Falling for Eliza Elliott
Jenny Sorto
New York based singer-songwriter, Eliza Elliott makes dream-pop music with genuine lyricism. She follows her 2016 debut project Out of the Blue with her new EP heaven is falling, that shows another side to the singer. Beginning as an acoustic artist, Eliza has gracefully transformed her sound into songs full of shimmering production and soft vocals. Eliza’s honesty as a songwriter and heavenly sound will capture your heart.
We had the opportunity to ask Eliza about her new EP, musical inspirations and her journey creating music!
Bad Wreck: What was your overall concept/idea behind heaven is falling?
Eliza: I wouldn’t necessarily say there is a specific concept throughout the EP. I’ve written quite a few songs in the past year and a half and these were the six that continued to resonate with me whether or not they tell an entire story together. A consistency I’ve noticed throughout my songwriting is that I (subconsciously) will write about things in order to figure them out. I’ve never really sat down feeling like “OK I understand this now, so, I should write about it” - it’s more like I need to write out these thoughts and emotions in an attempt to understand them.
BW: How do you feel you’ve grown musically from your last EP?
Eliza: My last EP was the first ever music I’ve released, so, I feel like I’ve probably grown in every way possible. At least I hope! I feel much more comfortable with my voice and vocal performance than I used to. When you start out making music I think you can be overly focused on replicating your heroes and less on how you genuinely sound.
BW: Your songs have a diversity in sound and influences, who are some of your musical inspirations?
Eliza: I’m a big fan of Ryan Beatty - his lyricism and sound. Kacy Hill + Remi Wolf are both women that I listened to while making this EP because of their expressive production. I spent a week only listening to an artist named “emawk” because of how he layers his vocals so perfectly. I really wanted that to come across in my work as well. I appreciate a lot of different styles like both Phoebe Bridgers and Charli XCX’s albums from last year. I love how many people in their twenties like me are succeeding in this industry within almost a genre of their own.
BW: What song on heaven is falling was the most easy/difficult for you to make?
Eliza: The easiest was definitely “sometimes you lie”. I recorded a few pieces in my room (the noisy bits in the beginning included) and brought them to my producer Will and then we straightened out the rest in a day. I think looking back the most difficult was “party song”. There are so many moving pieces going on in that track and finding a good balance between busy and pleasing wasn’t easy.
BW: What is typically your process for making music? Do the lyrics or music usually come first?
Eliza: Lyrics first, almost always. I’m a lyricist more than a musician. Anything I know about music comes from my desire to write a melody for the words in my head.
BW: What's your ideal scenario for creating music? Anything that really inspires you or gets you in a specific mindset?
Eliza: I’ve just moved apartments and set up a pretty nice writing space in my new room so that’s been sweet to have a fresh space to create. I enjoy starting my ideas on my own and then turning to my friends/other writers to help make the idea(s) more concrete.
BW: What’s something you’ve accomplished that you’re proud of? Any future goals you’d like to fulfill as an artist?
Eliza: I’ve hit the million stream mark across platforms (Spotify + Apple Music) which is a pretty big milestone for a small artist. I’m grateful to have people who listen and care about the music I’m putting out. A goal of mine is to go on tour. It would be a dream to be able to open for an artist I respect and travel the country. Of course, this will have to wait until post-pandemic but I still have hope.
BW: What do you want new listeners to know about you and your music?
Eliza: I hope my sincerity comes across through my music. I would like people to know that I’ve started really, really small and not necessarily jumped through all of the hoops that people usually jump through to have a career in music but it’s possible to make both good and earnest music without a degree or massive funding.
Listen to eliza elliott’s new EP heaven is falling!
all photos by Lauren Tepfer