Ellie Banke

Bitter Jester Music Festival Judge

Ellie Banke is a passionate singer/songwriter from the suburbs of Chicago.

Like the brilliant red and gold jackets adorned by the trees in the thick of Autumn, Ellie’s music ushers crisp clarity and magic into the world.

Her music often blends pop, indie, and R&B influences and she is known for seamlessly blending various genres and styles with painstakingly honest lyrics, allowing her listeners to be transported to old and new worlds alike.

Ellie released her first song at sixteen, and took to social media in 2022 to promote her artistry.

She has three songs (“I Got U, U Got Me,” “928 Miles,” and “Ireland”) charting over a million streams each on Spotify.

Ellie’s deepest passion is using her music to uplift and inspire as many people as possible. With a rapidly growing fan base of nearly 2.5 million people across various social media platforms, she remains devoted to sharing her unique sound.

Her remarkable talent has catapulted her into the social media spotlight, especially through her collaborations with vocal coach Cheryl Porter (who calls her “a crazy, insane, out of this world, alien vocalist.”

Her rising stardom has caught the attention of global superstar Ed Sheeran, who recently flew her to London to sing with him.

She’s also been recognized by renowned talents such as H.E.R, Julia Michaels, Kristin Chenoweth, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Rita Ora.

With her online presence expanding rapidly, Ellie continues to connect with new audiences around the world every day.

She also enjoys working, teaching, and coaching locally and is thrilled to be a first-time judge for the Bitter Jester Music Festival, an event for up-and-coming artists that she admires and is excited to be a part of!