Ella Thompson

Biography
Articles

For something that claims to look both toward the future and back to the past, it seems only fitting for it to be rife with contradiction. Ella Thompson’s debut record Janus, which takes its name from the Roman god, is an assertive foray into the rocky road of maturation. Thompson translates this perfectly into song, with her lyrical inflections shifting between uncertain mutters, husky ruminations and empowered bellows. Her electro-melancholy piles in as much optimism as it can muster without forgetting a necessary dose of reality. While Thompson and Janus present us with a road traveling both ways, it seems that she is only destined to move forward. Her first single Arcade with neon drenched VHS film clip produced by Jason Galea. Followed by the energetic I Go Over accompanied by video set in the wide open spaces of Victoria’s Lake Corangamite made by Annelise Hickey. ‘Refined and heart stealing’ - DIY Mag ‘One of the most exciting acts in Australia at the moment’ - Purple Sneakers www.ellathompsonmusic.tumblr.com

Ella Thompson: Triumph and Sadness

Read "Triumph and Sadness" reviewed by Andrew Schinder

by Andrew Schinder
October 12, 2026

While the United Kingdom's relationship with and interpretations of American soul, jazz and R&B music are rightly celebrated, Australia has a rich history with Black American music as well. In fact, Aboriginal and indigenous Australians first encountered African-Americans as early as the late nineteenth century, when a choir from Fisk University, one of the United States' first Black colleges, traveled to and spent six years in Australia, where they introduced their traditional music. Jazz music made its way ...