King grew up in Ohio, in both Columbus and the small, quiet town Wellston, and was raised by her mother and stepfather. She was also close to her grandparents, who always had country music playing and who exemplified the close-knit community small towns are known for. King’s passion for music started when she was just 9 years old when her stepfather gave her a record by the 
all-female rock band the Donnas. From that moment, she knew she wanted to be a musician.

Starting as that young girl with lyrical dreams to the artist she is today—with a journey in music that has spanned most of her 
life—King has always strived to follow the path that allowed her to present her truest self in her songs—even if that meant not fitting into one mold or needing to take chances with her sound. I think staying true to myself as an artist is something that takes constant work, she shares. I'm always evolving, and I'm always changing based on what influences me. King has had many influences in her music, from Etta James to Hank Williams, the latter of which inspired her to learn to play the banjo as a teenager. Before that, King learned to play guitar thanks to the influences of AC/DC and Johnny Cash.

When King first started releasing music in 2012, beginning with her self-penned single, Good to Be a Man, critics described her musical sound as a little bit pop rock ‘n roll with a bluesy and even R&B edge. Her songs were being played on alternative rock radio stations while simultaneously being picked up for popular television shows and movies. It was immediately clear that King’s music didn’t fit neatly into one box, but the one thread throughout her various projects was her honest lyrics, a subtle hint at her country roots. In 2016, she received two Grammy nominations, both in rock categories, for Ex’s & Oh’s, a song she co-wrote about past relationships and the way they haunt her. Like most of her earlier songs, the single has often been labeled under multiple genres including both pop and alternative indie, but King’s songwriting approach remains undeniably country with its major emphasis on conveying raw emotions through storytelling. As she transitioned into country music on her third album, Come Get Your Wife, King was able to dive freely into her artistry as a storyteller and form a bridge between her artistic goals and personal background.

To those unfamiliar with King’s upbringing in Ohio, the decision to write country music may have come as a surprise, but King followed her intuition to create music that’s an authentic portrayal of who she is. To stay true to myself sometimes means abandoning everything that I know, and that can be really, really scary, she explains. As an established singer-songwriter, King’s move to country music in the many eyes of the public reflects her dedication to her music and bravery to choose artistic integrity over familiarity. She is also unafraid to keep working at her art to ensure it stays authentic. I'm in a weird process right now of trying to recalibrate and refigure out what it is and who it is that I am, she adds with a sincere vulnerability. And sometimes, that's going back to your roots. Sometimes that's bringing something in that's new, but change is inevitable. And sometimes just being open and letting things come in is the truest way to be. So, I think being open to the possibilities of growth and change is also a way to stay true.

Though King’s open-minded attitude has allowed her to transcend boundaries in music, she often deals with external pressures to try and change her sound in ways that don’t feel natural to her. She explains, I have constant pressure from outside sources, and sometimes it's so hard to listen to people that you trust because you don't know if it's going against the grain. And you want to give your fans things that are modern, but ultimately your fans want what's true to you because they like your music or whatever form of art that you create. King finds that the music that connects the most with her fans is the same as what resonates most with her, and she works hard to protect that integrity. Quoting another one of her musical inspirations she adds, David Bowie said, You always have to make art that you believe in, and that is true to yourself and not what other people tell you to make because it's your art. And sometimes that can be really hard. I can be such a people pleaser. But I'm trying to figure out what it is that I like and going back to my raw way of writing songs, because that's what started my whole career and that's what made the connection. A good idea is a good idea, but sometimes you have to just sift through it and see what sits with you.

Since she started writing music, King’s lyrics have always had an honest and real quality to them, but country music has given her a new avenue to explore more of her vulnerable emotions that didn’t fit into the pop and rock genres. Whether she’s singing a punchy self-reflection song or expressing her gratitude for the life she’s been given, King’s lyrics are rich and full of personality. When asked what song means the most to her, King gushes, Oh my goodness. That's really hard. There's a few. On this last album, this song that I wrote about my son, Lucky, just means so much to me.

Lucky starts off with the strum of an acoustic guitar, setting the stage for a more subdued melody than one might be used to on an Elle King track. Her voice is softer than usual on the opening verse before she breaks into a powerful chorus and sings, I got lucky / Well, ain't that somethin' for someone just like me / Who don't deserve a damn thing? There is a newfound vulnerability that King expresses in this country ballad that reflects the emotional side of storytelling in country music that she is truly grateful for.

The truth in storytelling that lies at the heart of country music is not only reflected in King’s earnest lyrics, but among the many fans listening to her songs. I feel like the more open and honest I am in music, the more of a connection I'm able to have with people. I feel like that's why I have any career at all, is because I made music that was cathartic to me, that evokes emotion, evokes connection. So, when I sing about being a mom, even though I've made so many different choices in my life and had ups and downs and wavy turns, rock and roll and country music are really cool, but being a mom is the greatest thing that I could ever be called. So that's what that song's about, and it just makes me feel happy.

King's small-town Ohio roots allowed her to develop her own unique sound and a personal connection to country music. As she reminisces about her CMA Fest performance with Dierks Bentley, it’s evident that she’s welcomed every experience of being a singer-songwriter with a humble heart. I went on stage to 75,000 people, and it was the biggest crowd I'd ever played in front of. It was like the most adrenaline I'd ever felt. And I walked off stage and people were just grabbing me. And they put me on a golf cart, and I went backstage, and I said, Can you please pull over? And I put my face in a corner and just cried because I'd never felt anything like that. Then when I went back to host a couple years later, I remember walking past that spot and being like that, That's it. And now look where I'm at now. I'll never forget that. It’s her ability to share and reflect on raw emotions like these that give Elle King’s music its distinctly raw, honest, and authentic edge.

With art coursing through her veins, decorated across her body, and flowing from her voice like poetry, Elle King is a master of her craft. She’s an Ohio native. She’s a mom. She’s a multi-platinum artist with a wide-ranging career, but underneath it all, Elle King is an artist expressing herself in the most honest way she knows possible—through her music.