Brooke Ellen and Marskiii Explore Anxiety and Connection on ‘Waiting Again’

Blending cinematic synth-pop with raw emotional honesty, Brooke Ellen reunites with close collaborator Marskiii for a haunting new release about anxiety, trust and the fear of things falling apart.

Brooke Ellen returns alongside alt-pop artist and close collaborator Marskiii with ‘Waiting Again’, a cinematic synth-pop release exploring how anxiety and mental health struggles can shape relationships, erode trust and leave us waiting for something to go wrong.

Bringing together Marskiii’s raw, melodic style and Brooke Ellen’s dramatic, otherworldly aesthetic, the track balances dark, vulnerable songwriting with sweeping production and seamlessly interwoven vocals. Drawing on influences including Phoebe Bridgers, Paris Paloma and Yaelokre, it sits at the intersection of emotional intensity and cinematic whimsy.

With a growing creative universe that has amassed a reported 10 million views and streams across platforms, Brooke Ellen has built a connection with listeners through her willingness to explore difficult emotions without losing sight of the beauty within them. On ‘Waiting Again’, that honesty takes centre stage, examining the instinct to retreat when a connection feels too good to be true.

For Brooke, songwriting has long been a way to make sense of difficult experiences and help others feel less alone. Alongside Marskiii, she continues to create a space where vulnerability can exist alongside strength, beauty and self-expression.

We caught up with Brooke Ellen to discuss the personal story behind ‘Waiting Again’, breaking down mental health stigma and finding the balance between artistic honesty and looking after yourself.

1. Your music often explores difficult and deeply personal subjects, including mental health, anxiety and self-destruction. What first inspired you to use songwriting as a way to explore these experiences, and how has that relationship with music developed over time?

Growing up, I feel like these were things that were a big part of my experiences. I was a pretty odd kid and an only child, so it was difficult to find a space where I felt heard and seen. I was always creative, and leaned on music as a way to relate to others, naturally when I began writing myself music was not only a great outlet for everything I was feeling, but a way for me to feel less alone. Over time, It’s become an unbelievable form of therapy for me, as well as something that helps me connect to others around the world with similar thoughts and feelings. - Brooke Ellen

2. Your latest release, Waiting Again, explores how anxiety and mental health struggles can affect our relationships and ability to trust others. What inspired you to explore these themes, and what does the song mean to you personally?

I feel like I’ve always been pretty avoidant; feeling comfortable was never for me, it makes me too nervous. So every time a connection seemed too good to be true, I’d panic; that was the main theme of this song: constantly waiting for something to go wrong. - Brooke Ellen

3. You've spoken openly about subjects that many people still find difficult to discuss. How important is it to you to create music that helps normalise conversations around mental health?

It’s everything. Being able to share things that others don’t talk about helps make them more human; it helps make those who really need it feel less alone. That’s always been my goal with music, to make others feel seen, heard, and connected. That’s why breaching the topics that nobody else will is something I will always push to do. - Brooke Ellen

4. When writing about personal or emotionally challenging experiences, do you find songwriting helps you process your feelings, or can revisiting those emotions sometimes be difficult?

Normally, especially the really raw songs are written in the heat of the moment, with screaming in silence, for example. I wrote this in the middle of feeling powerless; I really was sick to my stomach. That’s how a lot of my songs start, very literally. It definitely does help me process my feelings; it lets me talk it out, but yes, sometimes revisits can bring up the moment I put pen to paper. - Brooke Ellen

5. Your music has reached a growing audience who connect with its honesty and vulnerability. How does it feel knowing that your songs might help someone feel less alone in their own experiences?

It means everything to me. I feel the need to make others see themselves in the same light, as human, as someone who experiences things just like everyone else. That there’s nothing wrong with them; they’re human just like you and me. I hope that anyone who listens to my music and relates feels heard in that moment and less alone. - Brooke Ellen

6. As an artist, how do you balance being open and honest through your music with protecting your own emotional wellbeing and maintaining boundaries between your public and private life?

There are definitely still things I keep to myself; a lot of my music is emotional, not situational. Even when it is I make sure to focus on my emotions more than the situation they surround. It’s important to me to keep that boundary; it’s important for my health, I think. - Brooke Ellen

7. Your artistic identity combines darker themes with an almost angelic, otherworldly aesthetic. Do you see this contrast as a reflection of the different sides of yourself, or is it more about creating a space where difficult emotions can exist alongside beauty?

It’s both! I love contrast and I feel like the world I’ve built is definitely a good example of that. The themes I cover are normally layered with something beautiful, because I think being able to experience anything human is beautiful in it’s own way, but I also feel like two parts of me live in this world that are explored through my music's story: the vulnerable side (Banshee) and the strong, beautiful side (doppelganger). - Brooke Ellen

8. You've built a career while navigating the pressures of releasing music, performing live and maintaining an online presence. What have you learned about looking after yourself while pursuing something you're passionate about?

It’s so important to take breaks! At times, it can feel like music is all I have and all I do, but I have other loves: family, friends, other creative hobbies. I love taking time for these things now and then, making sure I don’t lose myself in that world. It’s difficult sometimes; luckily, the people around me are so caring, marskiii included! They remind me I need to look out for myself too! - Brooke Ellen

9. Do you think there is still a stigma surrounding mental health in the music industry, particularly for young artists, and what would you like to see change?

I think it’s less so what lyrics say and more so the pressures artists can be put under. I think there’s definitely an opening showing in what artists are putting forward; my favourite example right now it ‘Therapy’ by ADELA. Yet, I think there’s so much pressure for numbers and working yourself to the bone in this industry; there definitely needs to be more room for breaks, more boundaries set to protect artists from burning out. - Brooke Ellen

10. If someone listening to Waiting Again is struggling with similar feelings of anxiety, mistrust or emotional exhaustion, what would you hope they take away from the song?

The feeling that they’re not alone; I think that’s the most important thing to feel when listening to anything - Brooke Ellen