Eliana

Meet Eliana

Delicious slow strumming power pop music for all! It’s the one and only Eliana keeping it really real. With poignant lyrics, and a bone to pick with this thing we call life. Get to know the artist, and pump up some of their tunes all in our latest interview.

A self-portrait by Eliana

Would You Rather

shrink five times your actual size, or grow one hundred times your actual size? What would you do?

I would rather shrink. Easier to hide that way. Probably cheaper too since I wouldn’t need to eat/wear as much. Practicality, you know? I’d probably be a bit sneaky and use my small stature to eavesdrop, enlist my services as a P.I. I don’t know, I just visualize myself running to and from objects to hide behind/inside of. I would still make music, but it might sound a bit different.

Some questions with Eliana

Do you view writing as a cathartic experience?

Yes, absolutely. It’s always been the main outlet for me (besides crying ha). When I’m kind of losing it I try to get myself to a place where I can open my notebook and I just write down pages of everything running through my head. Sometimes I’m able to get lyrics out of that process, sometimes I just write three pages of thoughts that I never read again. Writing helps me think, process, and come to conclusions, but it also helps to exhaust my mind and finally rest a bit, get everything out of my head.

What is a word that does not get used enough?

Mellifluous! A nice descriptor. A bit dated but I’d be down to bring it back.

If you were a spy what would be your code name?

Baby Giraffe. I don’t love it’s connotation but multiple people across the globe have called me that. Apparently I walk shakily like one.

What kinds of stories do you gravitate towards in your writing?

I definitely gravitate towards stories surrounding interpersonal relationships, often heartbreak or loss. Even if it’s not my own, I’ve been able to gain a lot of inspiration and imagination from other people’s experiences that they have shared with me, especially if I have not been in similar situations myself. A lot of songs I write are about personal experiences, but some are definitely based on my interpretation of something going on in a friend’s life; I kind of see how our situations connect and combine my stories with theirs. It provides some new ideas to explore/daydream about. I am trying to delve a bit more into other social topics as well but love is pretty easy to be inspired/devastated by.

What was your first live performance like?

My first live performance with this project was shaky, but pretty important. I had performed a lot when I was younger, and never liked the stress. I was very shy. It was pretty quickly into my first show as Eliana that I realized that I could actually enjoy performing and create what I wanted that experience to be/mean for myself, the people I’m playing with, and the people listening. I learned over time that it’s not about being perfectly in tune and hitting every chord right like I had always pushed for in the past. It’s more about sharing an experience in emotive and multi-faceted ways. I get more comfortable and connected with myself and the audience each time. I teared up during a song at my last show. Thankfully it was really dark in the room and no one noticed.

Do you see a direct relationship between tempo and emotion? Does this play into how you write music?

Oh ya. I feel like the majority of Top 100 pop songs I’ve danced to are super upbeat and fast-paced, but when you actually listen to the lyrics those messages can be pretty sad. Other examples are the classic slow ballads that you cry to. It’s more than just emotion, it gets pretty physical as well. If you think about music you might listen to fall asleep, meditate, or calm down to, it usually has a slow tempo that slows the breath and heart-rate. I’ve been trying to push myself to play with tempo more because I generally gravitate towards slower paced music. Writing to a faster tempo has been challenging at times but it also brings something different to the writing process, and oftentimes leaves me in a more energetic mood.

How has your COVID-19 experience been so far?

It’s been… interesting for sure. I feel like life just kind of has this veil over it right now that I can kind of see through but it’s all a bit hazy, so I’m forced to confront myself. I’m very grateful to have been able to take refuge with friends and their families and to be safe and healthy. I’ve had a bit more time to focus on music and these recent releases as well which has been nice. I will admit, it’s kind of hard to write and be creative when you’re not really living your life. Even with all the frustration and anger I have with the world seemingly falling apart right now, I haven’t been able to channel it into a melody yet. It just doesn’t seem like the right response right now for me personally. However I think there is a lesson or two to be had in just being and delving inward, unlearning the pressure and expectation of constant productivity. I also realized I greatly underestimated the value in striving for meaningful relationships. Having people is everything, and having others we relate to is often the only other thing we can find the deepest connection and comfort in when everything else has gone to shit.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

In all seriousness, wear a mask. In all gravity, Black Lives Matter. Thanks for reading this and listening to my music, take care of yourselves :)