She attended the Toneheim Folk High School in 2005, and completed a bachelor's degree in Improvised Music on the jazz program at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo from 2006 to 2010, including a period of exchange studies in Cape Town, South Africa.

[1] Brekken is a member of the Hedvig Mollestad Trio including Ivar Loe Bjørnstad.

Ellen Brekken Quartet, including Dag-Filip Roaldsnes (piano), Eskil Sæter (guitar) and Jon Audun Baar (drums), did several gigs during the 2010s.

She and Lars Jakop Rudjord are leading a 7-mans folk/jazz big band called Gruvar.

She has been working regularly for Concerts Norway, different theatres in Norway (Nationaltheatret, Folketeatret, Oslo Nye Teater, Trøndelag Teater), in addition to playing with musicians such as Tord Gustavsen, Espen Rud, Staffan William-Olsson, Ketil Bjørnstad, Karl Seglem, Frode Nymo, Bugge Wesseltoft, Frode Alnæs, Jens Wendelboe, Aasmund Nordstoga, and Ine Hoem.