DISCOGRAPHY \\ ARTIST EVOLUTION
But before Stephanie Sparrow there was: Elle Ectric
2017ISH
The Vancouver Sessions: FOLK ERA
An era of evolution; between Stephanie Sparrow and Elle Ectric
Before Stephanie Sparrow, there was a transitional era when Stephanie was moving away from the old identity of Elle Ectirc and into a sound that was more her.
To keep the momentum of creativity alive, Steph partnered with talented artist/songwriter/engineer Chloe Anne Lloyd on a creative project they called “Vancouver Sessions.”
The duo covered songs by Canadian artists at Vancouver landmarks around the city. They recorded a new session every month for one year; Chloe engineered the sessions and recorded, and Steph made the videos.
At the end of the year, both musicians had evolved into their new sounds, and Chloe helped Steph record “Light the Dark” at her home studio. It was a vibey dream.
2016ISH
Elle ectric Live gig Era: ROCK
Where were you during the age of Elle Ectric?
Elle Ectric was an era that spanned more than a decade, marked by constant evolution.
Let’s do this Star Wars style.
2016: The album has wrapped, and the full indie-electro band took form. Steph Graham (Elle Ectic) + Bob Graham, Clayton Giles, Robin Wilson, and Ben Hemera began promoting & playing around the city of Vancouver at iconic venues including the Roxy, Joe's Apartment, The Railway Club, The Red Room, and more.
This was a rad rock-and-roll era; Steph even had a space housecoat custom-made for her to wear on stage.
Friends and fans would come out and sing along at the top of their lungs to “Lucky Boy”. Rock on.
2014ISH
Elle ectric Studio Era: ROCK
Before the band, was the music.
Steph wrote + released the 9-song album titled “The Queen Of Mars” with themes of space, dynamic love, and the liveliness of being in your 20’s. Youth ain’t wasted on the young*
Through connections in the music industry, she pulled some strings to record at the iconic Armoury Studio.*
[*AC/DC/the cranberries/Bon Jovi/Goo Goo Dolls/Aerosmith]
With the band plus special guests, session drummer Timmy Boom Bap, and guest pianist Simon Kendall from Doug and the Slugs, they recorded the album over a few months with engineer Paul Dutil.
Some songs even got thrown down on tape. IYKYK
2012ISH
Collaborating WITH PRODUCERS: ELECTO
Before the rock album, Elle Ectric did electro collabs.
Word got around that Steph was writing topline, which led to collabs with Vancouver-based electronic music producers, including BMorales, Phonehome, Mully + Shvman.
Her most notable topline was Light Years, which yielded 5 remixes; Empty Bank Account Kids, and the fav, the unreleased DSMFL - (Dance, sweet music, feel love).
Elle Ectric loved electro music, but to her, writing needed to be more soulful, so the evolution continued.
2011ISH
BEDROOM POP ERA
Before the collabs, Elle Ectric found her sound
After working with producers in a studio writing to a sound that didn’t feel like hers, Elle Ectric was itching to create in her own way. So she bought a teleaster (and hand-studed it), a synth, downloaded GarageBand, and just vibed. This era was an honest and raw form of creation. No rules, just vibes.
It’s when a lot of the songs that ended up being on the 2015 Elle Ectric album [The Queen Of Mars] were first conceptualized.
2010ISH
UnReleased Album: Hip hop Reigncity
Before finding her sound, Elle Ectric dabbled in all genres, even Hip Hop.
Steph met the ReignCity group while she was in acting school. First, they invited her to act in their pilot, but once they discovered she also wrote music and sang, a new project was born.
Steph did act in the pilot, but she also wrote & performed topline over beats created by Hip Hop/Funk producer B Morales. The late-night studio sessions were such a good vibe. And Steph felt like her mission to find her sound was evolving in the right direction
2008ISH
UnReleased Album:POP
Before Hip Hop, Steph was writing about life.
Fresh out of high school, Steph wrote of her coming of age. She compiled these songs into a 5-song EP titled “Blank Slate”. The album signified a fresh start and a new chapter.
With some family encouragement, these songs were produced & recorded by Craig Zurba, who had recorded Steph's mom as a recording artist.
This was Steph’s first recorded original work.
2006ISH
UnReleased Album:Jazz standard
In the beginning, there was Jazz.
During high school, Steph took guitar lessons but instead ended up recording a Jazz EP with her teacher, who had pre-recorded some beautiful Jazz standards with a hollowbody guitar.
In his little home studio, she sang her heart out to the blues - being a teen is tough.
Steph wasn’t calling herself Elle Ectric yet; that name could come later, but it was her first taste of professional recording, and certainly not her last.
And as for Jazz, that’s where her heart lived. Since she was an 8-year-old singing Jazz standards for her grampa, who would give her a twoony for each one she learned, it’s a sound she’s now returning to two decades later, nearly to the day.
