Rising Stars: Meet Ellie Bates (Indra) of Lawrence, Kansas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellie Bates (Indra).

Hi Ellie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Picture this: Clare Hawkins (Bass) and I (Ellie Bates) had originally met as coworkers. She had asked me what I was studying, I told her music education and that I was a vocalist. She quickly stated that she played bass and we should start a band. We giggled about it until we shared a glance and in that moment we both knew that this could go somewhere. So, Clare recruits Daul Lee (Keys) and Lisa Hild (Drums). I recruit Clark Russell (Guitar). From there, Indra was born. We started out as a cover band to get a feel for what kind of sound we could create well. I remember our first show as clear as day. We were playing at the replay lounge with 2 established bands which had made us all full of nerves. To our surprise, we played to a full venue, and from there Indra really kicked off.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think anyone who is in a creative field will know that there are definitely challenges that come with it. My bandmates and I are all the greatest of friends so luckily it’s been relatively smooth sailing. We really know how to catch each other during a performance if something goes unexpected and we always know how to have fun on stage with one another. We are all full-time college students with jobs and so scheduling can be hard sometimes which can get in the way of producing new music. But for the most part this is a fulfilling activity for us and sharing it with others has been such an incredible experience.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a band, we have a really unique set of musical backgrounds. All of us have been trained in one way or the other on our primary instruments which has been incredibly helpful when it comes down to ironing out really nitty gritty things. Everyone in the band has had their fair share of performing a little bit of everything! From opera to jazz, raging girl punk and classic rock, we love it all! I think the deep connection we all have with each other really helps us stand out when we perform. We’ve had a lot of audience members express to us that they felt like they were on stage with us while they were watching! We really try to involve the audience as much as possible during every show and we just adore creating community when we play!

What matters most to you?
As a band, we really value the connections we make with not just each other but everyone we play with and our audiences. We have made some amazing friends along the way such as Last Generation and Lavender Bride who have supported us along our musical journey. We always strive for theatrics and authenticity when we perform. Our songwriter Ellie is very set on being intent with the lyrics she writes. It’s important to her to tell a story that is meaningful and can help someone feel seen, even if it’s just for a moment.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indra_band_/profilecard/?igsh=d2JqZ2hmemhtemo3
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@indraband?si=N9iqvyVoRxVLt1Oz
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/wrapped/share/share-f7effcfef1b3473a835f7057cd03fec9?si=2Jot5de_ShSJ708BL-twMQ&artist-id=2UgXaI954Dbir8EFRk1l7V

Image Credits
Arianna Bono, Maura Dayton, Blane Worley