Hayley Ellison is lost in love on “The Pillow Song”

Philly-based singer-songwriter Hayley Ellison caught our attention last year with I’ll Wait Till I Learn, a home-recorded collection we described at the time as “introspective, intimate songs about living in your 20s amid the confusion of 2020.”

While that collection was very off-the cuff, with most songs recorded in one take as Ellison accompanied herself on either guitar or ukulele, the new single “The Pillow Song” is a somewhat more built-up offering with smart instrumental arrangements and a studio sheen. Ellison sings, accompanied by Jack Faracchio accompanies on keys, guitar, and bass with Tristan Duff on drums; the result is a mellow and mildly jazzy pop sway in the vein of Billie Eilish’s more low-key moments (think “my future” and “Your Power”).

The track is about losing yourself in love, according to a press release, and Ellison’s lyrics describe those moments of wanting to shut out the noise of the world and wrap yourself in the warmth of your feelings: “I’m not losing sleep, I’m choosing not to participate, I am alone with me.”

The songs was recorded at Tralfamadore in South Philly by Mattie Klauser, mastered by Ryan Schwabe, and released via Good How Are You Records; take a listen below, and find more at Ellison’s Bandcamp.