All Of It Podcast Episode Summary

Title: Eleri Ward Previews Debut Album Live
Host: Alison Stewart
Release Date: July 1, 2025
Guest: Ellery Ward, Actor and Singer-Songwriter
Album Discussed: Internal Rituals (Release Date: September 26th)

Introduction to Ellery Ward and Internal Rituals

Alison Stewart opens the episode by introducing Ellery Ward, highlighting her new debut album Internal Rituals. Ward, a Chicago-raised artist based in New York, is transitioning from her previous work featuring acoustic covers of Stephen Sondheim's music to her first full-length project of original songs. The album explores a diverse range of genres, including pop and jazz, and delves into themes such as karma, gratitude, self-love, confidence, and astrology.

Notable Quote:
“Ellery, welcome to all of it.” — [00:00]

The Concept of Rituals in Songwriting

Ward explains that each of the 12 tracks on Internal Rituals represents a personal ritual. She emphasizes the introspective and private nature of her songwriting process, describing it as a spiritual ritual that facilitates her personal growth.

Notable Quote:
“The process is the ritual. I think it's a really spiritual thing to process your life through song, and that's what this album really encapsulates.” — [00:45]

Live Performance: "Stepping Through"

Ward performs the first track, "Stepping Through," setting the album's tone of transformation and uncertainty. The song narrates the journey of becoming a new version of oneself and the fears associated with that change.

Performance Excerpt:
“Now I'm stepping through the bend Trying to catch myself I lean to the left again but maybe this is where I fall...” — [02:42]

Host's Reaction:
“That was gorgeous, by the way.” — [05:25]

Ellery's Prized Guitar and Its Significance

The conversation shifts to Ward's beloved guitar, which she considers one of her prized possessions. She recounts purchasing it spontaneously at Midtown Guitar Center, feeling an immediate connection that compelled her to buy it despite the high cost.

Notable Quote:
“I just knew I was sitting in that room playing it. I had to buy it, and I'm glad I did.” — [05:46]

Songwriting Journey and Discoveries

Alison Stewart asks Ward about her evolution from performing Sondheim covers to creating her own music. Ward shares that writing her own songs taught her that songwriting is a flexible process driven by emotion rather than strict structures. This revelation allowed her to embrace unconventional song structures, focusing more on feeling than on rigid composition.

Notable Quote:
“I let it be less about thinking, more about feeling. And the songs spoke to me, and then I was just the vessel.” — [06:28]

Storytelling Through Music

Ward firmly identifies herself as a storyteller, using her songs to narrate her personal journey of self-transformation. She describes the nonlinear and complex nature of personal growth, highlighting themes of curiosity and discovery throughout the album.

Notable Quote:
“Majorly a story of self transformation and how nonlinear that experience is.” — [07:17]

Transitioning from Sondheim to Original Work

Ward discusses the challenges of shifting from being the interpreter of Sondheim's work to creating her own stories. She reflects on the internal upheaval and growth that accompanied this transition, emphasizing the departure from using genre as a storytelling tool to living within her own genre to express her narrative.

Notable Quote:
“I'm living in the genre of my home base to tell my own story. And there comes a little bit of a transitional period.” — [08:08]

Live Performance: "Someone Something New"

Ward performs "Someone Something New," a song that delves into her personal struggles with past relationships and self-forgiveness. The song captures the essence of recalibrating one's relationship with the past and moving forward.

Performance Excerpt:
“What about that Christmas morning little girl now left behind me or not Here I am a woman crying wondering why I am not moving...” — [09:59]

Balancing Acting and Music

As an actor, Ward shares how her performance skills complement her musical endeavors. She believes that both disciplines are intrinsically connected through their shared emphasis on storytelling and emotional expression. Ward aspires to fully embody the stories she tells, whether on stage or through her music.

Notable Quote:
“I want to embody that fully.” — [14:43]

Favorite Songs to Perform and Their Significance

When asked about her favorite songs to perform from the album, Ward highlights two tracks: the next song following "Someone Something New" and "Venusian Light." These songs resonate with her as they encapsulate the themes of being present, trusting the journey, and embracing one's true self.

Notable Quote:
“They really touch on that feeling of let go, you are you. It is all okay. You are safe to be you.” — [15:37]

Live Performance: "Float"

In her final performance, Ward presents the song "Float," which evokes a sense of surrender and weightlessness. The lyrics reflect a desire to let go and trust the natural flow of life.

Performance Excerpt:
“What if I just fell into the pool? Open arms, a doubtless daft blue... I float, float, float.” — [16:57]

Closing Remarks

Alison Stewart wraps up the conversation, reiterating the release date of Internal Rituals and expressing appreciation for Ward's appearance and performances. Ward reciprocates the gratitude, highlighting the pleasure of sharing her work.

Notable Quote:
“It has been a pleasure to speak with you.” — [20:23]

This episode of All Of It offers an intimate glimpse into Ellery Ward's artistic journey, showcasing her evolution from interpreting classic covers to crafting deeply personal original music. Through live performances and thoughtful discussion, Ward articulates the essence of her album Internal Rituals, inviting listeners to engage with the transformative rituals that define her work.