Ollella: Tiny Desk Concert

"Before I started working on the Tiny Desk Contest, I had already seen and fallen in love with Ollella. Back in her hometown, Seattle, I'd witnessed Ellie Barber's nostalgic indie folk fill a space with simply a cello and an upright bass. Barber often describes Ollella as more than a band but a "collaborative project across the city" this iteration behind the Desk is a snapshot of a years-long project."

"Barber's music is often playful, occasionally a little sad and always guided by strings. Ollella's set celebrates years of submitting to the Contest with "Lava," a song that explores where our childlike wonder goes as we get older. "At Rest" is a contemplation on stillness, which is punctuated by a sweeping solo from upright bassist Kelsey Mines. As Barber and her band played songs that we'd heard countless times during the Contest, it felt like a full circle moment we couldn't help but sing along."

Ellie Barber leads Ollella, a collaborative Seattle-based project built around cello, violin, and upright bass with complementary piano, guitar, and drums. The performance centers on nostalgic indie-folk songs that balance playfulness and quiet melancholy, always guided by strings. The set includes "Mothers & Colors," "Lava," "Optimist," and "At Rest," with "Lava" reflecting on the loss of childlike wonder and "At Rest" featuring a sweeping upright-bass solo. The concert marks a milestone after years of Contest submissions and evokes a full-circle moment as familiar songs invite sing-alongs.

Read at www.npr.org