Song Deconstructed: ‘Could It Be You?’ by Ella Clayton

Ella Clayton: “I’ve always loved poetry and songwriting that notices small, everyday moments and transforms them into something meaningful.” Photo: Beau Gervais

In the hands of this talented singer-songwriter, a disastrous first date becomes a tender meditation on longing, projection, and connection

East London singer-songwriter Ella Clayton recently returned with her second album, Could It Be You?, a soulful, folk-infused collection that follows her acclaimed 2022 debut Murmurations. Known for her mesmeric vocals, intimate storytelling, and emotionally candid songwriting, Clayton has built a reputation for transforming personal observations into universal moments.

Recorded over three days at George Ezra’s Hotel Quebec studio with producer Lester Duval, Could It Be You? captures the warmth and immediacy of musicians playing together in the same room, balancing raw live energy with lush, cinematic touches. Across its eleven songs, the album explores love, loneliness, and self-discovery. Here, Ella deconstructs the title track, revealing the disastrous first date that inspired it…

More songs deconstructed here

INSPIRATION

Could It Be You? is a true story about a disastrous first date I had at the Ritzy cinema a few years ago. Not all of my songs are autobiographical, but this one definitely is. We were mismatched from the start, and seeing a film on a first date comes with its own awkwardness anyway, but then he actually fell asleep!

Looking back now, there’s a lot of humour in the chaos of it all, and I liked the idea of capturing that mix of awkwardness and romantic projection that happens when you first meet someone. Even though it clearly wasn’t working, there was still this small part of me thinking, “…but could it be you?!”

A lot of the album (same title) explores this tension between wanting closeness and fearing what comes with it. I was interested in the ways love can become all tangled up with validation, projection, and how easy it is to lose yourself inside somebody else’s expectations while still craving connection. I think the song is partly about loneliness and partly about optimism. Even in a disastrous situation, there was still humour and tenderness there.

LYRICS

The details in the verses are very specific: the cinema seats, popcorn on the floor, folded knees, tiny interactions that end up carrying so much emotional weight. I’ve always loved poetry and songwriting that notices small, everyday moments and transforms them into something meaningful.

There’s also a line about life laughing at “best laid plans,” which feels central to the whole track. We spend so much time trying to control outcomes in relationships, but connection is often just circumstance and timing colliding in unpredictable ways.

The lyrics flowed quite naturally once I found the central question: “Could it be you?” Repeating it throughout the chorus mirrored the obsessive loop my brain was stuck in at the time.

Ella Clayton: “This one is for the hopeless romantics!” Photo: Amy Lauffer-Neff

MUSIC

I wanted the song to feel warm and slightly nostalgic, almost like remembering a night back through soft focus. The chord progression has a circular quality that mirrors the repeating question at the centre of the song, and we tried not to overcrowd the arrangement so the storytelling could breathe. I was so lucky to record with some of my favourite musicians, including producer Lester Duval on bass, Alex Crawford on guitar, and Fabio De Oliveira on drums. Lester added an organ part later, and I got a group of my guy friends together to sing the choruses and bridge with me, which gave the song this really joyful, communal energy.

IN THE STUDIO

We recorded the rhythm section of the whole album live in three days at Hotel Quebec, George Ezra’s studio. He was incredibly generous to lend it to us, and the time pressure meant we couldn’t overthink anything. We planned a recording schedule, but some of my favourite moments came from musicians reacting in the moment and taking a song in a completely new direction. Could It Be You? is a fairly simple song, and we wanted to keep the arrangement loose so it could breathe.

Working with my producer, Lester Duval, is always a delight because we have a huge amount of trust and respect for each other creatively.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This one is for the hopeless romantics! Play it LOUD, and I hope you can remember your own disastrous dating experiences and have a giggle.

Ella Clayton’s new album, Could It Be You?, is out now. Find out more from ellaclayton.com

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