After belting out backing vocals from The Warren Store porch on July 4, Ella Grace Holter takes center stage with her own band and her own songs (mostly) at Phantom Theater on July 13.
It will be a return engagement at Phantom, where Holter performed last summer in a low-key duo format. For this year’s show, she’ll be turning up the volume with her new band, featuring Aubri Rohan on drums, Anika Erickson on bass, and Ryan Melnick on guitar.
“In the past year or so I’ve been focusing on spreading my roots in L.A., building community, meeting lots of people and musicians, and making music all the time,” she said.
“It’s been a lot of fun working with Aubri, Anika, and Ryan. They’re all amazing musicians, and it’s been such a cool experience to work out our sound with some new material and re-working some old songs as well.”
Being in a band has helped Holter keep herself focused on enjoying making music and not putting too much pressure on herself from a career perspective.
“I think it’s so important to make music for the right reasons,” she said. “I make music because it’s therapy for me, not because I want to be famous. Wherever it takes me is neither here nor there. It should just be a product of my love for music.”
In addition to forming a band, the past year has also been an evolutionary time for Holter personally.
“I’m 22 now, so there’s definitely been a lot of personal growth this year, which has shifted my perspective and in turn my songwriting style and overall sound,” she said.
Holter is working on recording some of those songs, but the process is slow.
“It always seems to take longer than I want it to, as I’m a bit of a perfectionist,” she said. “On top of that, I’m still working out the right vibe for my music, which has started to lean towards ‘y’all-ternative,’ as we call it. That being said, I will be releasing my next single this month.”
As much as Holter is blossoming in L.A., she is thrilled to be back in Vermont, to reconnect with family and friends, and to bring her music home with her.
“I always love coming home and sharing the Mad River Valley with the people in my life,” she said. “It’s one of my favorite places, and I always leave with a sense of nostalgia and inspiration. This year we’ve got a bit of a different sound, and we’ve thrown in some covers as well. I hope we’ll see you there and that we can have a little bit of fun.”
Showtime is 8 p.m. on July 13. Tickets are available in advance at https://theaterengine.com/companies/1.
