MCAB FALL CONCERT: Elle Varner

‘Elle Varner is one of the most successful artists to debut in recent years. A graduate of New York University’s Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music, Elle believes that being smart is sexy, being educated is powerful, and she tells her story through her art. 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, followed 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. Sometimes, when you know too much about an instrument, you can get lost in that. Everything from me comes from the most basic point of musical understanding.’
As she prepares to take her place on center stage, Elle Varner sees no limit to her possibilities. ‘I think every girl dreams of being famous and enjoying all of the hoopla that comes with it, but at this point in my life, I know like I know my name that this is what I’m supposed to be doing,’ she says. ‘I’ve been blessed with the tremendous gift of music and it’s my responsibility to share it with the world. I see big things in the future.’