Many recognise Ella Hooper as the punk-rock poster girl from muchloved Aussie band Killing Heidi.<\/p>\n
Performing live shows since the tender age of 13, there\u2019s no denying Ella is one of the country\u2019s late 90s\/early noughties crystal gems.<\/p>\n
But when the band broke up in 2006, not many fans, including Ella herself, thought Killing Heidi would reform.<\/p>\n
Luckily for her followers, both old and new, Ella\u2019s continued to make music as a solo artist since the split. Playing a set with her band at Geelong\u2019s Furphy Hall earlier this year, Ella will return to the city next month as part of the Spiegeltent at Johnstone Park.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve got a strong foundation in Geelong, and I\u2019m really excited to get back there,\u201d says Ella.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Furphy Hall, the audience wouldn\u2019t let us leave. It\u2019s (live shows) a bit different every time, the magic of it\u2026 you never know what to expect.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Ella\u2019s Spiegeltent performance won\u2019t include songs from Killing Heidi, in an unexpected turn, the busy 36-yearold is back fronting the band alongside her brother, Jesse Hooper, nearly two decades since the release of Weir, as they tour the country with Baby Animals.<\/p>\n
For Ella Hooper, performing shows as a solo artist is an entirely different experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s much more intimate, a bit more personal, and a lot more me. People get a sense of who I am in storytelling and oversharing, and apparently that\u2019s pretty entertaining,\u201d she laughs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve tried my hand at everything \u2013 pop, rock, alt-rock under my solo umbrella, and I\u2019m growing every year as a solo artist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ella says although Killing Heidi was asked to return to the stage for years after the Hoopers called it quits, it wasn\u2019t until an offer rolled in from Queenscliff Musical Festival in 2016 that the siblings decided to take the stage together again.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lot to get the wheel turning after 10 years. You have to be pretty committed,\u201d she recalls of Killing Heidi\u2019s \u201816 QMF performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I was just hanging out with Jesse more and more again and we were talking about music\u2026 an offer came through from QMF, which is such a gorgeous, amazing, well-respected and brilliant festival, and we thought, \u2018this could be amazing\u2019 so we tried it and the tent was packed. The gig was incredible.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never thought I\u2019d do it again. It\u2019s funny, though, time passes, and you slowly feel different about the music and the songs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ella showcased her latest release Data Dust at this year\u2019s Eurovision in Tel Aviv, Israel. She says the performance was unlike anything she\u2019s ever done.<\/p>\n
Data Dust, as well as a string of new songs, will form Ella\u2019s set at the Spiegeltent on June 16. Tickets are $38 per person. To get yours, visit spiegeltentgeelong.com\/what-s-on\/ ella-hooper.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Many recognise Ella Hooper as the punk-rock poster girl from muchloved Aussie band Killing Heidi. Performing live shows since the tender age of 13, there\u2019s no denying Ella is one of the country\u2019s late 90s\/early noughties crystal gems. But when the band broke up in 2006, not many fans, including Ella herself, thought Killing Heidi […]<\/p>\n