There’s a wide-eyed charm to 19-year-old Ellis J Barraclough that feels almost disarmingly genuine. The Hull-born singer-songwriter doesn’t play for fame, clout, or charts—he plays because music feels like home. That simple, soul-soothing motivation is at the heart of everything he does, and it’s starting to pay off in a big way.

Despite his unpolished entry into the music world, the industry has already started to take notice. With early spins on BBC Introducing, BBC Radio London, and BBC Radio, plus a nationwide tour alongside Ocean Colour Scene’s Simon Fowler and Oscar Harrison, Ellis’s rise is gathering pace.

His latest single Patience captures exactly what makes him stand out—a modern, emotionally resonant sound that sits somewhere between Dermot Kennedy’s intensity and Tom Grennan’s soul. It's packed with feel-good, road trip-ready melodies and a voice that feels like an old friend, but under the surface, there’s more at work: nods to Fleetwood Mac’s West Coast shimmer, flashes of Memphis soul, and a gentle undercurrent of Wilco’s alt-country cool.

“It’s about when your brain goes into overdrive,” Ellis says of the track. “You get caught up in your own thoughts, and you just have to remind yourself to slow down and trust that things will fall into place. Most of the time, that anxiety is just noise.”

Music has always been part of Ellis’s DNA. His grandfather was a regular gigging musician, his uncle was nearly swept up in the early 2000s indie explosion, and family jam sessions were a yearly Boxing Day tradition. He picked up the guitar at seven and never looked back, eventually cycling through teenage alt-metal and reggae bands before landing on the heartfelt sound that defines him today.

His first paid gig? An unlikely slot at a book launch for comedian Lucy Beaumont, who called him “insanely talented.” A mentorship soon followed, with Vincent Garcia—of ‘90s acid-jazz outfit Drizabone—taking Ellis under his wing. He’s also paid tribute to his hometown through the Hull Cover Series on social media, reimagining tracks by local legends from The Beautiful South and Calum Scott to Sade (whose band had Hull ties) and David Bowie’s Spiders From Mars.

Even when Ellis tried to step away from music, it kept calling him back. “I gave plumbing a go, but I got sacked on the second day,” he says with a grin. “I’ve washed pots in four different pubs. Now I’m ready to go from pot washer to plumber to full-on pop star.”

With a debut headline show coming up at the Hull Social on May 22nd—alongside his new five-piece band, The Sunscreen—that leap looks closer than ever.

I’ve been a pot washer in four different pubs. Now I want to make that leap from pot washer to plumber to f**kin’ pop star

Author: Adam Bailey

Adam is a regular contributor for established press release distribution website Release-News.com. He writes on a wide range of topics including music.