Elle E’s debut Afrikaans project Skree en Huil is a reflective, coming-of-age EP that explores growing up in a conservative small-town. With a nostalgic look back on her youth, Elle E is finally speaking her truth.
“This project is about the things I was previously sheltered from due to growing up on a farm. Things I was too scared to have an opinion on as a kid—like homosexuality, teenage angst, substance abuse, small-town gossip,” she tells me.
But in addition to these frank musings on enlightenment, the five-track EP also introduces Elle E as a bilingual songwriting talent.
The project began as a dare from her partner, who doesn’t speak Afrikaans and encouraged her to try writing in the language. “I started working on one track and it eventually grew into this whole body of work. It clearly opened up something in me from my childhood—it’s one of the most exciting things I’ve done with my music so far,” she says. The result is bold and edgy, and we love it.
The EP opens with “Probleem Kind”—a classic rock track tackling addiction and the manipulative behaviours that feed it.
Elle’s signature sound always shines through, but tracks like “Skewe Monster” have softer tinges of indie-acoustic, like something off of Sharon Van Etten’s Remind Me Tomorrow. Confronting sexuality and the pressure to conform through religion and discipline, Elle E isn’t afraid of asking big questions.
Title track “Skree en Huil” is a powerful anthem of feminine rage, blending the intensity of Fiona Apple with the fuzzy energy of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The song feels like the embodiment of being trapped, silenced, desperately wanting to escape, a scream for freedom when words fail.
Growing up in a conservative space can be daunting, especially as you begin to form your own identity. “Mag Nie Kla Nie” reflects this struggle, portraying the rigid expectations of living in a “wholesome and holy place” where opposing thoughts are suppressed. The track channels a moody, Nirvana-esque sound, tapping into Elle’s childhood influences like Sonic Youth and The Breeders.
“I was really going back to my roots with this EP,” says Elle. “I love fuzzy guitars, thick bass lines and a strong drumbeat—that’s what I aimed to achieve.”
Staying true to her DIY approach, Elle wrote, produced and recorded everything in her home studio. For mixing, she enlisted Jethro Harris.
“There is something magical about expressing oneself in your home language, the language that shaped you—especially when it’s Afrikaans, with its sayings and its quirks,” says Elle. “I think that’s why I went back in time and wrote about my childhood. It felt right to do the artwork and videos on the farm where it all started,” she continues.
In many ways, Skree en Huil is nostalgic for anyone who was able to escape a conservative community, while its almost satirical view of small-town ideologies adds an unexpected depth. Still, Elle E looks fondly at her past, not with anger but understanding, and perhaps even an appreciation for how it shaped her.
