by abby crabill
Ellington is a Los Angeles native, with plenty of experience in the music scene. Some fans may recognize him from his time as the drummer of the pop-rock group R5, or from his time touring with alternative band The Driver Era. Ellington has also played several festivals, such as Riptide, Made In America, and Summer Sonic. Ellington's solo career began to kick off after releasing remixes for The Driver Era and Glass Animals.
Ellington's solo release, “Sun To Rise,” is a rock genre leaning tune that resembles the music from his time in The Driver Era. The guitar keeps the audience bobbing their head as they jam along with Ellington. The rock sound also resembles those created by Harry Styles for his self-titled album.
“Sun To Rise” is so much more than the music it's set to. A closer listen to the lyrics reminds listeners of a message that is all too important, especially during this pandemic. The repetition of the message, "But I keep waiting for that sun to rise," reinforces the sense of positivity while waiting for things to improve, no matter how difficult they may be. Overall, this is a rock tune with an easy sound to get lost in, with feel good lyrics that help remind the listener to keep looking for the positive of the future. No matter what we're going through as individuals, or a society, the sun will rise.