El Tee Returns With ‘Too Afraid To Ask For Love’ Single And Music Video + Announces Naarm Single Launch

Naarm/Melbourne-via-California indie-folk artist El Tee (AKA Lauren Tarver) follows ‘Baby’ with new single, ‘Too Afraid To Ask For Love’, out now independently. Accompanied by a self-directed and edited music video, the track was written by Tarver in collaboration with Andrew Huhtanen McEwan (Gregor, Tongue Dissolver, Wet Kiss, bodies of divine infinite and eternal spirit), who co-arranged, co-produced, recorded and mixed the track.

‘Too Afraid To Ask For Love’ is a raw and honest exploration of longing, self-sabotage, and the eternal search for connection. Tarver shares, "I was living alone in a new apartment, and the constant lockdowns made me feel incredibly isolated. The song explores the universal desire for love and connection, and the fear of being rejected or abandoned."

The single takes listeners on an emotional journey through the stages of longing, from initial hope to eventual resignation. Each verse paints a vivid picture of unrequited love, drawing on both childhood experiences and adult relationships.

To complement the single, El Tee has released a self-directed and edited music video. Filmed on the stolen lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people, the video captures the song's sombre tone and intimate atmosphere. Tarver explains, "I wanted this clip to serve as a simple backdrop to the mood of the song, which embodies solitude, darkness, and loneliness."

While the video primarily focuses on introspection and isolation, there are moments of light and playfulness, reflecting the complexities of human emotion. Tarver adds, "I wanted to bring a sense of lightness into the darkness. It's hard to take myself too seriously, and it was nice to balance some of the weight with a bit of silliness."

El Tee has been building a devoted following amongst the Australian music scene since 2018. Positioning herself as much more than just an honest and vulnerable songwriter, she demands attention, marrying dark-mood lyrics with a blanket of warmth and intimacy. She released her debut album, Everything Is Fine in 2020, receiving critical acclaim, and celebrated with a sold-out album launch. The album topped Australian community radio charts, garnered spins on triple j, and received feature album on several radio and media sources including 2SER and NME. Soon after, El Tee embarked on her first headline tour and was shortlisted for the Music Victoria Award for Best Rock Act 2021.

For her debut album, Tarver would take the bones of a new song to her backing band, arrange it at practice and test it live before making it to the studio. For her new collection of pop-leaning singles, she switched into a more intimate collaborative dynamic, shaping the structure and tone of her new tracks from the outset with long-time friend Andrew Huhtanen McEwan (Gregor, RVG, bodies of divine infinite and eternal spirit, Huntly). “The approach has given me more control over the arrangement and production, which has become more important to me,” explains Tarver.

At the time, Tarver was planning to relocate to Los Angeles, but recording one song with McEwan turned into recording two, then three. The move was postponed indefinitely, with Tarver granted Australian Permanent Residency soon after.

While Tarver uses songwriting as a means to navigate tender and sometimes fraught emotional exchanges, there’s a power that comes from standing her ground, holding her lyrics like a mirror to the truth. “These new singles are my first since my Saturn return,” she says. “I feel like I’ve come out the other end like a butterfly out of its cocoon, truly.”

El Tee has been compared to the likes of Angel Olsen and Lucy Dacus. Her songs saunter through chilling, intimate moments, and then drive hard and fast straight into the pit of your heart – all within the same few minutes. Often backed by a four-piece band, El Tee has supported Blake Scott, Ryan Downey, Clea, Alice Skye, and Freya Josephine Hollick and has graced lineups alongside artists including Julia Jacklin, Good Morning and Elizabeth. Playing various local notable gigs and festivals such as Delivered Live, the Instagram live Isol-Aid Festival, Music That Matters Bushfire Benefit and Leaps and Bounds Music Festival, El Tee has been steadily gathering a wake of dedicated music lovers in tow.

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