X Urban Music Magazine Preview issue Vol 1 | Page 17

F or some, living a dream is a privilege, a blessing if you will. For others, it’s more of a calling. There’s no doubt that Elle Varner’s creative journey should be filed in the latter category, but even as her destiny unfolds before her, she can barely believe her eyes. Her childhood was steeped in hooks and verses, melodies and choruses. Whether she was flipping through her mother’s Motown collection, singing along to Burt Bacharach classics or accompanying her songwriter parents to their recording sessions, music was an ever-present force. It’s the only life she knew. “Growing up in the studio was absolutely normal for me, but looking back, I realize that it’s not a very common environment for a kid,” Elle remarked. “At an early age I absorbed so much about music and learned how to create a song from beginning to end. My dad always asked for my opinion on what he was working on, and I remember my mom would ask, ‘What word should I add here?’ They really empowered me.” With the release of her debut album, “Perfectly Imperfect” (MBK Entertainment/RCA Records), which she wrote and co-produced, it’s evident that her early experiences have served her well. Crafting the album also proved to be a full-circle moment for the 23-year-old singer/songwriter as she enlisted the help of her parents, Jimmy Varner and Mikelyn Roderick, who both contributed their production and vocal arrangement talents and pushed Elle toward, and beyond, the bounds of her creativity. When asked to describe her feelings about the finished product, Elle took a moment to ponder the question. “I can honestly say that I’m in love with every song on this album,” she says confidently. Born in Los Angeles proper and raised throughout southern California’s city limits, Elle, now a resident of Brooklyn, recalls the first time she really heard her own voice: she was nine years old and singing in her church’s youth choir. That was the spark that ignited her drive to pursue the arts. Soon after, she had a short-lived moment with the flute, fol- “ lowed by formal piano lessons. “I wasn’t very disciplined about practicing when I was younger, which I think was a blessing in disguise,” notes Elle, who eventually taught herself to play the guitar and now plays “drums, guitar, a little bass, a little piano and flute.” Elle, pondering on her practicing, remarked, “Sometimes, when you know too much about an instrument, you ca ??]??[?] ?]?\?][??[?YH??Y\????HH[???\?X??[??]\?X?[[?\??[?[???'H?\??\??&\?X?]?[??K8?'?H?[??H?]?H]?[?x?'H?\??[X\?Y?]Y?\? ? ? LK?H????X??\??\?\?HXY?[??H???H\?X?]?Y[?[?[H8?'\??X?H[\\??X?8?'H ? L?K?X]\?\?[Y\?X?[??\\?????K?H???XZ?Y]??HT??[??\?????\??????\? ?[????\? ? LK?H?\?\?Y\??H?P???P??8?&\?8?& MH\?\????]?8?&H[??\??H?H\?\???X]\?Y[??U8?&\?]\?X?X]\???[\ZY??[H?\??\??&\?X?][?[K8?'\??X?H[\\??X?8?'K?\??[X\?Y?]Y?\? ? ? L?X?][??]?[X?\???\??HK???[??\? ? ?\? ?]?\?? ]?YZ??[\?? ?? ??Y\?[?H[?]Y?]\?][??X?]Y]?[X?\????H?[??\??????\ R?[?[\???x?&]?H?Y[??\??Y?]H?[Y[??\??Y??]\?X?[?]8?&\?^H?\???X?[]H??\?H]?]H?? ????[?Z[???Z?H\?X?H??[?\??Y?H\??H??YH??[??H??T?ZX?[H?[XK[?]Y?\?X[XK[[???\??[??[H?\??\??Y\???[Z]?\????X?[]Y\?8?'H[??]?\?H?\??X[\???Z[???[[?\?[?[???Z[??[?H??H]??Y\??]] ?]]\??[?[?^HY?KH???Z?HH???^H?[YK]\?\??]x?&[H?\??Y??H?[??8?'H?H?^\?8?'x?&]?H?Y[??\??Y?]H?[Y[??\??Y??]\?X?[?]8?&\?^H?\???X?[]H??\?H]?]H?? ?H?YH?Y?[???[?H?]\?K??'HSSH?]?Y]?\??YH M??