Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
This residency at Town Hall has been a chance to explore how the cello lives within contemporary songwriting and how music shifts when it’s shaped with a specific space in mind. Over the past few months, artist-in-residence Ellie Barber (AKA Ollella) has been working between acoustic and electric sounds, centering on arrangements and ideas that move between these sonic worlds.
This final performance reflects that process. Joined by the Ollella band, Ellie will share a mix of new songs written during the residency alongside a few older pieces in this new context in mind. There will be moments of reflection woven throughout, touching on what shaped the writing and how the songs took form. The set moves between more stripped-down passages and fuller arrangements, shaped by a more intentional approach to arrangement developed during the residency.
Ellie Barber a.k.a. Ollella (pronounced oh-lel-uh) began her career as a musician early, singing before she could talk. Trained as a classical cellist since the age of nine, the Seattle indie-folk artist merges her technical string background with authoritative vocals and live-looping. Described as “really outstanding” by NPR Music and “so tastefully done” by Michelle Zauner (Japanese Breakfast), Ollella’s sound is organic with a side of edge, pulling on influences such as Feist, Cat Power, and Sylvan Esso. She has performed on NPR Tiny Desk Concerts, had music featured in film and TV, and is a frequent collaborator with others.
About Town Hall Residencies
Every year, Town Hall selects exceptional local artists and scholars for paid residencies where they engage with Town Hall programs and collaborate with our programming team to develop original events for the community. Read more about our residency program at townhallseattle.org/residencies
Presented by Town Hall Seattle. Events are offered for informational, entertainment, and educational purposes only. Read Town Hall’s Program Content Policy at townhallseattle.org/policies
This residency at Town Hall has been a chance to explore how the cello lives within contemporary songwriting and how music shifts when it’s shaped with a specific space in mind. Over the past few months, artist-in-residence Ellie Barber (AKA Ollella) has been working between acoustic and electric sounds, centering on arrangements and ideas that move between these sonic worlds.
This final performance reflects that process. Joined by the Ollella band, Ellie will share a mix of new songs written during the residency alongside a few older pieces in this new context in mind. There will be moments of reflection woven throughout, touching on what shaped the writing and how the songs took form. The set moves between more stripped-down passages and fuller arrangements, shaped by a more intentional approach to arrangement developed during the residency.
Ellie Barber a.k.a. Ollella (pronounced oh-lel-uh) began her career as a musician early, singing before she could talk. Trained as a classical cellist since the age of nine, the Seattle indie-folk artist merges her technical string background with authoritative vocals and live-looping. Described as “really outstanding” by NPR Music and “so tastefully done” by Michelle Zauner (Japanese Breakfast), Ollella’s sound is organic with a side of edge, pulling on influences such as Feist, Cat Power, and Sylvan Esso. She has performed on NPR Tiny Desk Concerts, had music featured in film and TV, and is a frequent collaborator with others.
About Town Hall Residencies
Every year, Town Hall selects exceptional local artists and scholars for paid residencies where they engage with Town Hall programs and collaborate with our programming team to develop original events for the community. Read more about our residency program at townhallseattle.org/residencies
Presented by Town Hall Seattle. Events are offered for informational, entertainment, and educational purposes only. Read Town Hall’s Program Content Policy at townhallseattle.org/policies
