Ella Mai’s New Single, ‘Not Another Love Song,’ Was Inspired By Personal Experiences
No matter where you were, or what you were doing, when Ella Mai’s “Boo’d Up” comes on, you remember the summer of 2018 when it became one of the most popular songs in the world. The 25-year-old’s breakout song celebrated the power of R&B music, as Mai’s addictive ode to awestruck adoration peaked at No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and went on to win Best R&B Song at the 61st Grammys. Her follow-up three-times-platinum single, “Trip,” and her eponymous studio album that has sold more than a million units, quickly positioned her as an explosive success. Her voice, combined with her ability to sing open and freely about not just love, but the issues behind difficult situations and decisions, continue to captivate millions, especially during a time where the pandemic has changed our collective understanding of love, distress, anxiety, and uncertainty. Mai’s music is needed now more than ever. Right on time, Mai has returned with a new single that comes out on Oct. 2, “Not Another Love Song.”
“Not Another Love Song” is classic Mai — rose-scented, slick and centered around the intricacies of love in the most sensual and smoothest ways possible. She tells BET.com that the idea of the song came from a conversation that she had with “Trip” co-writer Varren Wade about announcing your feelings in a relationship as they get stronger. “I think we've all been in a place of trying to navigate the feeling of, ‘Am I in love? Am I not in love?,’ she says over Zoom. “If I say it too soon, will I mess things up? Or just, “do I really want to admit that I'm in love?”
Check out the full conversation with Mai below. The interview has been edited for clarity and length.
BET.com: What’s the story behind “Not Another Love Song?”
Ella Mai: It came about very interestingly. I think we've all been in a place of trying to navigate the feeling of, ‘Am I in love? Am I not in love?’ If I say it too soon, will I mess things up? Or just, do I really want to admit that I'm in love? I sat down with one of my favorite writers who I wrote “Trip” with, Varren Wade, and we were just talking. We've known each other for a little while, so the conversation flowed very effortlessly. We got to writing melodies and then came up with the verse first before following up with the hook. From there, the song just continued to grow. It really was one of those things that we didn't even realize was going to be what it ended up becoming. But I just remember the first time we listened to it once it was finished. We were like, "This is special." So I'm really excited about it.
BET.com: When do you think is the best time to tell someone that you're in love when you’re in a relationship?
Ella Mai: I think it depends on the situation. It depends on you. It depends on the person that you're with. But I don't know if there's a right time. I wouldn't give it a time limit and say like six months, nine months, however many months, a day. Everybody feels differently and every situation is different. So I think what I will say is when it is time, when it is the right time you'll know, and at that point, you just go with whatever your heart's telling you.
BET.com: How much of the song do you think comes from your own personal experiences?
Ella Mai: The whole thing is definitely my experience, but I think it's everyone's experience. I think everyone has definitely been in the situation if not once, then many times.
BET.com: How have you evolved musically in the last two years in ways that we’ll hear in your forthcoming music?
Ella Mai: I had a very big year in 2018: I released my debut album off of “Boo'd Up” and “Trip” and then went on tour for the whole of 2019. So a lot has happened for me, a lot has changed for me. And I think just being able to add onto that is what works for me. It's not going to be, “Not Another Love Song” and then my sophomore album will be a complete change in Ella Mai — I'm still the same person. I think it's just growing on that and building to show you guys a more mature version of myself.
BET.com: What can you tell us about your sophomore album?
Ella Mai: I've been working on it the whole of this year, as much as I could, obviously, because of COVID to really just express myself, express how I'm feeling, know what I want to say, and know what I want to sound like. It's not like I didn't have a conscious effort to be like, ‘All right, cool. This needs to not sound like the debut album.’ I kind of just went in and did what felt right. So, yeah, I think I'm a lot more connected to this music. I'm super connected to my debut album as well though.
BET.com: What was it like being a part of Rihanna's Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 2?
Ella Mai: Amazing. I'm a big, big Rihanna fan. So when I got asked to do it, I was really excited, especially considering that no one's seen me on stage performing for a while. I was honored that this would be my first kind of look back onto the scene. And I just love Rihanna as a person, as a brand. I love what Savage x Fenty stands for. She came out and represents everyone of different shapes, sizes, races, anything. I haven't seen the show, but what I do know, from my part obviously, is that it was really, really good. So I'm excited to see what else she comes up with because last year's one was amazing too.
BET.com: What has 2020 taught you about yourself?
Ella Mai: It's been a weird one to say the least, but I guess it's about myself, but it's also about my family. I think with quarantine and not being able to travel, not being able to move around as freely as we could, having stuff taken away and just sitting down and reflecting, turned out to be good for me. But just being able to appreciate quality time, whether that be with family, whether that be with friends, since everything normally is so rush, rush, and just so on the go that you kind of just use the time that you have, has worked out. But I think just in general with people who work a lot in any field that you work in, you should be trying to make time for the things that really, really matter.
Take a listen to "Not Another Love Song" below. You can purchase the new single here.
