The Danish countryside is home to green pastures, historical sites and one of Denmark's rising new artists: Ellen Bathaum, the singer-songwriter also known as ELBA. Despite only releasing her first song, "Antidote," in 2018 and her first full-length album, "Teardrops & Blind Spots," in 2023, she has already made quite a name for herself. Her newest single, "You Do You," is already garnering thousands of listens on Spotify.
But it's no surprise that the song is already finding success. ELBA is quickly becoming a favorite among Danish radio stations, with several of her singles being played all across the country. Furthermore, she's become a prominent live act in her home country, going on nationwide tours.
ELBA has even performed alongside artists like BROCKHAMPTON, The Cure and Janelle Monáe at the Roskilde Festival, one of the largest music festivals in Europe and the largest out of all the Nordic countries.
"You Do You" is peppy, with a distinct retro, almost disco style, infusing the instrumentals with a spunky, bright, electronic synthesizer sound, musically transporting listeners back to the 1980s.
The lyrics are much deeper than the song's pop-hit style would lead listeners to believe. The message is about self-love and marching to the beat of your own drum.
"The song is about acknowledging and embracing your very own unique human composition," the singer said in an interview. "About believing in your own abilities-especially when life seems tough and unfair, and above all, it's about daring to trust and listen to your own inner voice. Otherwise, you limit yourself, maybe even to other people's expectations, making the negative define your path. 'You Do You' is the result of my own experiences but also a universal story about standing up for who you truly are."
Despite its deceptive beat and lyricism, the song came out of a dark place, with her label's press release stating that the song is a "psychological journey" from a "young, stressed and melancholic mind."
This message can relate to listeners who have been on similar journeys since out of that darkness came a light, energetic song about loving oneself, which many people have to come to terms with at some point.
Even amid the darkness of the mindset that created it, the song remains confident and happy, proving to be a true pop song for the ages. ELBA is here to stay, leaving listeners excited for her next projects and her upcoming live performances across Denmark.
"You Do You" is now available on Spotify and across streaming platforms.
Listen to "You Do You" here.
