Future English singer-songwriter Ella Henderson gained national attention in 2012 after competing in the last six of the ninth season of the British reality television music competition “The X Factor.” Despite being expected to win the singing contest, she came in sixth. Nevertheless, Ella’s talent convinced Simon Cowell of “Syco Music” to offer her a recording contract. She was born in Lincolnshire and showed a love of music very early in childhood, becoming a proficient pianist at the age of ten. She entered “The X Factor” by performing the song she wrote, “Missed,” which got her into the competition. She eventually advanced to later stages of the competition, becoming as the clear favorite to win the show, but James Arthur, another contestant, beat her to the finish line. She was able to land substantial recording deals despite her abrupt and shocking exit from the reality competition being regarded as one of the greatest one-sided upsets in “The X Factor” show’s history. Her debut record song, “Ghost,” peaked at number one on the “UK Singles Chart.” She strengthened her hold on the music business in the UK and around the world by releasing singles, songs, and albums that went on to become top-charting records.
Early Childhood and Life
On January 12, 1996, Ella Henderson was born in Tetney, a village in the East Lindsey area of Lincolnshire.
Her Scottish-born father, Sean Henderson, began his career as a car salesman before making a fortune in Dubai as a real estate developer. Michelle Henderson, her mother, is of Swedish ancestry. Brothers Fraser and Patrick, as well as younger sister Holly, make up Ella’s family of three.
She had a remarkable ear for music as a toddler and began singing at the age of three. Before she turned ten, she also taught herself how to play the piano well.
Ella started organizing gatherings for her loved ones, especially around Christmas and the winter solstice. She got along well with her grandfather Bill and developed a strong emotional connection with him. Bill’s support and encouragement were crucial in assisting Ella in honing her singing and songwriting abilities.
When she began attending St. Martin’s Preparatory School in Grimsby, her primary school, her passion for the performing arts gained a further boost. In 2007, she applied for a scholarship to Hertfordshire’s “Tring Park School for the Performing Arts” after completing her primary education.
She was able to secure a grant to enroll as a boarder at the prestigious “Tring Park School for the Performing Arts,” where she stayed until she was sixteen.
Career of Ella Henderson
Ella Henderson sang a cover of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is you” in 2012 as a guest performer on “Come Dance with Me,” a celebrity Christmas special on “Channel 4.” As her GCSE exams drew near, she made the decision to try her luck in the ninth episode of “The X Factor.”
She showed up at the audition location for season nine of “The X Factor,” where Tulisa, one of the judges, assisted her. At the live performance, she sang an original song she had written called “Missed” in honor of her late grandfather. The song was later included on her debut studio album.
Ella and James Arthur, two competitors who eventually made it to the final rounds but struggled in the beginning, came in last place in the seventh episode. Nevertheless, both of the aspiring vocalists, who were serious candidates for the title, advanced to the quarterfinals with the judges’ strong support.
At the decisive round, Ella and James both had equal chances of moving on to the quarterfinals. Ella was eliminated while James, who received 13.7% of the vote, advanced. Ella received 12.1% of the vote. Ella was the only female to compete until she was eliminated.
The unexpected elimination of Ella Henderson was viewed as a major upset. O’Leary, one of the judges on “The Xtra Factor’s” panel, deemed Ella the most talented of all contestants he had reviewed for the entire period he was with the show. A number of eminent singers and celebrities, including Cher, Nick Grimshaw, Lily Allen, Sarah Millican, and Simon Cowell, extended support to Ella not only while the show was on but also after her elimination. Ella sang the song “Silent Night” on “The Saturday Night Show” in December 2012 after being eliminated from “The X Factor.”
When she was being questioned outside of the “Saturday Night Show” in 2012, she revealed that she had made a deal with Sony Music Entertainment for a studio album.
She announced in January 2013 that Syco Music, a recording label owned by Simon Cowell, has hired her.
Ella sang several songs on The X Factor concert tour in 2013, including “You Got the Love,” “Missed,” “Rule the World,” and “Believe.” She performed “Believe” again in the 18th National Television Awards in January of the same year.
Ella performed various mashups and original songs live and on TV in 2013, and then she released them as videos to YouTube. Noteworthy among the original songs were “The First Time,” “Evaporate,” “Five Tattoos,” and “Waiting,” while among the mashups were “Love Me Again” (by John Newman) and “We’re Going Home” by rapper Audrey Graham.
In March 2014, Ella announced the title of her debut studio album: “Chapter One.” She collaborated with many musicians and producers, including Babyface, Salaam Remi, and Claude Kelly, to write the lyrics for the album’s songs.
She announced that “Ghost,” which she co-wrote with Ryan Tedder, will be her debut single in the same month. The song was commercially released on June 14, 2014, and the music video for Ghost was filmed in New Orleans. ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ in May 2014 was the performance that came before the single’s release.
Ghost quickly rose to the top of the UK Singles Chart following its release. The second song by Ella, “Glow,” which she co-wrote with Camille Purcell, was released for purchase on October 5, 2014. Her studio album, “Chapter One,” came out just 9 days later.
The next singles by Ella, “Yours” and “Mirror Man,” which she co-wrote with Josh Record and Al Shux, were made available in November 2014 and March 2015, respectively. In October 2015, she started her first nationwide tour, and around that time, she also served as the opening act for the British pop group “Take That.”
In the latter half of 2016, she announced on her Instagram profile that she has finished writing and recording another studio album. She worked with producer Max Martin and Danny O’Donoghue of “The Script” to write, record, and produce her second album.
Ella Henderson revealed that James Arthur, the ninth-season “X Factor” winner, will use her as a warm-up act when he started his “Back from the Edge” stadium tour in 2017. Along with other X Factor hopefuls, she covered Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge over Troubled Water” in June 2017.
Bridge over Troubled Water was covered in order to raise money for people who suffered damages as a result of the Grenfall Tower fire that broke out in London in June 2017. Soon after its release, the single shot to the top of the “UK Singles Chart.”
In the second half of 2017, Ella revealed that she had recorded a duet with James Arthur, an X Factor finalist. The song will be included on her second studio album. During Arthur’s musical tour, she performed a number of brand-new songs that would appear on her upcoming album.
Recognition & Achievements
In Ella Henderson’s professional career thus far, she has received numerous nominations and accolades. She was nominated for nine different prizes in all, and she was successful in winning three of them.
Some of the noteworthy nominations include “The BRIT Awards” (once each for “Best British Single” and “Best Female Solo Artist”), “The Attitude Awards” (for “Best Breakthrough Artist”), and “The BBC Music Awards” (for song of the year: “Ghost”).
She received the “UK Music Artist Award” given by “Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year,” the “Attitude Awards” for “Best Breakthrough Artist,” and the “Digital Spy Awards” for “Single of the Year.” 2014 saw her win each of the aforementioned three prizes.
Individual Life of Ella Henderson
Ella has always had a professional bent of mind. She was born and raised in the charming and relaxed English village of Tetney. She began dating Matt Harvey, an engineer from her hometown of Grimsby, but they broke up so that she could concentrate on her work.
Her father Sean Henderson was accused of embezzlement, theft, and money laundering in June 2015.
The song “Ghost,” which Ella co-wrote with Ryan Tedder of “One Republic,” took just 10 minutes to complete.
Her favorite Disney film is “The Little Mermaid,” and she wants to spend her free time with her family and close friends.
She draws inspiration from Beyonce Knowles, Sam Smith, and the band “London Grammar.”