Lindsay Ell is an artist that many in the industry are expecting big things from in 2016. The Canadian native recently released a new single, “By The Way,” to radio and has been tearing up the road as of late—performing with acts such as The Band Perry and Luke Bryan, as well as sharing stage time and exchanging guitar licks with the one and only Keith Urban. Mysspace catches up with this stunning singer, as she tells the story about performing in Nashville recently—for 24 hours!

First things first, I know you’ve got some new music that you’re excited about. Tell us more.

I actually wrote the song three years ago with Luke Laird and Barry Dean. I remember coming into the room that day and wanting to write something that was really female empowering. I remember when I was little, Shania Twain, Sheryl Crow, and Bonnie Raitt had such a heavy amount of influence on me. They had a little bit of sass but also had a message and were really inspiring. I wanted to write something that was going to connect to females and have them say, “I know what that feels like.”

Fans and critics have praised your energetic live show. Talk about what happens when you take to the stage.

There’s nothing like playing live, especially with playing guitar as a whole. That brings another element to it. You can write a song, sing a song, get on stage and perform it, and that’s great, but the fact that I can stand there and play guitar on it—that gives you another dimension and way to connect with the audience. Guitar solos are words in a song, just in a different form. Playing live is so special. It’s so great to be able to sing songs and have them sing them back to me. That’s so crazy.

You recently spent time swapping guitar licks on stage with Keith Urban. Tell us about that experience.

It’s such a surreal feeling. I have such respect for who Keith is as an artist and as a human being. To be able to get on stage with him made for a very special moment.

You recently spent 24 hours straight playing in Downtown Nashville, helping to raise money for a great cause. What was that like?

It was a crazy day. I had never heard of somebody doing a 24-hour concert before. When we finally decided to do it, I thought, If I’m going to do something this crazy, I want to be able to give back, and do something really good. We accepted donations all day in my guitar case for Vanderbilt’s Children’s’ Hospital in Nashville. I was just so overwhelmed by people’s generosity. So many fans came out to cheer us on, and bring us coffee and doughnuts. I felt very loved.

We understand you battled some elements, weather-wise.

I was not really planning on rain, but I remember checking the forecast the day before and thinking, Uh oh. It was rainy, cold, and really the worst fall conditions we could have asked for. I think it actually helped some. People would walk by and feel sorry for us, so I think we raised even more money than if it had been beautiful. It wasn’t too bad until the last five hours. I started to feel it then. My hand was hurting, so were my fingers and my voice. I was able to make it through the homestretch.

As an artist, how did you set the pace for that performance?

I decided to make a six-hour set list, and I was going to repeat it four times. There were these three girls who stayed the whole time. I couldn’t believe it.

Is it something you would do again?

Well, I definitely got my t-shirt from that whole thing. But, never say never.

Over the course of your career so far, you have gotten to take your music overseas. How receptive are the audiences?

It’s been amazing getting to tour the United States and Canada. I see it all as one big country. Getting to go to Europe with the Band Perry back in 2013, and we were just there with Luke Bryan in March, was such an eye-opening experience. It’s such an indication of just how small the world is. People were barely able to speak English, but they knew the words to the songs. The fans are so dedicated. Both of those were amazing tours to be a part of. I would love to go back there!

The legendary Buddy Guy recently compared you to a young Bonnie Raitt. How do words like that make you feel?

It leaves me speechless. He was one of my idols growing up, so when you have him comparing me to another idol of mine like Bonnie Raitt, it was such a statement. If I can live up to half the career that she has had, then I know I’ll be heading in the right direction, at least.

What would your dream guitar be?

That is a tough question. I’ve been playing Les Paul for years, and they were a huge part of my childhood. Since I started making records, I’ve been playing more Strats and a lot more Teles. I think it’s the combination of all of those three that make it a lot more special. If I had to choose my dream guitar, it would be my Martin Acoustic. That has been around the world with me a couple of times and so many crowds—ranging from 2 to 30,000 people, and we’ve been through a lot together.