Originally Published on July 6th, 2026
Honestly, I’m still running on the high I received from The Seventh Gate. In no way was I anticipating more new music from Elly Kace so soon, but I will gladly take it!
Elly Kace, who is a NY-based artist originally from Chicago, is an artist capable of doing incredible things. She is an internationally-acclaimed opera soprano, where she performed under her full name, Elyse Anne Kakacek. In 2021, she began releasing a more contemporary style of music under the stage name Elly Kace. In that time, she has released 3 albums, including The Seventh Gate, and two EPs.
Kace, whose music encompasses such a diversity of sound she practically invented a new genre which she calls “Baroque Pop,” is a visionary. She doesn’t simply throw an album to a distributor and call it a day. In her last EP, if i ask enough could you love me, she released every song as a single prior to releasing the work in full. She repeated the same process for The Seventh Gate. I was particularly drawn to this method because I learned every song had its own story, as if it were a chapter within a book. I was able to build a closer relationship to the music, having been able to dedicate time to each song.
Each release comes with a series of visualizers that further encompass the story behind the music. Kace, who also practices sound healing and yoga, has a way of completely giving herself to the work. When listening to her music, listeners hear the artist directly from her mindset. Every song is like a pose in yoga, an exercise in sound healing, and a thought in her subconscious mind.
Suffice it to say, Kace puts a lot into each and every release. I was surprised to hear that, even in the midst of touring, interviews, sound baths, and more, she is still cooking in the studio as well. When I saw that her next release was slated for July 4th, I was very intrigued.
Oh where are our dear mothers? is a 3 song EP released by Elly Kace on July 4th, 2026. Running at nearly 11 minutes, it features 3 covers; I am Weary, Bright Morning Stars, and Down in the River to Pray. Kace performs these classic folk and bluegrass tunes to her own ambient, organic style, and it sets a mood that is quite unforgettable.
“The United States is a beautiful dream, but one which has lost its connection to wildness and deep feeling rooted in community value. We do not take care of our mothers, of the divine feminine effectively anymore. The ongoing oppression of queer (especially trans) lives, women’s lives, and the lives of people of color is a testament to just how far away from the mark we are. The corporate greed that continues to eat away at our planet and the blind eye that we collectively share is terrifying to me and it needs to be brought to light.” ~ Elly Kace
Kace said this about the EP in her press release. Not only do I happen to agree with her, but I think she is 100% right. Furthermore, I think that these terrifying things have been brought to light and yet there are still so many who are too complacent to care, or worse, have been led to believe these attacks are justified. I now understand that Kace, one of the most artistic and spiritual people I know, wants to illuminate her audience in an effort to reach those complacent ears. She wants to do it, of all ways, through the use of folk and bluegrass music. Kace knew exactly what she was doing, because that is exactly what folk is for.
Oh where are our dear mothers? came to be through a collaboration between Kace and Paton Ashbrook, an actress and filmmaker known for work like Shameless, Ghost, and Minor Premise. Ashbrook commissioned Kace to perform a cover of Bright Morning Stars to be featured in her short film Harvest. Inspired by Ashbrook’s screenplay, Kace expanded on that idea.
This EP covers 3 folk/bluegrass songs, but it is immersive in different ways. There isn’t banjos, fiddles, mandolins, or double bass stylistically played in the sound of the song’s origins. Rather, Kace has introduced these songs to her ambient world of layered vocals, sustained tones, experimental instruments playing experimental parts. She has effortlessly made these covers her own and, as stated, they leave an impression on the audience as they left their mark on her:
“I sing these songs alone with electronic recorded sounds to openly mourn – but also with hope and vision for a future where we can reclaim our connective nature using music as a tool.” ~ Elly Kace
This EP is moving. From where I’m sitting, I don’t see how listeners wouldn’t flock to Kace’s musical pull, as if she were a modern day “Pied Piper,” and yet my beliefs are aligned with hers. Perhaps, the opposition have already felt a pull from something else. Something more nefarious. Maybe Kace’s intent isn’t to persuade after all. What if it is to simply remind us of our better intent, our compassion for humanity. We don’t need to be led by anyone, anywhere. We simply need to be reminded that we are all here, together, and we are more than capable of finding ways to coexist.
Oh where are our dear mothers? released to streaming platforms everywhere on July 4th. This is definitely one you don’t want to wait on. Go press play right now!
Please visit Elly Kace’s website for news, tour dates, merch, and more!
Fifteen Minutes of Fame Music Entertainment 
Leave a comment