Ellis J Barraclough: The Young Guitar Prodigy Bringing Old-School Soul to the Modern Stage

Introducing Ellis J Barraclough, an 18-year-old musical prodigy from Hull, UK, who’s already making waves far beyond his hometown. Born into a family of musicians, Ellis picked up his first guitar at age 7 and wrote his first song by 12. Now, he’s progressed from playing neighborhood bars to lighting up stages in London with his magnetic live performances.

Ellis has been recording with Vincent Garcia, the mastermind behind 90’s soul act Drizabone and remixer for legends like Diana Ross, Barry White, and Mary J. Blige. Embracing an old-school analogue sound with vintage gear and 2” tape machines, Ellis’s music has a timeless quality that echoes the greats while staying true to his pure, honest songwriting style.

In April, Ellis caught the spotlight supporting Simon Fowler and Oscar Harrison of Ocean Colour Scene on a 13-date tour, even stepping in to play lead guitar on “Travellers’ Tune.” His debut single, "Blasphemy," released on 7" vinyl, was met with phenomenal audience reactions, with new fans lining up for autographs and selfies after every show. With another tour lined up for November and December 2024 across Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, Ellis’s journey is just getting started.

BBC Introducing has taken notice, inviting him to perform on their shows — a dream come true for Ellis. With three albums already in the works, this young talent is just warming up. Keep an eye out and remember the name: Ellis J Barraclough.

1. You began playing guitar at the age of 7 and wrote your first song by 12. How has growing up in a  family of musicians in Hull influenced your musical style and approach to songwriting?

Growing up in a family of musicians (I would say) has been crucial for me to have become the song writer  I am now. I learned so many fundamentals of music growing up and it made me realise that music is the  thing that I understand the most, having been exposed to guitar playing, harmonies, and the magic that  comes with it from a very young age. 

2. Your collaboration with producer Vincent Garcia has brought an old-school analogue sound to  your music. What was the creative process like working with vintage equipment, and how do you  feel it enhances the authenticity of your sound? 

Having taught myself how to record my own music, it was a big shock to start recording using Tape and  Analogue equipment at first. It’s a very different process as to what I’m used to put that’s the fun of it! You  can really hear the difference in sounds when you compare digital recordings to my Tape recordings, the  sound it so unique and I’m so very grateful to be using such amazing equipment to record my own songs. 

3. Supporting Simon Fowler and Oscar Harrison on their nationwide tour must have been a  significant milestone in your career. What was the experience like, especially playing lead guitar on  Travellers’ Tune, and how did the tour influence your growth as an artist? 

Supporting Simon and Oscar was really a massive boost to how I see myself as a musician. My Mum  showed me Ocean Colour Scene from a young age and they have been one of my favourite bands  since, so to have had the amazing opportunity to go on tour with the legends really made me realise that  showing my music to the world was worth pushing for. But when I played Travellers Tune with them live  on stage it changed even more when I realised they were grooving, nodding, and smiling to the guitar solo  that I was playing. The whole tour has multiplied my confidence as a performer 10 fold. 

4. Your debut single Blasphemy has garnered attention from both audiences and BBC  Introducing. Can you share the inspiration behind the song and what it means to you to have your  music recognized on such a platform? 

When I first wrote Blasphemy I knew it would be something special, but in my mind the success of the  song never surpassed the idea of it just being played by me and my family 10 times at every party. I would  have never thought it would become my very own single! What’s even more shocking to me is that I’ve  always seen songs and artists on Spotify to be the pinnacle of music as that’s where I discovered all of  my favourite songs so to be a now verified artist with my very own single all up there on the platform really  makes me feel special. 

5. With three albums already in the works at just 18, your songwriting is clearly prolific. Can you  give us a glimpse into what themes and sounds we can expect from your upcoming projects, and  how do you see your music evolving in the future? 

You can always hear the difference in musician’s songs throughout the progression of there albums and  I wouldn’t suspect anything different for mine. I’ve only been recording for about 2 years but I’ve been  writing for much longer. For example Blasphemy and Simple Seventeen both are very poppy and you  can tell they were written from a younger perspective, however later on and more recently as I’ve grown  as a person and as a song writer you can definitely hear the differences, like it being more complex or  more thought out melodies, as well as using some different guitar tunings and writing lyrics from a more  experienced mindset. But the best part about it is that all of the songs are going to be specifically picked  for the album to make it more diverse. You could listen to a poppy one, and then straight after a more soul  sounding song or a rock song.