“Keep your eyes on your own paper” — Ella Collier on Music, Ego, and Finding Her Own Path

“My whole goal is to help create community and human connection as well as make people feel seen.” It’s a quote that touches — because in the end, isn’t that what we’re all trying to do in our own way? Whether through art, conversation, or the smallest gestures, there’s a quiet longing to be understood and to understand.

Raised in Atlanta and now rooted in Los Angeles, Ella Collier’s world is shaped by contrasts — vulnerability and force, quiet reflection and restless energy. Growing up between these inner extremes, she began crafting songs as a way to make sense of both. Her new single, “DON’T FOLLOW ME”, began in a college apartment and found its completion years later, during another chapter of feeling lost. It’s a song that asks for space but leaves the door open, a song that moves between confession and distance. “DON’T FOLLOW ME, I’M LOST is a celebration of this journey,” she says.

In our conversation, we speak about the pull between destruction and growth, the role of the ego in her upcoming album DANGEROUS, and how surrender can become a kind of quiet power.

photography by Riles Martinez

Hey Ella, so great to have you with us for this interview! Let’s dive right into your new release — putting something new into the world is always exciting. How are you feeling about it? (smiles)

Hi! Thank you SO MUCH for having me. It’s truly an honor to have the opportunity to share more about my music, especially this song. I feel extremely fulfilled with the release of “DON’T FOLLOW ME”. I started writing this song back when I was in college (5 years ago now, whew), and to have it out in the world with the largest response I’ve ever gotten on my music this far makes all the pain worth it for that drowsy, heartbroken 20-year-old girl.

DON’T FOLLOW ME feels really personal — like a mix of telling the truth and setting a boundary. Can you remember the moment or situation that gave you the idea for the first line?

You got that right! I caught myself the other day filming casual social media content for DFM and I started to sob, I know it sounds dramatic, but I think that’s just a sign this song will be a timeless, resonate anthem for me.
Great question, I vividly remember I was in my apartment on 28th street on a random afternoon my junior year of college. I was probably under some sort of influence if I’m honest, but God and my higher self spoke through me in that moment. I was definitely feeling really lost and sad, specifically in my love life and in my career. Those two areas of my life tend to be the most potent because I care the most about them.
I was in my blueberry Champion sweatsuit, standing up, barefoot, playing on my electric piano. Usually, the most raw songs come out of me in a stream of consciousness sort of manner, and that is exactly how “I feel potential in myself just in the air that I breathe” came out of me. It wasn’t forced, it wasn’t manicured, it wasn’t conceptualized, it was channeled.
I was fed up and upset I think, I feel like that often. I feel like whether it’s passing lovers or people who could believe me if they gave me a chance, this line was the manifestation of my own potential being overlooked and being really hurt by that. Like I can see it, can’t YOU?

You said you wrote this song during two different times when you felt “lost.” What changed about you between those times — and what still felt the same?

The irony in the journey of life I’m coming to find is that when you’re in the emotion, it doesn’t really matter the circumstance. I could be older, sober, and wiser, but it still stings. Maybe I have tools to get me to safe, peaceful ground quicker, but that first hit of hurt doesn’t ever hurt any less in my experience. It might manifest in different forms, but it’s still just as strong.
I think the first feeling of being lost is universal, and there’s a VERY strong fear element to this. Fear drives a lot of pain in my experience. Then comes the scramble, the reasoning, the search, then after very much debate, squabble, and eventually feeling absolutely defeated, we reach this crossroads where we meet our friend masked as the enemy: surrender. Surrender is horrible at first. I really hate it. Why do I have to give up control to feel free? I don’t know, and nobody will tell me, but it’s the answer. Once I make surrender my friend, or at least let it drive the bus, that’s where freedom comes in. I start to find new ways of living, feeling, loving, even if that feels like I’m all by myself.
“DON”T FOLLOW ME, I’M LOST” is a celebration of this journey.

“I am also no spiritual teacher, I am just a mirror to your own experience using mine as the glass.”

The idea of having to “destroy” a past version of yourself to move forward sounds intense. Many people talk about growing or evolving — but why not just build on who you were? What does that kind of transformation look like for you?

Great question, as you can tell in my lyrics as well as in some of my answers, I tend to think in absolutes and extremes. It’s similar to the mindset that to be an artist I must suffer, which isn’t really true. That’s my ego talking. I think these intense phrases and definitions drive my art because I do explore the intense feelings of feeling absolutely everything and wanting to not live on this earth. I know that sounds intense, but every human has experienced these extremes and it’s usually because our ego takes us there. With the exploration of spiritual themes with the DANGEROUS album, the main character is the EGO. When I talk about the idea of destroying versions of myself, that’s something I’ve been exploring, and unfortunately and fortunately experiencing, called an ego death. Ego deaths, in my experience, are very painful and very transformational. They usually happen when your ego transforms into a new version of itself, maybe a higher version, because the older version was killing us, our relationships, our lives. In a chiller way, when our ego drives the bus, it tends not to serve the overall happiness of humans, including ourselves. I have to be willing to let old ideas of how things should go, GO, in order to grow anew and to reform as a human. I do believe we carry all versions of ourselves with us, but the ego death is a very real necessary part of creating the new versions of who we are meant to be.
If this sounds confusing to you, that’s because it is. I am also no spiritual teacher, I am just a mirror to your own experience using mine as the glass.

Your album DANGEROUS is on the way — what made you choose that title?

Yes she is! I’m so excited. This is a body work I have never been more proud of.
I do have a song called “DANGEROUS” that is already out, where I explain how scary my head can get when I let my anxiety (which is my ego run rampant) run the show. The reason I decided to call the album “DANGEROUS” as well is because each song is a different manifestation of the ego. All the songs on this project showcase a behavior or mindset that drives me to a painful place. All of the songs are intentionally written this way, with glorious Pop hooks and beautiful sound candy, because that’s how enticing these emotions are. They don’t always feel all bad, they’re complex, inviting, hurtful, pleasurable, successful, they’re everything good and evil, and that’s really DANGEROUS when you let them be your God. That’s why I named this project “DANGEROUS”.

For example with my song FIEND, it’s all about obsession, lust and nothing ever being enough. It’s justifying pain for the payoff of pleasure. Cute until it’s not.
I touched on DANGEROUS, but ICE QUEEN is the cold-hearted, becoming cold to get to the top, avoiding vulnerability because of a fear of getting hurt, which in turn causes you to be hurtful to others. SLEEPING WITH KARMA, leaving intimate consequences to the next day because the high of playing games in toxic dynamics is more enticing, in turn hurting not only you but the other person.
DON’T FOLLOW ME – please don’t ask me if I’m okay, but please do because I’m dying inside and I wish you could just see me. I also think DFM is more of a reflection and self-aware song (similar to DANGEROUS).
There is also room for empowerment on all of these songs because we are being so brutally honest. This is just humanity and the dichotomy of the human experience in song form.

“At the end of the day, I am the vessel and the artist, but this music is for us.”

The songs dive into ego, shadow work, and emotional armor — big themes. Was there a moment while creating DANGEROUS where something clicked and you knew, “This is what the album is really about”?

Yes, I’m so glad you could hear that. Great question. I feel like this is the beauty of art and the reason why I really do it because the meanings continue to reveal themselves to me even after the songs are out into the world. It’s moments like these where I truly realize I am just a vessel of the collective consciousness and what God wants me to illustrate through music into the world.
When I am writing, I am truly just writing from my own experiences, and I write about what my brain actually overthinks, so sometimes it’s hard for me to define it into a song. Because it feels complicated, in a way it is, in a way your thoughts are complicated. Like I said previously, lots of my process is just a stream of consciousness and then finding ways to make that fit, and that feels really channeled, like I know I’m saying this for a reason, we will find the meaning later. If I can channel my thoughts, insecurities, needs, wants, fears, etc. into a message, then maybe I can make YOU feel seen and in turn make the world a better place. I know it sounds corny, but it really does start with that willingness to be vulnerable.

These days, everything moves so fast — social media, trends, numbers. Do you ever feel like it’s hard to keep up with what being an artist means today?

I totally have had these moments, but right now I just feel so clear on what I am supposed to be doing here that even down to my social media posts fall into place. I think if I could offer any advice to anyone reading this, this is something many people on my team have told me, keep your eyes on your own paper. Focus on your artistry, your business, your goals, what message you are trying to get across, that will transcend any trend or number. I also am very disciplined on separating the art from the business/marketing.
I focus on the creation process of the music first, and visuals and the world I am building around the song, then I will focus on the business side. That tends to help me maintain the truest form of creativity and not let the noise of the rapid movement of the industry and the world inform my art and when it does, I write about how I hate that it’s doing that. I’m not perfect and of course can get wrapped up in the hopelessness of that, but the fan base I have gotten to nurture and grow through social media is worth it to me. I genuinely have met some of my favorite people on social media, and it really is a gift when used authentically and kindly. It’s an opportunity for people to connect, and I continue to remind myself of that privilege I have.

Your fans seem really connected to you — some even host Zoom calls and run fan pages. What’s something that has surprised you about how they see you or respond to your music?

Yes, I love them. I was a fan once too and I am a fan still! It means a lot to be acknowledged for your support. It’s a blessing that real humans take their time to listen to my music and support me, I know it takes time and effort and I hope to always make my fans feel seen and appreciated for that.
Something that has surprised me about them is how close they all are actually. It’s honestly emotional when I talk about it because they really have created their own community together and have made friendships with each other, which is really really special. My whole goal is to help create community and human connection as well as make people feel seen, and I feel like my OGs (that’s what I call them, cause they’re here from the start) are a true manifestation of my mission. I’m grateful for them and how we continue to grow.

“The most important thing in life to me right now and hopefully always is God & gratitude.”

I noticed that your Instagram often explores themes of self and ego — which I actually find really powerful and interesting. At the same time, I’ve been thinking about how important the idea of “we” feels, especially with everything happening in the world right now. Do you ever feel there’s a balance to be found between the two — the individual and the collective?

Totally. These are great questions. I’m not sure if I’m the one to say, you know? That’s up to, like you said, the individual and the collective. I do feel like coming from a “we” standpoint is very communal and equal and makes everyone feel part of, which is something I think is important. Even when answering this interview, it feels a little off-putting for me to continue to talk about myself in the first person, because at the end of the day, I am the vessel and the artist, but this music is for US, for you, and for people to see themselves through. I will continue to make art that reflects my experience, but the only reason I want to is so I can help YOU.

Lastly — what feels like the most important thing in life to you right now?

I really appreciate this interview and the intention you put behind these questions. I just want to say thank you again.
The most important thing in life to me right now and hopefully always is God & gratitude <3
This is the only way I can show up for you, show up for me, and be a person.
So yeah, God & gratitude.
Thank you for having me!