Gabriella Ellis, known as Gabby to her friends, first appeared on our screens as the clingy, singy girlfriend of fellow Made In Chelsea cast member, Ollie Locke. After being brutally dumped on screen, as Ollie had decided he was now also attracted to men, Gabriella’s on screen character been both woeful and vengeful – all with immaculate hair and make-up and a selection of Berkin bags, of course. After four long series, Gabriella has finally decided to leave the show to pursue her music career full time and we are now seeing her in a whole new light. A serious musician and songwriter, who is actually very different from what her ‘structured reality TV show’ character, suggests. Here we unravel the real Gabby Ellis. We delve into her musical tastes, her love life and life after reality TV.
Do you find people don’t take you seriously as a musician, because you’ve been in a reality show?
Yes. I think people look at reality shows as an entirely different brand. They think that you’re trying to make it as a singer, because you’ve been on a reality show, whereas for me it was kind of the other way around.
The reason I went on the show was to promote my music. I thought that I would be able to showcase my music to people. It didn’t really work that way and they focused more on our relationships and all of that part, which pushed my music right to the side. Now, I’m bringing it back to the forefront.
Another one of your cast members, Caggie, left the show to pursue her music career. Why did you stay, given that you wanted to promote your music via the show, but wasn’t able to?
I had decided to stay on the show, because I thought some exposure is better than no exposure. I had a really bad time before, with lots of different managers and trying to get into the industry. I was kind of nearly there, but things would always get ruined for me. I thought at least with the show, I would get some exposure for people to know my name and I was kind of hoping that the show would focus more on my music if I were to carry on with it.
Now that you have decided to focus more on your music are you planning on leaving?
I will be leaving the show. I have decided to leave this series. I have decided to leave purely because it’s time for me to focus on my music now. I have a lot more opportunities opening up and I think my time with Made in Chelsea is finished.
Incidentally, where is Caggie and what is she up to?
I’m not actually sure what is happening with Caggie to be honest. We move in very different circles. Her voice is quite folky and quite floaty, whereas I have quite a powerful voice, so I don’t actually know what she is doing. I know she’s going out with someone from a band…
Ooh… which band?
I can’t actually remember the name… is that really bad? (Laughs). Lawson! Caggie is going out with the lead singer of Lawson.
Your first single ‘Hit The Road Jack’ actually went to number one in Greece, however it was never released over here, why is that?
Hit the Road Jack was literally made in 15mins. My friend wanted to make a remix and I was like, ‘Yeah, sure. If you want…’ So we did it and then my friend said, ‘I’m just going to send this to a few of my radio friends…’ and I was like, ‘yeah, sure. If you want…’ and the next thing I know… almost the next day, it was charting. It was the most amazing feeling.
I definitely want Hit the Road Jack to be released over here, because I think it would do really well. We are just trying to get it cleared by the right publishers and stuff… hopefully, we’ll see what happens.
You must be ever more loaded than you were before, with a number one single?
(Laughs) I was never loaded in the first place. I’m not joking when I say that. They [the Made in Chelsea producers] try to make you look a certain way on the show, but out of everyone on the show I am the least bit posh, or rich. I went to a state school. I was brought up with a lot less money than some of the other people in the cast. I came into the show because of my ex boyfriend, Ollie. I moved into Chelsea and made my own money and did my own stuff… I’m completely different from the rest of the cast.
We will be testing you later so…
Oh no! (Laughs)
You mentioned Ollie, who you must be so tired of speaking about… are you fed up of speaking about him?
I don’t mind, shall I tell you why? …Ollie and I are best mates. (Gabriella detects that we are sceptical)
I’m not joking, seriously… (Laughs) He has actually become my best mate now. We speak all the time on the phone and we help each other out quite a lot. I’m cool with him.
He did do some very nasty things to you though…
To be honest, we did some very nasty things to each other. You saw a lot of what he did on the show, whereas what I did wasn’t shown and it was probably equal.
He was really upset about the fact that his new girlfriend and I became friends, but I didn’t do anything out of spite. There were just a lot of feelings. You know when they say,’ when you hate someone, you love someone’ it was very much like that and I think it took a good year before both of us could completely get over each other.
(This interview was conducted the day the episode where Gabby and Ollie song each others faces off in Amsterdam, was aired)
So we’ve talked about Ollie, what about Jamie?
Jamie… Jamie, Jamie, Jamie… (Laughs and blushes). Well, I’d say that Jamie was a little bit of a mistake. Erm… that was a bit accidental. We basically just tripped and fell – that’s how that happened!
Are you also still ‘mates’?
Jamie and I are still friends I wouldn’t say we are in the same groups very much… obviously, because of the show we are always together – all of us – so we have a good laugh together.
Is it possible you and Jamie could trip and fall again?
Definitely no tripping and falling ever again with Jamie.
Would you ever go off and date a rapper like Millie?
I would date a rapper, yes. Why not?
It’s the in thing now, KimYe and…
KimYe! (Laughs) What are we going to call Mille and Professor Green? It would have to be Mill… MillGreen. There you go, copyrighted.
Hmmm… Which rapper could I date though?
Well, which one do you fancy?
I used to fancy Example… I used to work with him. I used to work for Professor Green and Example.
Didn’t you used to write for them also?
I wrote for Professor Green and couple of times. I did backing tracks for both of them. That was awesome. I’m so proud that they are where they are now. I remember us all sitting in a tiny studio, with the loo that had been converted into a mic box… Good times.
I have to say, that doesn’t sound very SW3…
See, because I’m not!
What kind of music don’t you like and what songs do you hate?
Gabriella Ellis, Known as Gabby to her friends, first appeared on our screens as the clingy, singy girlfriend of fellow Made In Chelsea cast member, Ollie Locke. After being brutally dumped on screen, as Ollie had decided he was now also attracted to men, Gabriella’s on screen character been both woeful and vengeful – all with immaculate hair and make-up and a selection of Berkin bags, of course. After four long series, Gabriella has finally decided to leave the show to pursue her music career full time and we are now seeing her in a whole new light. A serious musician and songwriter, who is actually very different from what her ‘structured reality TV show’ character, suggests. Here we unravel the real Gabby Ellis. We delve into her musical tastes, her love life and we quiz her on whether she is in fact, Posh or Not.
Do you find people don’t take you seriously as a musician, because you’ve been in a reality show?
Yes. I think people look at reality shows as an entirely different brand. They think that you’re trying to make it as a singer, because you’ve been on a reality show, whereas for me it was kind of the other way around.
The reason I went on the show was to promote my music. I thought that I would be able to showcase my music to people. It didn’t really work that way and they focused more on our relationships and all of that part, which pushed my music right to the side. Now, I’m bringing it back to the forefront.
Another one of your cast members, Caggie, left the show to pursue her music career. Why did you stay, given that you wanted to promote your music via the show, but wasn’t able to?
I had decided to stay on the show, because I thought some exposure is better than no exposure. I had a really bad time before, with lots of different managers and trying to get into the industry. I was kind of nearly there, but things would always get ruined for me. I thought at least with the show, I would get some exposure for people to know my name and I was kind of hoping that the show would focus more on my music if I were to carry on with it.
Now that you have decided to focus more on your music are you planning on leaving?
I will be leaving the show. I have decided to leave this series. I have decided to leave purely because it’s time for me to focus on my music now. I have a lot more opportunities opening up and I think my time with Made in Chelsea is finished.
Incidentally, where is Caggie and what is she up to?
I’m not actually sure what is happening with Caggie to be honest. We move in very different circles. Her voice is quite folky and quite floaty, whereas I have quite a powerful voice, so I don’t actually know what she is doing. I know she’s going out with someone from a band…
Ooh… which band?
I can’t actually remember the name… is that really bad? (Laughs) Lawson! Caggie is going out with the lead singer of Lawson.
Your first single Hit The Road Jack actually went to number one in Greece, however it was never released over here, why is that?
Hit the Road Jack was literally made in 15mins. My friend wanted to make a remix and I was like, ‘Yeah, sure. If you want…’ So we did it and then my friend said, ‘I’m just going to send this to a few of my radio friends…’ and I was like, ‘yeah, sure. If you want…’ and the next thing I know… almost the next day, it was charting. It was the most amazing feeling.
I definitely want Hit the Road Jack to be released over here, because I think it would do really well. We are just trying to get it cleared by the right publishers and stuff… hopefully, we’ll see what happens.
You must be ever more loaded than you were before, with a number one single?
(Laughs) I was never loaded in the first place. I’m not joking when I say that. They [the Made in Chelsea producers] try to make you look a certain way on the show, but out of everyone on the show I am the least bit posh, or rich. I went to a state school. I was brought up with a lot less money than some of the other people in the cast. I came into the show because of my ex boyfriend, Ollie. I moved into Chelsea and made my own money and did my own stuff… I’m completely different from the rest of the cast.
We will be testing you later so…
Oh no! (Laughs)
You mentioned Ollie, who you must be so tired of speaking about… are you fed up of speaking about him?
I don’t mind, shall I tell you why? …Ollie and I are best mates.
(Gabriella detects that we are sceptical)
I’m not joking, seriously… (Laughs) He has actually become my best mate now. We speak all the time on the phone and we help each other out quite a lot. I’m cool with him.
He did do some very nasty things to you though…
To be honest, we did some very nasty things to each other. You saw a lot of what he did on the show, whereas what I did wasn’t shown and it was probably equal.
He was really upset about the fact that his new girlfriend and I became friends, but I didn’t do anything out of spite. There were just a lot of feelings. You know when they say,’ when you hate someone, you love someone’ it was very much like that and I think it took a good year before both of us could completely get over each other.
(This interview was conducted the day the episode where Gabby and Ollie song each others faces off in Amsterdam, was aired)
So we’ve talked about Ollie, what about Jamie?
Jamie… Jamie, Jamie, Jamie… (Laughs and blushes). Well, I’d say that Jamie was a little bit of a mistake. Erm… that was a bit accidental. We basically just tripped and fell – that’s how that happened!
Are you also still ‘mates’?
Jamie and I are still friends I wouldn’t say we are in the same groups very much… obviously, because of the show we are always together – all of us – so we have a good laugh together.
Is it possible you and Jamie could trip and fall again?
Definitely no tripping and falling ever again with Jamie.
Would you ever go off and date a rapper like Millie?
I would date a rapper, yes. Why not?
It’s the in thing now, KimYe and…
KimYe! (Laughs) What are we going to call Mille and Professor Green? It would have to be Mill… MillGreen. There you go, copyrighted.
Hmmm… Which rapper could I date though?
Well, which one do you fancy?
I used to fancy Example… I used to work with him. I used to work for Professor Green and Example.
Didn’t you used to write for them also?
I wrote for Professor Green and couple of times. I did backing tracks for both of them. That was awesome. I’m so proud that they are where they are now. I remember us all sitting in a tiny studio, with the loo that had been converted into a mic box… Good times.
I have to say, that doesn’t sound very SW3…
See, because I’m not!
What kind of music don’t you like and what songs do you hate?
Wow… that is really difficult. I have such eclectic tastes so that is quite hard. I even like Gangham Style.
I think I’m just about over Taylor Swift We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. I’m not sure I can hear that anymore. Other than that, I can’t fault music. I always hear the good in it.
What is your favourite song to sing in the shower?
(Sings) Etta James – At Last
What is your favourite song to sing when drunk?
Pretty much anything that is playing at the time. It could be anything. I’ll start singing it and I won’t stop.
Which song evokes the most emotion for you?
Probably Lady Antebellum I Need You Now. That was the song Ollie and I broke up to. It’s just one of those songs that every time I hear it… Cheska, bless her, she loves that song and every time it comes on and I’m in the room, she will literally be like, ‘S***. Sorry babe, I’m so sorry. I’ll turn it off’ (laughs) That is the main one, it really gets to me. Also Adele… every single one of Adele’s songs are unbelievable, but Someone Like You is obviously just…
Click here to check out Gabriella Ellis doing our Posh or Not quiz.
Photography: Simon Howard
Styling: Charley Purpz
Make-Up: Tessa Chrysostomou
Filming and editing: Charlie Massey
Interview: Trina John-Charles
Clothes credits
Look 1: Black dress from club L with pepe jeans leather jacket.
Look 2: Ohmylove jersey highlow tshirt dress with chockers white wedges. With bangles and dream catcher neckless. Added a top shop Faux Fur.
Look 3: Black and White dress from AX Paris.
Look 4: D.inc muscle back sweat top with pepe jeans studded jacket and Geox High Boots.
Look 5: Black D.Inc batwing crop top with D.inc harem pants with hidden shorts. Black studded shoes.
