Amidst the trials and tribulations of everyday life, sometimes a little escapism is just what you need — a rabbit hole to jump down, a fantasy to get lost in, maybe even confronting the darkness along the way — and Mollie Elizabeth is here to whisk us away.
The up-and-coming singer had a breakout hit earlier this year with the single “Run Rabbit,“ a bouncy cabaret-inspired pop track that feels like a fairytale, with a hint of darkness lingering just under the surface. After a busy year moving to Los Angeles and landing a deal with Capitol Records, she’s expanding on the whimsical world she created with the “People Pleaser“ EP, released on October 30. The project is a beautiful synthesis of past and present, inspirations and experiences — Mollie’s love of classic Disney movies and 1950s jazz shines through in her orchestral songs, but there’s also a confident individuality to her songwriting. All the songs on the EP were written by her. Though she gained valuable experience working with co-writers on previous projects, she feared losing her spark to the unforgiving industry and had to learn to advocate for her own creative vision. “Know what you want and don’t be afraid to ask for it,” she said.
Although much of her creative drive is rooted in past trauma, Mollie Elizabeth has no interest in reliving or recapping bad experiences; rather, her music is a way to escape, process, and move forward from everything she’s been through. The power of storytelling is especially important: “I find that approaching my life experiences more like a storybook is a lot easier to process,” she said. “[Fables and fairy tales] all have something to teach you… especially the old ones are really dark and twisted, but they’re put in this way that’s very easy to digest.” Her sonic and visual language is carefully crafted, calling to mind images of vintage fashion, old movies, and fantasy stories, but within the persona of Mollie Elizabeth is a young woman discovering herself and finding her place in the world. Her artistic persona seems to be less of a mask and more of a medium for introspection, a vessel through which to express different aspects of herself. “I have lots of anger inside of me… I think Mollie Elizabeth is a bit more aggressive than I am as a person, but I appreciate her for that,” she said. “I’m finding a lot of self-confidence, and a little bit of a hint of wanting revenge.”
Going into adulthood, Mollie Elizabeth continues to find life full of surprises and challenges. Moving from the mountains of Washington state to Los Angeles couldn’t have been a bigger transition; she notes “the stark transition to being surrounded by billboards and advertisements and plastic surgery, and all of this kind of conformity that was constantly being plastered onto people,” shattering the illusions of the big city that many of us grow up with. In the midst of this harsh reality, she felt a desire to romanticize her life, to make art that feels larger than life while still being unique and true to herself. The EP’s title, “People Pleaser,” stems from her belief that we’re all, in one way or another, taught to be people pleasers. Whether it’s how much money you make, how well you fit beauty standards, or how much you can conform to social norms, we all have expectations drilled into us, and Mollie is on a journey to free herself from that confinement. The last song on the EP, “Kiss the Ring,” is what she describes as an “anti-people pleaser song”: it’s her turn to be pleased now.
These universal themes — freeing yourself from expectations and circumstances placed unwillingly upon you, contending with the evils that humanity is capable of, coming out the other side with beauty and whimsy and empowerment despite it all — have resonated deeply with listeners around the world. Mollie Elizabeth’s songs, “Run Rabbit” in particular, have sparked fans’ own creativity in the form of countless videos, animations, and remixes across social media. “It’s the greatest gift of all time to create something that people connect to,” she said. She’ll soon get to see her fans face-to-face as she embarks on tour, playing shows across the United States and Europe. It’ll be her first time traveling so far away from home, and it’s come with a bit of nervousness and a lot of excitement. “I’m still a human, so maybe I’ll mess up a couple times, but at the end of the day I can promise we’ll have fun. It’ll be kooky, and weird, and spooky, and I’m really excited about that,” she said. Putting art, and by extension yourself, out into the world is never an easy thing, but Mollie’s success so far has shown that the world is ready to hear what she has to say, and big things are awaiting her in the future.
Her first run of shows has already sold out, but Mollie Elizabeth will be continuing the People Pleaser Tour in early 2027, with dates in New York City, Los Angeles, London, and more. Find tickets here, and listen to the “People Pleaser” EP here.
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