Ellie Ramsden
Portraits From Behind The Scenes
Ellie grew up listening to female artists so hearing their stories and seeing them take the centre stage has always been natural. She was also used to carrying around a camera, taking it to house parties and getting mates dressed up, it was her way to document the stories that mattered to her. All of this led Ellie to make Too Many Man, a photobook centring women in grime and reframing representation in the music industry. Ellie has gone on to work with different mediums and photograph new scenes but her style and ethos have remained. Her photos invite the viewer in to see the joy and strength in hidden groups.
Interview and text by Esta Maffrett | 26.04.2022
Firstly…. How did you get into photography?
I’ve always been creative, I used to draw and paint a lot when I was growing up but I always felt frustrated that I couldn’t replicate what was in front of me so when I picked up a camera it all kind of made sense. I remember seeing my brother and dad with cameras, mainly taking photos on holidays or day trips. I decided I wanted to do the same so begged my parents for a camera and was finally given one of my gran’s old film cameras. I got a tiny point and shoot digital camera in secondary school which I loved and would take it around with me everywhere. I would organise shoots with friends, thinking of concepts and dressing them up. I’d take my camera with me to house parties, assigning myself as the unofficial photographer. I fell in love with capturing places I visited and the people around me. However, it wasn’t until I went to university where I started taking photography really seriously - I began seeing it as a way of life rather than a hobby. I started to understand how I could highlight social issues and explore narratives and began seeing the impact these stories can have.
Growing up were you aware of the lack of representation in the music industry in the way you are now you have been working within it?
As a young girl I don’t remember being aware of the lack of representation in the music industry as such. In fact, I was listening to artists such as Christina Aguilera, Destiny’s Child and Britney Spears who were singing about female empowerment which I found inspiring. However, what I do remember is seeing Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen for the first time and realising that female artists can be incredibly talented without having to take their clothes off or dance sexily in their videos. I also remember the media bashing female artists every chance they had, and feeling confused when their private lives were revealed on the front of newspapers.
In terms of the grime scene, I noticed the lack of female representation quite early on, but I think I quickly just accepted that grime was a male-oriented genre. I don’t think I ever really questioned why the scene was full of men until a few years later. I remember seeing Lady Leshurr’s F64’s on SBTV back in 2010 and thinking how exciting it was to hear grime from a female perspective, and from an artist who had a very feminine voice. It wasn’t until I started going to shows that I began to really feel the lack of women both in the crowds and on stage. Then, in 2017 I started to look for the women of grime. There was a revival happening around that time - Stormzy had just released Gang Signs & Prayer which was the first grime album to reach number 1, and in 2016 Skepta released Konnichiwa, which was awarded the Mercury Prize. The men in the scene were making huge moves, but it felt like no one was really talking about or celebrating the women.
For Too Many Man you started collecting stories and interviews along with photographs. Was this your first time doing this and how did you find it?
Yes, this was my first time I’d ever really interviewed people, but it felt like the natural next step to make with the project. I made this decision quite early on as I realised how interesting and important these women’s stories were, and I wanted them to tell their experiences in their own words. I had no idea what I was doing to start off with - I just wrote five questions and would ask everyone the same ones, which often led to receiving similar answers. Over time, I began to tailor them to each individual which gave for much more interesting and in-depth conversations. I believe the interviews work with the photographs to help tell the narrative of women in grime - there’s so much depth you’d miss out on without their stories.
"In male-dominated genres such as grime, it’s so important that women are being supported, platformed and given space so we can deconstruct these gender boundaries we’ve assigned to certain elements of life."
You’ve worked with a variety of mediums to present your work including book, zine and film. What do you like about each of them and would want to work with in the future?
I’ve really enjoyed working with each of these mediums, each for their own reasons, and have learnt a lot from each process. I love the playfulness of zines, and that you can experiment with layering images, textures, handwritten text and colour. I basically treat it like a sketchbook and just have fun with designing. I like the fact you can work on a project for a few weeks and create a zine with the work. I reserve books for longer-term projects, as they work particularly well to get across a narrative due to their more formal structure. Moving image is what most people are often drawn to these days as it’s so accessible and easy to watch, and can often be the most simple format to tell a narrative. However, I think there’s something really special about people being able to hold your work in their hands, and them taking their time to look through a project. I plan to work with all of these mediums in the future, especially zines and books as I feel drawn to working in these formats.
How have you seen the presence of women in Grime change in your time shooting the scene?
Since starting the project in 2017, I’ve seen a huge increase in women openly supporting each other. Feeling a lack of support from other women in the scene was something that was mentioned a lot in initial interviews, so it’s been really great to see this change over time. A few of the men in the scene have also been platforming female talent; for instance, Wiley collaborated with Roxxx, Tia Talks, Queen Millz, Laughta and FFSYTHO on his 2021 album, Anti-Systematic. This is the most female grime artists I’ve ever seen on a male MCs album. He’s also been working with and openly supporting other artists like Chey and Queenie. There’s also been an influx of new-gen talent - it’s been really exciting to see them working with old school MCs, combining their style to create a new sound.
Do you think your book and other people raising up women in Grime can help to ripple into a more equal music industry across genres?
Definitely! Creating platforms for women to be seen and heard in all industries will help to build a more equal and inclusive world. In male-dominated genres such as grime, it’s so important that women are being supported, platformed and given space so we can deconstruct these gender boundaries we’ve assigned to certain elements of life. Women bring a different perspective to grime - they may be living similar lives in many ways to male MCs, but their life will always be experienced through a female lens. It’s so important to hear stories from a range of viewpoints so we can all be more understanding and empathetic of others, therefore paving a way for a more equal music industry and beyond.
Finally …. If you could put one object into the Museum of Youth Culture what would it be and why?
Probably a pair of Nike Air Max 90’s - the classic grime shoe.
