Ella Eyre first burst onto the scene in 2014 when she collaborated with Rudimental on the smash hit Waiting All Night. The London-born singer-songwriter has gone on to achieve huge solo success, releasing her debut R&B album Feline to critical acclaim, as well as winning MOBO and BRIT awards. Here, Ella Eyre reveals her My London Glossary of favourite places and people in the capital.
Ella Eyre
I live in Highbury in north London. I grew up in Ealing but moved to the area nine years ago and have never left. I love the hustle and bustle but also that there’s a great sense of community. It offers the perfect mix, because it’s still got lots of greenery and open spaces but there are also plenty of lovely pubs, boutiques and restaurants.
Escocesa in Stoke Newington does the best Spanish tapas in London – everything is delicious whether it’s their courgette flowers stuffed with goat’s cheese, deep-fried aubergine, pork cheeks or croquettes. It’s got a great low-key, rustic vibe and they also serve a brilliant picante cocktail called a Mezcalita. For a celebratory meal, I’ll head to Yauatcha Soho for the dim sum – if I had to choose a last meal, it would be their sweet and sour pork.
I recently went to the NoMad in Covent Garden and fell in love with the interiors. When I walked in, I thought, “this is what I want my house to look like.” I got to see one of the penthouse suites and it was beautiful, spread across two floors with an amazing spiral staircase and chandeliers. I love it when hotels pay attention to the design details.
Seabird in Southwark is a rooftop restaurant with an outdoor terrace that has amazing 180-degrees views. It is super high up and you almost feel like you can touch the Shard. They do fantastic oysters and delicious seafood, plus the interiors are beautiful too. I ended up emailing the manager to ask where their tiles were from because I want them in my bathroom. Last time I went we watched the sunset; it felt like it lasted forever because of how high up we were.
White City House is in the former BBC Television Studios and has this great British heritage. I’ve been in the studios multiple times, and I think it’s cool that they’ve renovated such an amazing landmark. That’s what I like about the Soho House group – they’re very clever with their locations.
I get most of my artworks from Hang-Up on Regent’s Canal. They’ve got a certain style that I really like and a great eye, with a good mix of well-known names like Banksy, Bridget Riley and Tracey Emin, as well as up-and-coming artists.
I love flowers and since I discovered The Urban Flower Co in Crouch End, I haven’t been able to go anywhere else. Their aesthetic is right up my street – very young and modern – and they have a unique approach to putting together bouquets. Their selection of seasonal flowers is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. In terms of colours, I love oranges and pinks, but I don’t like to go too crazy. I usually choose a beautiful individual flower like a Bird of Paradise and then build around that.
My favourite London-based label is Shrimps. Hannah Weiland is wonderful, and I particularly love all of their bags. I buy them at Liberty London, which has the best handbag department. I like the oversized look – I love Acne and Aries – but my favourite are men’s shirts from Jacquemus, which I pick up at Selfridges and either wear as a dress or over a unitard. Their pieces are always interesting and well-made.
I’ll go to Annie’s Ibiza in Soho to pick up something glam for an event. Annie Doble’s edit is incredible – I feel like I can pretty much pick out anything and I’ll love it. She really knows how to put together a fabulous wardrobe. Goodhood in Shoreditch is also brilliant. They stock a lot of the brands I like, which are quite unisex and sporty but still have a high fashion vibe.
When it comes to interiors I’m really into Henry Holland Studio. I love all the crockery and the vases. For lighting I go to Rothschild & Bickers, who do these amazing hand-blown glass pendant lights that I’m a huge fan of. I like Fornasetti too – their prints and candles are great, but I’ve also got pretty much all their plates. I’ve had to stop myself from buying them now, because I have way too many.
I get my hair done at Bleach in Brixton. I have curly afro hair, so it can be quite delicate and fragile. As I have it dip-dyed blonde it’s important that whoever is bleaching it knows what they’re doing. At Bleach they understand how to look after your hair and are great at keeping it nourished – even after I’ve had it bleached, I still walk out of there with it shinier and more buoyant than ever.
I’ve played at Koko in Camden, which reopened this April, a few times over the years, but one of the most memorable shows was two days after my dad died. It sounds really sad and dramatic, but it was actually such a euphoric moment as that venue was the first place my dad had seen me perform live, so it felt very special.
During lockdown, when I was walking my French bulldog Iggy, I discovered Parkland Walk. It’s this deserted railway track that runs between Finsbury Park and Highgate. It has all these old stations, tunnels and bridges along it – all completely overgrown – and it’s really peaceful. As you’re walking along you get these sudden glimpses of the city skyline, and when the sun is trickling through the leaves it all feels quite magical.
Ella Eyre’s latest track Deep Down with Alok, Kenny Dope ft Never Dull is out now.
