Ellen Bindman-Hicks

Artist Information

Biography

Ellen's voice, lyrics and melodies show a depth and wisdom beyond her 17 years. Her influences include Dar Williams, Anais Mitchell and Ani Difranco. What sets her apart is a special quality of her voice and music not bounded by traditional ideas.

Instrumentation

Ellen Bindman-Hicks--guitar, vocals

Discography

Tennessee Concerts Talent Competition, Summer 2009-- Honorable Mention for "Questions"

Mike Pinder's Songwars Songwriting Competition, 2010-- Honorable Mention for "Write Me a Future" and "When the Two Connect"

CD: "Write Me a Future" (c) Ellen Bindman-Hicks, 2009
(to order contact: naomi.bindman@gmail.com)

Links

• Soon Enough

Audio

• Questions (unmixed)
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• I Don't Even Know Your Name (unmixed)
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• Questions
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• You're the Words
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• I Don't Even Know Your Name
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• Can You Trust?
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• Between Us
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• Frozen
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• When the Two Connect
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• Write Me a Future
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• More Than a Game
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• Journey to Your Heart
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• Forgiveness is Golden
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• Plastic Heart
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Lyrics

• Questions
• Write Me a Future
• You're the Words
• When the Two Connect
• Questions
• You're the Words
• You're the Words
• When the Two Connect
• Forgiveness is Golden
• Can You Trust?
• When the Two Connect
• Frozen
• Plastic Heart

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• WRITE ME A FUTURE--CD review [+ Show ]
  

  Ellen's voice is mercurial. Her voice is pearly. Like her photograph on the CD cover where her eye...Ellen's voice is mercurial. Her voice is pearly. Like her photograph on the CD cover where her eyes say it all. Within her young years, she gets it about how life goes. There is humor in her songs and forgiveness.
  
  "Questions": The questions are mature for a young mind. All through the CD there is a delicate cast behind a really full range. Ellen is asking questions for herself and for us too. (...and what are we capable of?) It is timeless. The way she draws out a phrase (...before we fall......) is terrific.
  
  "You're the Words": Ellen's vowels are pure. Like her voice. Her consonants are delicate but precise. So many singers slur words and have no sensitivity to the sound of words. The sound of the words is the moment. Ellen captures the whole of it.
  
  "I Don't Even Know Your Name": "Hey, you"--the words fit right into the melody line. That talent for matching the words to the musical phrase--how "hey you" is drawn out and "I don't even know your name," crisp. The reflections are sharp, catching the perceptions behind the first glance of a moment.
  
  "Can You Trust?": Ellen's voice is so clear. That kind of clear reflects confidence. She sustains long phrases and does so in a clear, pure way. Her vocal range comes into this song. Such a strong, long line within her ability to stretch a phrase out.
  
  "Between Us": Oh, that challenge between a precocious girl and a boy who "can't handle it." Ellen is able to put it into a song and and get it out there, for all the women, especially young women, who have experienced it! Clear. Strong. Articulate.
  
  "Frozen": Beautiful writing. Again her talent for matching the melody to the thoughts. Ellen can draw out one word in a long strong phrase and then deftly let it go. "Frozen" is wonderful, especially for the imagery.
  
  "Plastic Heart": This song could be on the market today. It is tight, crisp. The musical range reminds me of Joni Mitchell--some singers would have a hard time meeting this vocal range.
  
  "When the Two Connect": Ellen knows how to connect her phrases; she deftly links the phrases. This song shows a mature perception and the courage to tell it like it is.
  
  "Write Me a Future": Bless her knowing heart. This song is filled with immense love and beauty.
  
  "More Than a Game": It is as though something happened in her day and she could just put it down, articulate it in subtle emotional ways. The chord shifts are great.
  
  "Journey to Your Heart": Ellen's voice seems mature in this song. More melodic shifts. Her range can take her into anywhere--so it seems easy for her to sound playful.
  
  "Forgiveness is Golden": Here is a fine understanding of how things can go. A remarkable soul.

Setlist

All songs are by Ellen Bindman-Hicks, between 3-4 minutes.

"Questions," "Write Me A Future," "You're the Words," "What You Believe," "I Don't Even Know Your Name," "The Only Option," "Can You Trust?," "Into Space," "Plastic Heart," "Since You Have Come Near," "The Way it Goes," "Frozen," "Back in the Dance," "Our Scars," "Swingset," "Remembering," "Rulebook to Life," "I Wonder," "What You Took," "This Time," "Trust Your Light," "Find a Hope," "Soon Enough," "I Don't Have Anything to Say," "Dreaming Reality," "Tangled Up in Lies," "How Long?" "Empty," "Insomniac," "Glass Princess," "Night Leaping."

Ellen's typical set list is about 10-12 songs.

Basic Requirements

Calendar