Ella Hooper delivers a bold, barroom banger in new single, I Got Eyes (On You). An upbeat, finger-wagging, foot-stomping anthem that swaps heartbreak for hard-won clarity. Released today, the single is packed with jumping zydeco squeezebox and an earworm chorus that lets Hooper rip into a classic ‘fool me twice’ tale. This track feels like beer spilling on pub floorboards while the band plays on. Landing like an Americana response to Robyn’s Dancing On My Own – but Hooper’s not crying in the corner, she’s walking out the door.
I Got Eyes (On You) follows last year’s Springsteen flavored coming of age track – Growing Up Is Hard To Do.
“I Got Eyes (On You) is the next step in sharing this new era. I’m pushing the boundaries of what Americana means to me.. including more of the diverse flavours I love like the Cajun and Zydeco elements here. From the crazy playing on it, to the production, to the cheeky lyrics – I’m really proud of it”
Written and recorded in Nashville with a who’s who of players, the track was born from a modern day music-industry meet-cute. After becoming obsessed with the work of East Nashville songwriter Melody Walker, co-writer of Sierra Ferrell’s Dollar Bill Bar and the Grammy Award-winning American Dreaming, Hooper slid into Walker’s DMs to heap praise on the songs she couldn’t stop spinning. A connection sparked and months later, Walker was assembling the backing band for Hooper’s Americanafest appearance (Americana’s answer to SXSW) and the pair found time for a co-write in Walker’s living room.
Following a long walk-and-talk around Radnor Lake where both women unpacked a helluva few years and wondered whether they (and maybe the world) were ready for a little cheek and levity, they set out to write something with grit, smarts and heart. The result: a relatable, no-BS “I’m done with you” anthem for anyone who’s chosen a swift exit over being the ‘pick me’ girl.
The studio band reads like a Nashville honour roll: Sheryl Crow’s drummer Fred Eltringham, Tom “Uncle Larry” Bukovac on guitar, Rachel Loy (Willie Nelson, Vince Gill) on bass, not to mention bringing Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor’s pedal steel player – the iconic Dan Dugmore – out of semi-retirement to feature on the track. The sound is loose, live and electric, capturing the joy of seasoned players in a room chasing the same spark. A notable Melbourne based addition is Flora Smith, squeeze box virtuoso and granddaughter in law of Australian music pioneers, Slim Dusty and Joy McKean. Stacked is an understatement.
“I’ve wanted to record in Nashville since I was a kid reading my parents’ record liner notes, seeing the city’s name pop up again and again,” says Hooper. “Seems like every great singer-songwriter from Dylan to CMAT has their Nashville record, and I felt ready for mine. Being there so much these last few years I feel plugged into a community — especially in East Nashville — that feels like a perfect chrysalis for my musical evolution.”
Accompanying the release is Hooper’s wildest, most joyfully unfiltered music video yet, a high-octane live-performance romp shot in her beloved North East Victoria, in and around the iconic North Eastern Hotel in Euroa. Directed by long-time photographic collaborator Laura May Grogan and shot by Indigo Tait-Atkin, the all-female crew captured the countrified patina of the late-1880s watering hole where Hooper genuinely plays and hangs out. It’s Hooper being fully, unapologetically herself – boots on boards, eyes wide open.
“I’ve been wanting to do a live performance clip for ages, as playing with my band is such a big part of what I do,” beams Hooper. “Laura and Indi encouraged me to bring my authentic energy and yes, my silliness to the fore. Working with a tight crew of young female creatives on something so bad ass was honestly pretty special. Everyone burned the midnight oil to get it done, including calling in favours from my country friends for catering and cameos. This a window into my actual reality. Just add dancing on top of cars, being a bar-wench and bringing the razzle dazzle to a 1880s Victorian era pub – which I definitely don’t do every weekend!”
Hooper’s origin story of exploding on to the scene with the band Killing Heidi is well documented. Scoring No. 1 albums, Rolling Stone covers, a stack of ARIA’s and pop culture phenom status as the millennium broke, she is a well loved and respected veteran of the Aus music scene.
Branching out into a solo career, Hooper has continued to surprise and dazzle with her dexterous musical flair, trading in everything from pop rock to synth folk, her evolving craft as a writer has been clocked and celebrated by critics. Her most recent solo album, 2023’s Small Town Temple, was nominated for the Australian Music Prize. The record shared deeply personal narratives over warm acoustic sounds and debuted at #1 on the Australian Country chart. Firmly in her country era and splitting her time between Nashville and Melbourne, Hooper’s sonic shapeshifting continues to transfix both on airwaves and in a live setting.
Hooper has captured the energetic rock chick energy she is known for and blended it with a whole lot of twang on this new single.
I Got Eyes (On You) is out today.
Hooper is also hitting the road with legendary Celtic country innovators, The Waterboys on their tour of Australia and New Zealand throughout May.
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