Unplugged Lounge Conversations with Elle Leon Gallagher

Elle León Gallagher is carving out a space all her own. She returns with Music & Memories, a striking new single that marks the third release ahead of her eagerly awaited sophomore album. Following the emotionally charged Synergy and the genre-blending Too Much to Ask?, this latest track is a personal tribute — a celebratory yet poignant homage to a childhood friend lost too soon. Rooted in the emotive spirit of folk, soul-rock, and classic pop, Gallagher’s music draws comparisons to the likes of Alice Phoebe Lou and Courtney Barnett, while nodding to the timeless influence of Fleetwood Mac and David Bowie. As she continues to gather momentum across Spain’s live music circuit, Gallagher’s voice — both literal and artistic — is one that demands to be heard.

Continue reading to learn more about Elle Leon Gallagher. . .

Thanks for chatting with us at Sonic Sisters Magazine! Can you share a bit about how your journey into music began? 

Cheers for having me! Big question. Hard to answer without a 'for as long as I can remember...' style answer but since childhood, even the most mundane experience was always associated with a song. I can remember very far back into my childhood and hold it quite close, and I reckon it's because of this memory/songbank I must have stored somewhere. My mother has a lovely voice and my grandparents sing a lot. They burst into song at any possible lyric prompt that arises in any given conversation. That and musicals, rock music and dance... yeah that's how it began.

Who have been some of the most significant influences on your musical style?

I like a lot of music for different reasons but there are some things that are inevitably ingrained so deep down in the fibre of my being and there's no denying it. Tracing back to early childhood again I'd say the melody driven styles of the likes of The Carpenters, ABBA, and showtunes had a big impact. Then my Dad introduced me to Bowie, Queen and The Dubliners. So I'd say they're all in there somehow. My friends are probably my most significant influences at the moment in the sense that the putting-the-song-together process feels akin to baring something and having it met with useful and unexpected perspectives.

And which female musicians or women in the music industry have inspired your journey?

Sinéad O'Connor, Joni Mitchell, Laura Marling, Kate Bush, CMAT, Weyes Blood, Patti Smith, and Avril Lavigne was probably the first female I'd ever seen with a guitar so, a salute to her too.

How do your personal experiences shape your songwriting, and what do you hope listeners take away from those connections?

My tunes have always come out of some feeling or event but more particularly my newest songs. They're much more specific, which feels bold in a sense but definitely necessary. Generally speaking the songs, stories or pieces of art I can connect to the most are those where I feel I can see the person behind it and their truth. As much as I'd like to have fun with hypothetical characters and scenarios and escape my own experiences it's not my truth. I'm attracted to honesty in people and art alike. A dear friend and bandmate Mirlo says 'amb el cor' in rehearsals a lot (translating from Catalan, 'with the heart') before playing certain songs together. It's something you can't fake and something that 'skill' alone can make up for. That'd be something I'd sure love listeners to take away from the songs, there's a lot of heart stuff in there. 

Congratulations on your brand-new single ‘Music & Memories’ - what inspired this particular song?

Music & Memories is a song written for my childhood friend Jeremy, who passed away unexpectedly in 2023. He was the first kid I had ever seen sing and play the guitar and the first person I knew to write songs and I am forever thankful for him leaving that lasting impression on me. It is a celebratory rock tribute that paces through scenes of being 9 years old writing 'Roses are red, violets are blue, Guns n' Roses are savage and so are you'  on a Valentines card, right up to the last time I saw him out 'the back of Fibbers (Magees) getting ready to play' and the disbelief of a life being cut so short and leaning into the power of music to relive and remember.

What song (not your own) has had the biggest influence on you and why?

It's a close call between 'Starman' by David Bowie and 'Tomorrow' from 'Annie'. 'Starman' because it always made me believe in magic and well, rock, and 'Tomorrow' because it was the first song I think I really sang when I was like, 8 and I thought I was the business.

Is there a song in your catalog that holds a special personal meaning for you? We'd love to hear the story or inspiration behind it.

They all do somehow. Music & Memories would be there with the most personal meaning but other than that one I'd say the previously released 'Too Much to Ask?' would be up there. It's about young love, friendship, distance and the nostalgia experienced when coming home to Ireland from Barcelona and reconnecting with people and places that have changed and the beauty of transformation within relationships.

What are some of the aspirations you have for your music moving forward?

I definitely want to travel and get playing in as many new places as I can, meet new people, collaborate, record more live and continue this journey surrounded by people I love.

What advice would you give to emerging female artists who are just starting out in the music world?

Don't take anyone's crap. Challenge people's assumptions, call them out on it, call yourself out on it if needs be. Whatever your current stage is, you could definitely question yourself less. You always know more than you think you do. Surround yourself with and work with people you trust and distance yourself from those who need a wake up call. Art isn't competition and much less among other women. 

Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

Wear sun cream. Give yourself a high 5. Have a nice day :).