11. November 2026
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Media Review

Ela Paul – Gestreift

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Ela Paul - Gestreift

Ela Paul - Gestreift
4.7

Rating

 4.7/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Nice range of songs
  • Very good, personal storytelling

Ela Paul has been already at the first peak of her musical career in the early 2000’s. Thereafter, she was successful on the acting side, where she was part of some popular productions. On 13th November 2026, she is releasing the solo album Gestreift (“Striped”). As I featured her twice this year in my Songs of the Week, I just had to have a listen.

 

Ela Paul – About The Artist

Ela Paul was born as Daniela Förstel on 17th March 1982 in Cologne, Germany. The artist became famous as part of the female pop–folk trio Wonderwall. They have formed in the mid 1990’s already. They were especially successful in 2002, when their song Just More and the corresponding album Witchcraft lead to golden records. The band broke up in 2005. There was an additional episode from 2008 to 2011. On 5th November 2025, Ela Paul released Just More as a solo, acoustic version and released a couple of songs thereafter. Gestreift is her solo debut album.

 

Ela Paul – Gestreift – Track by Track

The twelve song album lasts 35 minutes.

1. Engel

Ich möchte kein Engel mehr sein (“I don’t want to be an angel”) are first words of the opener’s chorus. The is already setting the direction for the entire album: rather quiet singer-songwriter tracks, which focus on Ela Paul’s voice. The story and the message of the song is what she is concentrating on. And that leads to the beauty of this track – even though lines like Ich will mich nie wieder verlieren (“I don’t ever want to lose myself again”) are rather on the sad side.

2. Gestreift

The album starts with three tracks which have already been released beforehand. One of them is the title track. The song comes with wider instrumentation and more presentation. Nonetheless, Ela is clearly aiming to send her message in this uplifting track with a nice pop character.

3. Endlich Sommer

“Finally summer” – the song felt being quite too late when she released it at the end of August 2026. In November 2026, the rhythmic song with brass elements rather drives longing for summer 2027. If you don’t look on the calendar, though, the song spreads beautiful, happy vibes.

4. Unfassbar schön

The positive, uplifting vibes continue with Unfassbar schön. Also from its rhythmic side, the song spreads warmth, happiness and summer vibes. Ela Paul even adds a touch of reggae here. I love it.

Schau mir in die Augen
Du wirst es mir sonst kaum glauben
Dieser Tag ist so unfassbar schön,
So unfass-unfassbar schön

(“Look into my eyes
Otherwise, you will hardly believe it
This day is so incredibly beautiful,
so incred-incredibly beautiful”)

5. An manchen Tagen

A slow piano melody leads into the fifth song of Gestreift, An manchen Tagen. After happy vibes, the song is slow and melancholic. The song is about a farewell after a beloved person chose to finish life. The feelings and memories still hurt until today. This leads to an is absolutely impressing song, you just have to listen while you feel with the artist from my home town.

6. Zähl bis zehn

Sometimes, you need to “Count To Ten”, take a break, and have a refreshed, clear view. That’s the message of the sixth song of Ela Paul’s debut record. The song comes with an easy touch, the melody feels basal and simple. This nicely suits to the simple, but truthful lyrics.

7. Kopf zu laut

Apart from the acoustic guitar, Kopf zu laut (“Head too loud”) starts with the sound of the sea. After a rather slow beginning, the chorus is a very present listen. It catches you with its basic rhythm and the strumming of the guitar.

8. Komm wir feiern das Leben

“Come on, we celebrate life” – another positive message is next on Gestreift. Ela Paul is looking back to childhood memories and states that you should enjoy the moment, as long as you are able to do so.

9. Wir fehlen mir

The title of the ninth track translates to “I am missing us”. The song is about a fading relationship. Things are not the same as they used to be. Ela Paul nicely turns that into a fragile, melancholic listen.

10. Die Einen kommen, die Anderen gehen

“People come and go” – however, this song is about people passing away and leaving a gap in your life. Dreams are destroyed when a beloved person cannot manage to meet your future kids, the thoughts and memories are staying. Ela Paul turns these emotions into another really catching listen.

11. Du bleibst

After singing about missing a beloved person, this song is about love, about giving trust, confidence, making memories together. Du bleibst is relatively short (2:15 minutes), but it definitely leaves a mark.

12. Ich bin mehr

Finally, Ela Paul makes me smile. After having an acoustic version of Just more, her debut album features the German (acoustic) version of the song which made her famous, more than two decades. Ich bin mehr spreads the magic of the original. I love it.

 

Ela Paul – Gestreift – Spotify

I will add the Spotify widget once the album has been published.

 

Ela Paul – Gestreift – Track by Track

Gestreift is a magical listen. There are happy moments as well as melancholic, reflecting songs. And there is Ich bin mehr, which beautifully creates a link to Ela Paul’s first major era in professional music. I just have to cross my fingers for her after listening to this lovely album.

Favorite Song: An manchen Tagen

 

Cologne Postings – Last Year

Here are all posts related to my home town Cologne in Germany shared during the last year:

 

Rides on Rail / Germany

Here are all my Rides on Rail postings related to Germany:

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