Ella Collier’s fast-paced music career

s her time at Westminster comes to a close, senior Ella Collier’s music career is just beginning. Following successful singles like “I’m Gonna” and “Birthday”, Collier decided to ramp up her collection with the release of her new single, “That Would Make Me You”. After being on Spotify for less than a year, the song has already accrued more than 87,000 listens, and shows no signs of stopping.

        Even Collier herself didn’t anticipate that the song would garnish the amount of attention that it eventually gained. “My goal was always to get past 10,000 streams and we would see what happens from there,” said Collier. “Then, I woke up one morning about a week later, checked Spotify, and saw that the song had over 11,000 streams. It’s so crazy to see, and I look at it now and it gains thousands a day.”

        Collier’s song not only makes an impact on the tens of thousands of listeners that stream it, but also has a major influence on students at Westminster. Many empathize with her emotional lyrics, and are able to recite her catchy choruses with ease. “Ella’s music has always had a way of uplifting me,” said sophomore Payton Selby. “Her voice is so immensely powerful and she can evoke emotion in a really special way.”

        For students like Selby, Collier’s music offers a certain relatability that can only be experienced through music. “Ella writes about things a lot of us can relate to, and also the fact that I know her makes me feel a special kind of connection as well,” said Selby. “She has an undeniable star quality.”

        What sets Collier’s music apart is that it is experienced by all walks of life at campus. “It’s very surreal seeing someone I’ve known since I was in fifth grade stand up in front of our peers and connect with us through music,” said junior Will Mills. “I feel an overwhelming sense of happiness and excitement every time she steps onto the stage.”

        Even though she has gained overwhelming attention from her listeners on Spotify, Collier feels most at home when she is performing in front of a live audience. Not only do students enjoy seeing her perform her famous song on campus, but they also relish the fact that they know someone with the musical talents that Collier possesses.

“Ella’s performance talent is one of the most sensational things about her,” said Selby. “I remember after a talent show last year everyone was just saying, ‘She really has something special.’”

So far, Collier has performed at various venues throughout Atlanta and on campus, including the Fall Talent Show. “She always has such a great energy and brings the stage to life,” said freshmen Anna Catherine Gansereit. “It’s really cool to be able to say that I know her. She is so talented and the number of streams really shows that. She is going to do so many great things and I am so happy to see her success.”

        Collier is an inspiration for many on campus due to her consistent desire to chase her goals. “When I see Ella I just think of how fearlessly she has followed her dreams,” said Selby. “Ella and few others have the ability to chase for what they want with abandon.after what they want with abandonment[Office1] . [Office2] That’s something I certainly aspire to.”

        Additionally, Collier is active with Circle of Women, a group with goals of female empowerment and inspiring young women. “Ella has been a role model to me when I’ve been going through tough times,” said Gansereit. “She has showed much strength and perseverance and gives girls like me someone to look up to.”

        Due to Collier’s diverse audience, she is able to inspire more than just young women on campus.  “Ella has been a role model for me in the way that she’s merely herself,” said Mills. “She doesn’t hide anything from anyone, and I’ve always looked up to her to show me how to live my life honestly.”

        Among other role models, Collier attributes her success to the teachers on campus that have given her a platform to grow as an artist. “I’m so thankful that I’ve come from such a place of growth and am surrounded by people who support me,” said Collier.

But now, do to her recent accomplishments, her past teachers look up to her with aspiration. “I still remember Ella in Middle School watching the talent show and cheering loudly for each performer,” said Collier’s basketball coach teacher Heather Karvis. “Then, she got up on stage and just blew me away. She is a kind and thoughtful young lady, and when she steps up to the mic she just captivates you. I know she will be great.”

Collier’s music career started in sixth grade, when she first decided to perform at the talent show with the help of teachers Adam Fry and Linda Searles. Later on, she was involved with many musical clubs and activities, including the middle school’s Pop Music Club. “No matter what Ella does musically in the future, I hope she will continue to do what she did with our Pop Music Club in 8th grade: Inspire people to enjoy music,” said Fry. “I hope that she will continue to write songs which inspire others to enjoy music like she does.”

        While Collier continues to grow and evolve her musical abilities, she will always have the support of those in the Westminster community. “I believe there are great things in store for Ella,” said Searles. “She has the drive, the talent, and the family support to make a real impact with her music. Someday I’ll be saying, ‘I knew her when…’!”

        Even with her recent musical successes, Collier faces the usual problems associated with senior life. “One of my major accomplishments is definitely balancing college applications for senior year and my music.” said Collier. However, she continues to perform regularly despite the impending challenges of college applications.

        Collier’s musical presence is rapidly increasing as her songs gain more popularity, and students and faculty alike look forward to her next major projects. Overall, Collier remains a powerful inspiration for Westminster and will continue to inspire others after graduation.