Goat Girl

Name, where are you from?
Ellie Edna Rose-Davies. I was born in Whitechapel but moved south when I was nine. I went to school in New Cross, and growing up, spent my time split between my mum’s in Deptford and my dad’s in Whitechapel.

Describe your style in three words?
Practical, sporty, confused.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Too tough to pick one! Willy Mason at Latitude was very special. Me and my friend sat there crying because it was so beautiful. Also, Pharcyde at Koko when I was about 17. That was a fun night.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands or artists in history?
Alice Phoebe Lou - she's just a gem of a songwriter. So soulful, honest and refreshing. SAULT - Masterpiece.

Which Subcultures have influenced you?
I'm strongly influenced by my parents. They aren't very traditional, which has rubbed off on me. They both used to DJ and play music all the time when I was growing up - everything from folky stuff like Woodbine to '90s hip-hop, Sly and the Family Stone, John Martyn, Schneider TM, Young Marble Giants, Nirvana and Kelis - a real mix. When I was younger my mum had super short hair and rode a motorbike, which used to embarrass me, but now I embrace her courage to be different. There was a pivotal point when I was around 12 where I expanded my music taste beyond pop music like Destiny's Child and Mariah Carey, discovering bands like Nirvana, The Breeders and The Strokes. Punk, rock, as well as hip-hop and jazz have themes of liberation and anti-establishment in their core which attract me. Through growing up in a city, the organic and emotive side of folk music appeals to me - it feels like a break from the heavy concrete surroundings. But then again, I love the industrial sounds of electronic and hip-hop. Recently I've got into the crossover between ambient/electronic/gothy. So to answer your question, I tend to cherry-pick from loads of different subcultures because I really can’t pen myself into just one. My identity is quite strongly influenced by my music taste, which is forever changing and evolving, influencing the way I dress.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Siddhattha Gotama. I don't know loads about him, but I respect lots of elements of Buddhism so we might get on, or at least have an interesting chat.

Of all the venues you’ve been to, which is your favourite?
The Brixton Windmill. It's Goat Girl's musical home and has allowed my band, as well as myself as an individual, to find acceptance and blossom creatively. We even recorded our song 'Scream' there.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Woodbine - because their music is so blissfully melancholic, and way ahead of its time production-wise. They were signed to Domino for two records, then I don't know where they went. It’s a mystery.