I have been a big fan of Karissa Ella since I first featured her in 2022. Her song, "I Hope Heaven's Like" is such a beautiful song that you must hear to appreciate fully. While she captures hearts with her soulful sound and magnetic energy, what sets her apart among the growing number of country artists is her sincerity. She believes the words that she writes and sings, and that comes across in her music.
Karissa Ella has a new EP, Growing Wings, and she has written six of the seven songs. Raised in rural Ohio, the midwestern girl writes what she knows and sings about it effortlessly.
The upbeat "Honky Tonk Heartbeat" is the first song on the EP. As she sings about an old school dive bar at the edge of town, you can envision the scene she has created. "I wanted it to be a carefree sing-along drinking song. We wrote this one so quickly, and I thought it would be perfect to kick off the EP," she shared.
"Last Call Cowboy" is about a good man who can't commit. It's a sentimental song about a free-spirited person who may have been hurt too many times. Ella explained, "We wanted a song just to be about living in the moment, and you dance with a cowboy. But at the end of the day, you know that he's not someone you are going to take home to Mama." The pedal steel playing completes the song.
The song "Hall of Fame" is one of the best tributes to a hometown that I have heard. Ella sweetly sings the autobiographical tune that paints a vivid picture of where she grew up. She gives a shoutout to the town's industry with the words This little calloused town/ grew up blue-collar proud/ Shirt off your back/ salt of the earth/Ain't afraid of a little work.
"The song is about the great people there in Ohio and how the working people make the world go round," Ella said.
And while she is respectful of her hometown, the title track of the EP, "Growing Wings," is the truth about a changing Ella. She confirmed, "I definitely hit that chapter in my life where I've sadly outgrown a lot of things, whether it's my favorite pair of boots or jeans or a relationship, friendships. The whole thing is just about no matter what you're going through, you're always getting stronger, and you're always growing wings. Whatever it may be, you're always learning and growing new wings to become a better version of yourself."
The only outside cut on the EP is "Heartbreaker." It's a female empowerment song. Don't let that guy break your heart. Let your own heart break her. Take control and become the best version of yourself.
"' Til Chevy Stops Making Trucks" is the sole love song on the EP. "It's a sweet little 'I'll never stop loving you' song. It's going to take something really crazy, like for Chevy to stop making trucks, before I will stop loving you. It's a cheeky song, but I love it," Ella said.
However, it was the final song on the EP that got to me. Being a girl mom, "Mamas Do" is about grace and the unconditional love that a mother has for her daughter after she goes back to a boy who earlier had broken her heart. Ella's mother starred in the video. The words, Mama do you mind picking up the pieces/ If I don't hear your voice of reason/ and I go and mess it up/ Cause I'll run to you when I need the truth/ When the world don't stay steady, Mamas do resonate with me after raising two daughters who are now mamas themselves.
The Growing Wings EP is a collection of songs that provide something for everyone. Whether you are heartbroken, in love, or want to have fun, there is a song for you. The EP marks a powerful next chapter in her career, packed with vulnerability, strength, and the unmistakable spirit of an artist on the rise. And Ella's voice sounds like an angel that you'll never get tired of hearing.
Be sure to follow Karissa Ella on her website, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, YouTube, and all streaming services.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
