Everything I Didn't Say

Following her UK Singles Chart-topping debut single, "Ghost" in 2014, and release of the chart-topping debut album, Chapter One (2014), Henderson would take Chapter One on tour in October and November 2015.[5][6][7] Before the tour kicked off, in April 2015, it was confirmed that Henderson would begin recording new music with Danny O'Donoghue, lead singer of Irish band the Script, would be recording music with Henderson.[8] This took place less than a year after "Ghost" topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks and achieved international success.[1] During an interview with the Official Charts Company's George Griffiths, Henderson revealed why there was a big gap between her first and second albums, explaining that part of the gap was due to processing the level of success she had achieved at a young. Henderson said: "I was touring and promoting for so long when I hit my 20s I realised I didn't know where home was. I didn't have a couch, I couldn't drive. I needed to live, which is one of the reasons why I took a step back."[1] Henderson also spoke about crippling anxiety, which included being hospitalised after suffering a panic attack. She told the Evening Standard that she could not release the original iteration of her second album, "I was so lost in terms of who I was as a person that I wasn't ready to release it."[2]

According to Henderson, she wrote nearly 400 songs for the album and wanted to compose a diary-like track listing, with each song telling a story and a "different part" of her life.[10] After the album's release, she would explain that she wanted audiences to be "brought up to speed" with everything that had happened since her first album, regardless of whether it was "the good the bad or the ugly [sic]".[11] Sessions took place across various recording studios and locations around the world including in Brighton and London in the UK, Stockholm (Sweden) and some sessions in the United States too.[12] Despite a second album being in production as far back as 2016,[1] in 2018 it was revealed that Henderson had departed ways with her record label Syco Records. The decision was reported by the media to have been mutual, stating that both artist and label "felt that a change of direction was needed for everyone after the gap between the release of the first album and [Ella's] as-yet unreleased follow-up".[13]

It was later revealed, that Henderson and Syco parted ways in 2017 amidst plans for new music. Henderson would subsequently go on to sign a new deal in 2018 with Major Tom's, a record label owned by British drum and bass band Rudimental and aligned with Asylum Records. Some of the songs from the original studio sessions for a second album under Syco included "Let's Go Home Together" and "Ugly"; these were subsequently brought across for inclusion on Henderson's album after both had been performed for fans on various tours.[1] Other songs such "Bones", "Red Roses" and "Hard to Love" were not included on the album despite being performed during various live performances and shows prior to the development of Everything I Didn't Say.[14] At the time, Henderson had been touring with Rudimental which included two sold-out shows at Alexandra Palace.[9]

Album opener "Emotions" was compared to songs "OK (Anxiety Anthem)" by Mabel (left) and "OK Not to Be OK" by Marshmello (middle) and Demi Lovato (right)."[2]

Everything I Didn't Say is a pop album with elements of country pop,[2] electropop and soul,[15] combining both electronic and traditional instrumentation such as piano and guitar riffs.[15] Everything I Didn't Say explores themes of Henderson's mental health struggles, the time taken between her first and second album, and the vulnerability of heartbreak, love and self-worth.[2][11][15][16] In a nutshell, Henderson described the album as "how life has been for [her] transitioning from a teenager into a young woman".[11]

The album opener is a song called "Emotions", an upbeat electropop song written by Henderson and Jordan Riley, with the latter also producing the song. Riley would produce and co-write several other songs on the album. Its energetic vibe was described as "setting the tone for Henderson's return to music".[15] Some of the lyrics have a sad tone, such as the chorus "I'm sick of my emotions" and subsequent lyrics "It's okay not to be okay". This latter lyric was compared to the current "self-care climate" in music, drawing similarities to the song "OK (Anxiety Anthem)" by Mabel (2019) and "OK Not to Be OK", a 2020 collaboration between Marshmello and Demi Lovato.[2] "Emotions" and the song "Out of My Head" are two of the up-tempo moments on the album. Henderson described "Out of My Head" as one of her favourite songs on the album as it dealt with themes of narcissism and needing to write about one of the biggest narcissists she had met.[1]

James Arthur (left) co-wrote "Let's Go Home Together" with Henderson. Tom Grennan (right) would re-record vocals for the song to be a duet between Grennan and Henderson.[1]

"Let's Go Home Together" was co-written by fellow The X Factor series nine contestant James Arthur.[15] Originally envisioned as a duet between Arthur and Henderson, the duo performed the song during Arthur's Back from the Edge Tour (2017), for which Henderson was one of the support acts. There were plans for Henderson and Arthur to release the song but over two years neither singers' schedules matched up.[17] Henderson said the song was "so special" and she "kept going back to it", and when asked how Tom Grennan became involved, she said, "Tom and I have been friends for years, I love his voice and I’m so happy we got to do this together." Grennan expressed similar sentiments when he was asked to record the song, "When Ella hit me up and played me this song and then asked me to join her on it, I was absolutely buzzin'. Ella is a good mate, and it's so sick to finally get to sing together!"[18] Producer Ollie Green worked on producing Grennan's vocals at RAK Studios and The Church in London, UK. The new duet between Henderson and Grennan is, included on Everything I Didn't Say.[12] Speaking about the new version, Henderson said "When we released it, it was a time when everyone just missed going to the pub, you know? It helped remind people that we would be together again and you can actually meet someone in a bar and take them home. Seeing that song resonate felt good, I'm going to lie. I had it with me for such a long time!".[1] The lyrics were described as tongue-in-cheek and playful, while the production was guitar and piano driven.[19][20]

Green also worked with Henderson and Nashville artist Mikky Ekko for the song "Cry on Me", a duet between Henderson and Ekko.[12] The song, along with the single "Brave" were described by the Evening Standard of having themes of "I Will Survive" (akin to the Gloria Gaynor song of the same name).[2] "Brave" has lyrics that speak of "shaking the stigma of needing help and embracing someone’s support for you when you need them most".[21] Henderson said that although she wrote the song a few years ago its sentiments really resonated with how she was feeling, "it was therapeutic and I needed it". It was also dedicated to Henderson's friend Paige Dougall who passed away a few days before its release.[22][23]

The song "Set in Stone" includes the lyric "If we lose ourselves at some point, those memories are set in stone", and was written in the UK during a writer's camp. It was inspired by the producer's personal loss (losing their uncle). Of the song, Henderson said, "we always assume that everything is forever until it comes to an end. We have no control over the end, but what we can control is the present. So we should enjoy every minute we have together and get the most out of it."[24] "Ugly" was inspired by an experience Henderson had on holiday and was described as therapeutic for the singer. Having performed the song during live tours, Henderson felt that fans had expected to hear it on a future album and hence it was included on Everything I Didn't Say. Of the song, she said "that came from a situation where I'd gone on a holiday abroad and someone had taken horrible pictures of me. I came home and just stayed in my flat. That song was like a form of therapy for me, it really helped me grow so that had to be on the album".[1] The song sees Henderson singing about embracing her flaws.[2] Other themes explored in the song include "trying to fit in" and being unique.[25]

"Thank You for the Hell", another co-write and production by Riley, is influenced by country pop and tells the story of a situation Henderson went through, reliving all the emotions and toxicity. During an interview with The Rebecca Judd Show on Apple Music, Henderson said of the song, "And this song is when you have gone through the hurt, you've gone through the pain, you've gone through the anger and all these emotions." It discusses the silver lining and Henderson's gratefulness for the situation as it helped her to become the person she is today.[2][10] In a similar vein, Henderson wrote the title track with producer Mike Kintish, having already decided to call the album Everything I Didn't Say before the song of the same name's conception.[11] Speaking about the piano-led title song, Henderson said, "I loved the idea of creating a piano-led ballad that was coming from the perspective of your own wrongdoings and actually admitting and owning up to your own mistakes within a relationship." Henderson further elaborated that the process for this song felt refreshing due to the vulnerability that comes from "being honest and vulnerable".[11]

One of the titles considered for the album was Northern Lights, after a song of the same name.[22]

During production for the album, a working title of Chapter Two was considered; it would have made Henderson's second album a direct continuation and sequel to her debut album, Chapter One (2014). During an interview in the run-up to the release of the album, Henderson told the Official Charts Company why she decided against the sequential titles, saying "I wrote Chapter One in 18 months when I was a teenager. This isn't just Chapter Two. This is a whole book! I didn't want to trap myself [in the naming of albums]. I'd be releasing Chapter 85 in my 80s, and no-one wants to see that."[1] During an album listening party with fans and Deezer, Henderson said that she had also considered calling the album Northern Lights, after another song on the album, but was worried that fans would think it was about the Northern Lights. During the naming process, Henderson reflected that she spoke a lot of "word vomit" and the album was heavily focused on lyrics. On reflection, "the album is my truth, everything I wanted to say" which led to the title Everything I Didn't Say.[22] Henderson later revealed that she had settled on the title before deciding to create a song that would be titled after the album.[11]

British HMV stores carried an exclusive version of the album with altered artwork; the HMV version features a pink and orange blush background as opposed to the purple background on standard versions of the album.[26] Everything I Didn't Say was released on 11 March 2022 by Major Tom's / Asylum and Warner Music.[27] It was available on CD, Cassette, streaming and digital download formats, as well as part of a number of merchandise bundles including clothing via Henderson's official website music store.[28]

Adapted from the album booklet.[12]

• List of UK top-ten albums in 2022