A recent Instagram post saw one fan compare Kiwi musician Ella Monnery to R&B queen Jennifer Lopez. "Kiwi JLo," the fan wrote.
Sure, the physical resemblance is uncanny but it's Ella's sound that really has everyone chalking her up to be Aotearoa's answer to the diva.
Her rich, soulful sound and impressive vocal range belies her age (she's only 24) and has seen her perform alongside some of Aotearoa's top musical acts, including P-Money and Sola Rosa, while her energetic stage presence has earned her a place on the Synthony touring circuit, along with being a regular at Deep Hard N Funky, and Christmas In The Park.
In 2020, she teamed up with renowned producer Vince Harder for her debut single, Work That.
But the last year hasn't been without it's challenges. Ella first appeared on The Voice Australia and was selected to be mentored by Kelly Rowland, before the pandemic put a stop to her travelling between New Zealand and Australia.
Thankfully, the opportunity presented itself once more, when Ella returned to The Voice Australia stage this year to be mentored under the guidance of Jessica Mauboy. Her journey ended last week following a shock elimination.
Reflecting on her time on the show, Ella says: "The Voice Australia has definitely helped me back myself and have more confidence in myself as an artist. It's always so easy to doubt yourself and expect the worst."
"Dealing with tall poppy syndrome my whole life here in New Zealand, this experience has helped me grow in so many ways not only as a singer but as a person. It's taught me to back myself and my talent and to stand tall and be proud of how far I've come."
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Advertise with NZME.Looking ahead, Ella is excited to perform on stage in Aotearoa once more.
"I have the NZ Synthony tour and am also playing at some pretty major events with P-Money. I'm so excited to be on stage again sharing my passion with different audiences around Aotearoa," she says.
"After the last 2 years, some live music and celebration are what we all need right now! I'm also super excited to get back into the studio with P-Money to create some of my own music!"
Beauty ethos
Makeup is a way to transform yourself but also to add little touches to enhance your inner glow! For me, beauty is all about making yourself feel and look good from the inside and out. Its a great way for artists to convey their creativity, treating our faces like a canvas and a part of our artistry.
Also in terms of self-care, doing skincare makes me feel relaxed and extremely wholesome! Just in the same way that wearing full glam for the stage makes me feel like a boss!
Signature beauty look
I really love a glowy and bronzed base or face, paired with a warm eye and snatched wing! Also lots of lip gloss!
Daily beauty rituals
I am truly obsessed with skincare! My favourite brands are Tatcha and Drunk Elephant. I love anything super hydrating and tend to lather my face in oil a bit too much haha. I always cleanse my face, and then layer up different products like moisturiser, serum, oils and eye cream.
I don't normally wear makeup during the week or when I'm not performing, so I just use a SPF moisturiser, glow drops and maybe a little bit of BB cream.
I also use face tanning drops which are a game changer!
Hair and its care
I’m embarrassed to say that this one is pretty non-existent, haha. I am shocking when it comes to hair.
At the moment I am using a Kerastase shampoo, conditioner and mask. My hair is extremely thick, long and frizzy, so I am hopeless when it comes to styling my hair.
If my hair isn't in a slick bun or pony using gel, you'll typically find me at Dry & Tea getting a blow wave that'll last me a few days.
Five beauty favourites
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette, $81. The perfect warm eyeshadow palette for a sultry eye look
- Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminzer in the shade Sweet Mouth, $37. The best gloss! I have truly gone through bottles of this.
- M.A.C Strobe Face Glaze Illuminateur, $58. It makes the skin super glowy and healthy.
- Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base, $110. An amazing base for any look or even just as a face moisturiser.
- Urban Decay All Nighter Ultra Matte Makeup Setting Spray, $61. It’s great for the stage and keeps your makeup in place all night long obviously.
Memorable beauty moment
Probably something that my makeup artist Shane Cryus has done. We love to play with fluro-coloured liners and try new things, like putting Fenty B Beauty Gloss on the eyelid to create a glossy and fierce look!
Shane is the most insane creative, I can show him any picture or inspo and he always elevates the look! I hated winged liner before working with him, now it truly is my go-to eye look.
Beauty muse
Definitely someone like Ariana Grande. She slays every makeup look whether its super classic or sometimes edgy.
On-screen beauty hacks
For someone who loves a highlight, this did not work well on TV. I always looked super sweaty. So when it comes to TV, filming and highlight, less is definitely more!
I loved Jess' [Mauboy] beauty looks on the show, she has the most beautiful skin! She also wore a dark lip quite a lot, which is something I'd definitely be open to trying! Lots of deep reds and purples, she always looked so beautiful on and off set.
People may be surprised to learn... I almost gave up singing when I was at school.
The most unexpected item in my beauty kit is... a toothbrush.
A trend I’m happy to wave goodbye to is... Super thin eyebrows.
A beauty treatment I’d love to try is... any sort of hydrating/brightening facial.
My last beauty buy was... Tarte Sea Hydroflex Serum Foundation.
If I wasn’t a musician, I would be... a teacher.
Beauty is... a great way to express yourself and your artistic flair.
