Interview: El Tee Reclaims Her Power on ‘I Still Sing About You’

Melbourne alt-folk songwriter El Tee returns with her most vulnerable work to date, unveiling her new single I Still Sing About You — a sweeping, emotionally rich preview of her upcoming EP Kind Safe Cool. Known for weaving strength and sensitivity into her music, El Tee dives deep into themes of memory, identity, and reclaiming power. In this new track, haunting melodies and atmospheric production elevate her introspective lyrics, offering listeners a raw yet empowering portrait of moving forward. We sat down with El Tee to talk about the years-long journey behind the song, the complexities of emotional growth, and the creative freedom that shaped her evolving sound.

Congrats on the release of the new single! How does it feel to have it out in the world?

Great, but also anti-climatic. I’ve been sitting on this song and the rest of the EP for years. I’m so glad for people to finally hear it and for me to let go and let it be everyone else’s to have and hold.

“I Still Sing About You” feels incredibly personal—was there a specific moment or memory that sparked the song, or did it evolve slowly over time?

The memory of someone you thought you knew, but turns out you didn’t. The memory of a feeling that at the time felt innately true and pure, but turns out it wasn’t. Also, screaming in my car.

You mentioned this track is your favourite on the EP and also took the longest to write—what made this one so tricky to pin down?

I think it’s because I left it for too long. It felt special, but the inception of the song and the magic that exists in the first hours or days of a song coming into existence faded. It just meant I had to work a bit harder to find it again. It’s also the final song on the EP that I wrote, and if you ask any musician they will most likely tell you their favorite song is the one they most recently wrote.

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There’s a line in the song that inspired the title Kind Safe Cool—can you tell us more about why that lyric stood out to you and how it reflects the wider themes of the EP?

I liked how those three words encapsulated how I felt in this relationship. And although it is speaking to how that other person made me feel and the regret that I allowed myself to be vulnerable with them, I realised that I could reclaim those feelings for myself. Sure, I hated that they made me feel great only to throw it all away. But, I also am objectively great — e.g. kind, safe, and cool — so it really has nothing to do with them. Period.

Your music has always walked the line between vulnerability and strength—how do you think your sound and songwriting have grown since your debut album Everything Is Fine?

I think vulnerability and strength are just two major themes in my life, whether they’re in conflict or working together. I’m sure those themes will always show up, as they have on my debut and this EP. My debut record were some of the first songs I’d ever written, so it would make sense that the second body of work would involve more choice and intention. On this EP, I wanted to lean a bit more pop, although by the time I finished recording it I was off the pop-train. It is at least fun to be able to follow my artistic intentions whichever way they’re heading.

The production on “I Still Sing About You” is gorgeously layered and emotional. What was the recording process like, and did you try anything new this time around?

This time my friend and creative partner, Andrew McEwan (who engineered, mixed and co-produced my debut record) and I made most of it on our own. We made the production choices, played a lot of instruments, and then invited other musicians in to play on the songs. It made me more in tune (no pun intended) with how making music and art is just a series of choices — whether that’s choosing the tone of the guitar or where to put melodic lead lines — and there’s no “right” or “wrong” choice. I had a lot of fun collaborating with Andy on some of the production: they would bring in a guitar part or idea and I might make a suggestion, hum a variation of the melody, or say something like “more distortion!”. There were also times where I would demo an idea, bring it to Andy, and they’d be like “perfect, let’s use that exact take.” The process of making this EP was both fun and empowering.

If Kind Safe Cool had a moodboard—colours, places, or images that inspired it—what would be on it?

Flowers, specifically lisianthus. The edge of an abyss. Driving on St. George’s Road, Northcote. Really vibrant colours, but muted. Graves. 2 am in the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheater. A stack of unread books on your bedside table. Crying and singing at the same time. Natural light. Long haul flights. Masking around others. Screaming. The sun on your face as it sets behind the trees.