Nashville, TN – July 7, 2020 – On Global Forgiveness Day, chart topping musician, vocalist and songwriter Lindsay Ell is opening up like never before with her new song “make you” – out now digitally and with any pre-order of her forthcoming sophomore album heart theory, which arrives August 14. Watch the visualizer for the track HERE.
Co-written by Ell and GRAMMY nominated singer-songwriter Brandy Clark, “make you” is the first time Ell publicly addresses being a survivor of sexual violence. The song finds Ell intimately exploring the deeply personal effects on her life after being raped at 13 years old. On heart theory – which takes listeners through Ell’s personal experience of the seven stages of grief – “make you” appears as the first song in the acceptance stage, a reflection of Ell’s determination to use her platform to help other sexual trauma survivors.
Ell explains how meeting young survivors made her realize she couldn’t keep her own experience hidden any longer:
“Three years ago at a visit to help launch the music program at Youth For Tomorrow, I sat down in a conference room with a few girls aged 12-18 who had all been victims of rape or sex trafficking. I shared my story, they shared their stories, and I was so inspired. Walking out of that room that day I knew the time had come to share my story more widely, otherwise I would be denying myself an opportunity to connect and help other girls or boys, like those in that room. It’s a very difficult thing to do, but an incredibly necessary thing to talk about. We don’t realize how much this stuff is happening in our own community, and that is partly due to not discussing it.”
On enlisting Clark to help write the powerful track:
“Once I decided it was time to share my story, there was specifically one co-writer who came to mind. I called Brandy, an absolute wordsmith and songwriter genius, and asked her if she would write this song with me. She fearlessly and immediately said yes. The day we wrote ‘make you’ I knew we had written something special that will hopefully help others to not feel alone in their survival. And more personally, it was finally the moment in my life where I got to validate that little girl inside - letting her know that ‘I see her and I love her.’”
In conjunction with the release of “make you,” Ell has launched the Make You Movement, a charitable fund whose mission is to help organizations that support at-risk youth, domestic abuse and sexual assault survivors by provided funds on an as-needed basis.
Ell has committed to donate all her proceeds from “make you” to the Make You Movement. The first partner organization receiving funds from Make You Movement will be The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), which is the United States’ largest anti-sexual violence organization.
“I believe music has the power to heal. The reason I decided to share my story at this point in my life is that I want it to be able to help a lot of people; and the best way to help people is to not only raise my voice, but to raise money in an effort to raise awareness and understanding. I want to support programs that help girls & boys who may have been victims and support safety and prevention programs that aim to keep potential victims safe. Finally writing ‘make you’ has given me the courage to not let my past decide my future, so I am taking action in order to do just that. My hope is that my actions and song will inspire the same in others.”
The release of “make you” on Global Forgiveness Day further amplifies Ell’s belief that all types of forgiveness – including self-forgiveness – is vital to healing. Speaking to PEOPLE exclusively, Ell elaborates:
“I wanted to release it on Global Forgiveness Day. Forgiving people in our past is a huge thing for whatever reason, but forgiving yourself is so important. There's an incredible amount of healing that can happen, and it can't happen until you can truly open up that forgiveness for your own heart."
“make you” follows the release of two tracks on heart theory – “i don’t lovE you” & “wAnt me back” – the latter impacting Country radio on July 13. Ell has amassed more than 123 million on demand streams to date and is currently nominated for two 2020 ACM awards – New Female Artist of the Year & Vocal Event of the Year.
# # #
heart theory track listing (with writers)
a journey through the seven stages of grief
shock
1. “Hits me” (Lindsay Ell, Tyler Hubbard, Corey Crowder)
denial
2. “how good” (Lindsay Ell, Brandy Clark)
3. “i don’t lovE you” (Adam Hambrick, Melissa Fuller, Neil Medley)
anger
4. “wAnt me back” (Lindsay Ell, Kane Brown, Matt McGinn, Lindsay Rimes)
5. “get oveR you” (Lindsay Ell, Gordie Sampson, Kelly Archer)
6. “wrong girl” (Lindsay Ell, Steph Jones, Matt McGinn, Luke Niccoli)
bargaining
7. “body language of a breakup” (Lindsay Ell, Laura Veltz, Sam Ellis)
depression
8. “good on you” (Lindsay Ell, Sam Ellis, Micah Premnath)
testing
9. “The oTHEr side” (Lindsay Ell, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt McGinn)
10. “gO to” (Lindsay Ell, Nicolle Gaylon, Jordan Reynolds)
acceptance
11. “make you” (Lindsay Ell, Brandy Clark)
12. “ReadY to love” (Lindsay Ell, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt McGinn, Joey Hyde)
About Lindsay Ell:
Lauded as “one of the most exciting and talented young artists in country music” (Forbes), Lindsay Ell is a triple threat: accomplished musician, unique vocalist and awe-inspiring songwriter. The Calgary native learned to play guitar while traveling with her father to country-bluegrass camps as a young girl. Ell honed her craft as a musical stylist and songwriter after being discovered by BTO and The Guess Who’s Randy Bachman (“American Woman” / “Taking Care of Business”) who discovered her at the age of 13. The multi-instrumentalist was soon touring alongside the likes of Luke Bryan, Buddy Guy, and Keith Urban. Ell also shared the stage with distinguished country group, Little Big Town, along with other powerhouse female artists in one the biggest moments of the 2019 CMA Awards where she was also nominated for Musical Event of the Year. Ell’s nominations do not stop there. She has been nominated for New Female Artist of the Year in both 2019 and 2020, in addition to her 2020 ACM nomination of Music Event of the Year. These nominations are well earned after Ell exhilarated audiences as part of Keith Urban’s Graffiti U World Tour, Brantley Gilbert’s Not Like Us Tour, and Brad Paisley’s Weekend Warrior World Tour. Ell’s first full-length album The Project debuted at No. 1 on the Country Album Sales Chart and was named Billboard’s “Best Country Album of 2017. “What Happens In a Small Town,” Lindsay’s duet with Brantley Gilbert, claimed the top spot at country radio, marking her first No. 1 in the US. Her new single "wAnt me back" is out now from her just-announced sophomore album, heart theory, which will be released August 14th. For more information visit: www.LindsayEll.com.
About The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT) exists to promote and facilitate giving in the 40 counties of Middle Tennessee and beyond. It does this by accepting gifts of any size from anyone at any time and by empowering individuals, families, companies, nonprofits and communities to respond to needs and opportunities that matter. CFMT works with people who have great hearts, whether or not they have great wealth, to craft solutions that reflect their intentions and goals. The organization has distributed more than $1 billion in grants since its inception in 1991. For more information, call 615-321-4939, email rondal@cfmt.org or visit www.cfmt.org.
LINDSAY ELL MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jay Jones
BBR Music Group
Sarah Beth Watson
BBR Music Group
Kristen Foster
full coverage communications
Erica Gerard
full coverage communications
