Guitarist of the year 2025: Ella Risi
2025 has been many things, but a bad year for music isn’t one of them.
It doesn’t matter what genre you look toward, artists from every corner of the world have managed to contribute towards what has been a seriously solid sonic spin around the sun. Helping to make this music is an ensemble of guitarists, each of whom has been armed to the teeth with shred-ready six-strings, and at Far Out, we’ve been enjoying every single note.
One of the albums that is practically bursting at the seams with killer riffs and face-melting solos is Picture Parlour’s debut, The Parlour. In a 4.5-star review, we didn’t hold back in our adoration for the album.
It read: “If you’re looking for proof that good things are worth patience – look here. Picture Parlour’s decision to deny the calls for quick hits has resulted in a record that could very well go down in history as a modern classic. Rock and roll never went anywhere, but with this band, it’s exciting again.”
Contributing toward the awe-inspiring sound of this record was Ella Risi on the guitar. During a year that has given your avid rock listeners licks a-plenty, it’s Risi who has really stood out, which is why Far Out has opted to name her 2025’s guitarist of the year. SPEECH!
Risi has reflected on the past year, admitting that it’s been hard to properly take anything in, given how surreal the whole thing has been. She said: “When Katherine [Parlour] and I met, we’d have never thought what started out as a bit of fun would become our entire lives.”
So, what is it that makes Risi’s guitar playing so special? There are two very different periods in rock to look toward that will give you some semblance of an answer. The first would be the rock of old, and when I say old, I mean the late ‘60s (apologies to whoever that may offend). There is a sense of discovery in each note she plays, one that seems comparable to what those guitarists towards the back end of the pivotal decade were stumbling upon. It’s clean rock that isn’t afraid to get a touch heavy, it’s a precursor to metal, and it’s laced with personality.
While she captures this sound well, there is also an atmosphere contained within the way she plays, which feels more reminiscent of guitar styles that came a little bit later. You’ll hear a chord, yes, but a chord with purpose. They’re not just there to provide a backing instrumental that can be sung over; rather, they could stand on their own, creating a dominating presence which is pretty difficult to ignore.
‘Moonage Daydream’ by David Bowie is a pretty good comparison for what I’m trying to say. Those individual notes which play after Bowie sings “I’m a mama papa coming for you” are relatively straightforward. Mick Ronson is only playing a Bm, but the gaps he leaves between notes, and the way in which he plays them, give the chord so much more personality and purpose. I would liken this to Risi. Even during sections of music where she plays in the background, she is not there out of convention; she plays a very specific role in giving what some guitarists would see as lifeless chords life.
Despite my Ronson comparison, though, Risi named three specific guitarists when talking about those who have influenced her: Jack White, David Gilmour, and Alice Go. The atmosphere, the blues, and the confidence to pursue a career as a lead guitarist have all helped shape Risi and are built into the foundation of this fierce debut.
First, Jack White, the blues: “I’ve always been a huge White Stripes fan, but when he released No Name around the time we were working on the record, I became obsessed with playing along to it, so his rhythmic & bluesy approach definitely bled into our record.”
Next, David Gilmour, building melody: “David Gilmour has always been a hero of mine since I was a teenager. His melodic approach is what inspired me on our earlier stuff, which ended up on the Face In The Picture EP, but also in moments on the record like Travelling Show’s outro. I hope my playing has the ability to send listeners into orbit the way he does one day.”
Finally, Alice Go, gumption: “Alice Go from Dream Wife was one of the first non-male lead guitarists I saw play live on stage, and that night was pivotal in me thinking I could genuinely belong on stage as a guitarist. Her playing was phenomenal, and I just thought, that’s a fucking rockstar and I want to own my playing like she does.”
These three pillars hold up Ella Risi’s exemplary talent, as she continues to prove herself as one of the most exciting guitarists in the modern age, both when it comes to flamboyant solos and enchanting melody. Anyone who has seen her play live in the past year will have no doubt become swept up in the magnitude of her sound, and even if you haven’t had the chance to catch Picture Parlour live, get a few seconds into their debut album and tell me that this award isn’t going to the right person.
Not only is it great getting to listen to Risi play, but her rise is proof of something people in the creative industry have been saying for years now: inclusivity works. Risi’s expansive range and killer technique may not have been released were it not for the fact that she saw increased diversity within the music industry and realised there was a place for her in it.
“I was always in fear of feeling that I had something extra to prove, being a woman who played lead guitar on a circuit that was literally all men at the time,” she said. “But I think with the increase of representation over the past five years and not feeling so out of place in the industry anymore, mixed with the experience I’ve had over the past few years, my confidence has grown, and I’ve learnt to just give less of a fuck, believe in myself and have fun.”
Risi has also credited increased time (in the studio and in general) to experiment with various styles, sounds and techniques with her 2025 accomplishments. She explained: “Having the time and access to explore those things is probably what I’m most grateful for this year!”
This will be remembered as the year of The Parlour. Picture Parlour released their debut album, which can be recognised by all who have heard it as an instant classic. The songs speak for themselves, but woven into those tracks are individual performances that well and truly shine. The guitar work of Ella Risi has been pretty astonishing for a while now, we heard it on Picture Parlour’s early music clear as day, but on this debut album, it seems she has really come into her own, as she wears her influences on the sleeve that runs down to her pick holding hand, but also doesn’t allow those influences to dictate what she plays.
It’s this blend of new and old, of inspired and inspiring, that gives way to the musical force that is Ella Risi. Get used to the name, my guess is it won’t be the last time you hear it.
