Lindsay Ell Launches New Movement Inspired By Personal New Revelatory Song ‘Make You’

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Lindsay Ell. Photo: Jeremy Cowart

Lindsay Ell is exploring some deeply personal experiences and opening up like never before on her new song “make you,” which is out now digitally and appears on her forthcoming sophomore album heart theory, set for release Aug. 14. Ell is releasing “make you” on Global Forgiveness Day, further amplifying her belief that all types of forgiveness – including self-forgiveness – is vital to healing.

Co-written by Ell and Brandy Clark, “make you” is the first time Ell publicly addresses being a survivor of sexual violence. The song finds Ell intimately exploring the effects on her life after being raped at 13, and a second time at 21. Her new project addresses the seven stages of grief and reflects Ell’s determination to use her platform to help other sexual trauma survivors.

“Three years ago at a visit to help launch the music program at Youth For Tomorrow, I sat down in a conference room with a few girls aged 12-18 who had all been victims of rape or sex trafficking,” recalls Ell of the point she knew she she couldn’t keep her own experience hidden any longer. “I shared my story, they shared their stories, and I was so inspired. Walking out of that room that day I knew the time had come to share my story more widely, otherwise I would be denying myself an opportunity to connect and help other girls or boys, like those in that room. It’s a very difficult thing to do, but an incredibly necessary thing to talk about. We don’t realize how much this stuff is happening in our own community, and that is partly due to not discussing it.”

In conjunction with the release of “make you,” Ell has launched the Make You Movement, a charitable fund whose mission is to help organizations that support at-risk youth, domestic abuse and sexual assault survivors by provided funds on an as-needed basis. Ell has committed to donate all her proceeds from “make you” to the Make You Movement. The first partner organization receiving funds from Make You Movement will be The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, which is the United States’ largest anti-sexual violence organization.

heart theory track listing: a journey through the seven stages of grief

shock
1. “Hits me” (Lindsay Ell, Tyler Hubbard, Corey Crowder)
denial
2. “how good” (Lindsay Ell, Brandy Clark)
3. “i don’t lovE you” (Adam Hambrick, Melissa Fuller, Neil Medley)
anger
4. “wAnt me back” (Lindsay Ell, Kane Brown, Matt McGinn, Lindsay Rimes)
5. “get oveR you” (Lindsay Ell, Gordie Sampson, Kelly Archer)
6. “wrong girl” (Lindsay Ell, Steph Jones, Matt McGinn, Luke Niccoli)
bargaining
7. “body language of a breakup” (Lindsay Ell, Laura Veltz, Sam Ellis)
depression
8. “good on you” (Lindsay Ell, Sam Ellis, Micah Premnath)
testing
9. “The oTHEr side” (Lindsay Ell, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt McGinn)
10. “gO to” (Lindsay Ell, Nicolle Gaylon, Jordan Reynolds)
acceptance
11. “make you” (Lindsay Ell, Brandy Clark)
12. “ReadY to love” (Lindsay Ell, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt McGinn, Joey Hyde)
Lorie Hollabaugh
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