60 Seconds With Lindsay Ell: ‘By the Way’ Singer on Busking, Crocs and Choosing Guitars Over Boyfriends

Last month Lindsay Ell spent 24 hours on Nashville’s Lower Broadway, busking to raise money for charity. It wasn’t her first time playing for tips though. During this 60 Seconds With … interview, fans learn that the “By the Way” singer is an old pro when it comes to fighting for tourist money.

“I used to do anything when I was younger,” Ell shares. “I just wanted to play at fundraisers, stuff downtown, grand openings. I was just like, ‘I’ll be there.’” She’d never played a day-long gig, however. Ell says she looped a six-hour setlist four times, singing and jamming over 300 songs to anyone passing by for lunch, dinner or after hours entertainment. Original songs, covers and requests helped fill in holes.

“We had a Metallica request, so we touched on that briefly,” Ell says. All "tips" were donated to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville.

The rules of a 60 second interview are simple. The artist has the right to pass, the questions can be as random as a slot machine and there are no followup queries allowed. Learn all about the 26-year-old’s first kiss, dream duet partner and most embarrassing fashion blunders. She also talks about choosing between guitars and guys and explains why she has a love/hate relationship with Crocs.

ToC: Have you ever been suspended?

Lindsay Ell: No, I was a huge nerd.

What's one thing that Canada does better than the United States?

Mountains.

How old were you when you had your first kiss?

I was 13. Is that young? That’s kind of young, right?

Have you ever played the video game Guitar Hero?

Yes, and I’m terrible at it!

What are your thoughts on Crocs?

My mom wears Crocs all the time, and I love her to death. But I think they’re terrible. They’re fine if you’re gardening, but yeah I’m not a fan of Crocs.

Did you ever lose a boyfriend because of guitar?

Most of my boyfriends were lost because of guitar. I’ve had four boyfriends in my life, and most of them, yeah. That’s a real relationship. He has a mahogany body, six strings, sleeps with me every night and yeah, we have a great time.

If you could duet with anyone who would it be?

I’m such a John Mayer fan, I’d have to say John Mayer.

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