Ellie Dixon’s latest EP, Tales of a Knight, is a vivid and playful exploration of emotion, friendship, and self-discovery. Drawing inspiration from medieval imagery and fantasy worlds, the EP reflects Dixon’s love for storytelling and visual themes, which she uses to channel complex feelings into music.
Each track has its own unique character. Renaissance is triumphant and victorious, while Miscalculations captures frustration in a cathartic way. Guts is bold, angry, and fun; Knight Shift playful and silly; Loose Change disorienting and clever; and Thirteen soft, tender, and ultimately comforting. Dixon says these moods stem from her personal experiences and creative imagination, often blending the emotional with the fantastical.
The fantasy influence comes from Dixon’s life at the time of writing. She was inspired by Lord of the Rings, the Netflix animated show Delicious in Dungeon, and various board games with Dungeons & Dragons themes. “I love a visual theme, and it really helps me write,” she explains, “So if I’m angry, I’m not just angry, I’m fighting in a battle, and it makes it easier to write poetically rather than literally.”
Some tracks also reflect personal and social experiences. Knight Shift is described as a love letter to her friends, inspired by memorable nights out with London’s queer community.
“There was one particular night out that just kind of summed up that feeling. It was by this organization in London called Queer House Party. They’re amazing. (…) Everyone was in a great mood. It felt so joyous and silly and fun and everyone was dressed completely differently. (…) I think about that night out a lot as a real summary of particularly the queer community that I’m in in London now.
Meanwhile, Loose Change has resonated as an ADHD anthem, capturing the chaotic and disjointed feelings associated with the condition. Dixon emphasizes that she writes to convey feelings rather than strictly explaining thoughts, letting the music itself communicate much of the emotional texture.
Dixon’s creative process is simultaneously playful and precise. Writing, producing, and sampling occur in tandem, allowing songs to evolve organically. Layering techniques in live performances replicate her studio approach, bringing fans into the creation process while producing a rich, immersive sound. This method also accommodates Dixon’s ADHD, allowing her to harness flow states and stay attuned to energy and inspiration.
“Sometimes I hear a sound and in my head I’m already building a world around it. I write and produce at the same time. So, it’s a lot more flexible because I could start with drums if I wanted. I could write something accapella and then put some things in. I could play guitar. (…) I could start with keys with a little synth. There isn’t really one way that I do it, but having that setup, it’s just so flexible and versatile and it means I can just follow an energy.(…) It just evolves as one big thing rather than separate elements.”
Therapy and self-affirmation are central to Dixon’s music. Songs like Guts include empowering messages such as “I am brave just for being here,” reflecting both personal growth and the intent to provide comfort and encouragement to listeners. Dixon notes that trusting oneself is crucial, linking authenticity to overcoming fear and anxiety.
Ultimately, Tales of a Knight is an invitation to sit at the tavern table with witches, elves and trolls, to dance through the night with friends, to face battles both real and imagined, and to emerge stronger on the other side. Ellie Dixon reminds listeners that it’s okay to feel deeply—and that no one is ever alone on the journey.
“It’s okay to feel and you’re not alone in your feelings. (…) I’d like people to feel seen and that their feelings are okay. Once you accept them, you tend to move through them pretty quickly. It’s just that acceptance first.”
