on Time×Right on Time27 April 2022 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Right on Time3:06" was named "Single of the Year" at the 2023 Canadian Country Music Awards. Ell was named the recipient of the Gary Slaight Music Humanitarian Award at the 2024 Canadian Country Music Awards for her work establishing The Make You Movement fund and support for sexual assault survivors and the LGBTQ2SIA+ community.
In 2023, Ell performed as one of the support acts on Shania Twain's Queen of Me Tour. In 2024, she joined Twain for her third Las Vegas residency at PH Live as guitarist. Later that year, she signed with Universal Music Canada, and released an extended play titled Love Myself on October 25, 2024. The EP included her debut pop single "Story I Tell Myself". She also appeared in the country music documentary Rebel Country in June 2024.

Personal life

Ell officially became an American citizen on December 8, 2022. In February 2023, she revealed that she has been battling an eating disorder for many years that was only recently diagnosed.