Sometimes, being blunt is the best method. “You’re oblivious/clueless/ frankly, kinda stupid / thinking I spending my time/home alone crying/wondering why /wishin’ you were still mine,” sings Elle Winter in the chorus of her new song, “Yeah, No.” As she delivers that knockout titular lyric, it’s clear that the last thing Elle will ever do is cry over a man. “Yeah, No” demonstrates Elle’s striking songwriter and even more captivating voice. It’s an incredible and catchy statement, and the video matches this cleverness, beat-for-beat. In the visual, released on the same day as her debut ep, Elle and her crew revel in their strength as they dance throughout an empty warehouse. Though it’s a stark setting, the camera never leads Elle or her dancers, emphasizing that this is all about them, a celebration of female power and joy.
“‘Yeah, No.’ is a song that is very special to me,” she tells HollywoodLife. “This song sends a message of empowerment, hopefully reminding people who listen that they are good on their own and don’t need anyone else to thrive. I found so much strength through creating the song and making the music video.”
“I want my new song and video to create a sense of solidarity among women who are able to find strength and confidence in themselves,” says the 20-year-old singer adds, in a press statement, “even as they are belittled by others who think they need them to thrive, when, in fact, ‘Yeah, No.’ they don’t.”
Elle discovered her own confidence and power at an early age. While growing up in New York City, she had her first big break at age 13 when Disney discovered her. She competed on their “Next Big Thing” talent competition alongside the likes of Chloe x Halle. From there, she began to build momentum, acting in films like The After Party and 3 Generations while still putting time and energy into her music career. She toured alongside In Real Life and Asher Angel, collaborated with THE JAM (who have worked with stars like Lady Gaga and Mariah Carey), and earned both Elvis Duran’s Artist of the Month and KIIS FM’s Next Up Artist in 2018. Oh, she also did all this while attending the University of Pennsylvania.
In 2019, her hard work paid off when she signed with RED MUSIC, a label venture of Sony Music. And today, she’s released her debut EP, Yeah, No. Based on her personal experiences, Yeah, No is Elle’s statement about how such a term — “Yeah, no” – can be the feminist rallying cry of this new decade. “It is really empowering for women to know they can be on their own and be okay,” she says in a statement. “For all the ex-boyfriends out there who think this love is still yours—yeah, it’s not.”
“I want people to know that they’re not alone in whatever they’re experiencing,” she adds, explaining what she wants to accomplish with this EP and her music. “They can relate and feel a sense of community—I’m with them. We can enjoy it together.”
Yeah, No is out now.