In today’s do-it-yourself musical culture, when everybody with a laptop and an internet connection can make music and instantly share it with the world, we’re always swamped with sounds and voices. But every now and then, there comes a voice that is heard louder and clearer than the others; a sparkling presence that shines among the crowd. Such is the case with Elle Eliades, a young singer with a soulful, assertive voice, making music in the vein of her R&B heroes. Having just released her first EP, aptly named ‘Genesis’, she was keen on sharing her experience, dreams, and aspirations with us.

How has your journey in music been so far?
My musical journey has been very exciting and rewarding so far and I have learnt so much over the years. I have always had a passion for singing and was a very energetic and confident child, I would take any opportunity to perform for my family. I started learning the piano when I was five years old and then taught myself the guitar when I was 13. After learning the guitar I started playing at bars, restaurants and cafes around Melbourne. I then started songwriting and making beats on my laptop and crafting my own sound soon after.

I have just recently released my debut EP album ‘Genesis’ which I am so excited to share with the public. I wrote most of the songs on this EP more than a year ago and spent 2016 in the studio working on putting it together. It feels amazing to finally have it out there. I also collaborated with a Sydney based DJ called Nemø on a club track called Lifeline, which reached number 19 on the ARIA club charts earlier this year and which was super fun to be a part of.

I am currently working on new music with more of an R&B vibe set to be released in 2018, which I cannot wait for, as I always loved R&B music growing up and am having the best time making the music that I love listening to. I have also recently collaborated with two very talented DJs from Europe on a club track in which they made the track and I wrote the song and contributed the vocals, as the feature artist; this is set to be released in early 2018.

How can anyone get to listen to your music?
My original music is available on most online music platforms such as Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, and others, with much more new original music coming early next year. I also post regular covers of well-known songs on my Soundcloud and Youtube pages (https://soundcloud.com/elleeliades andyoutube.com/elleeliades).

I play a lot of live gigs around Melbourne and you can keep updated with where I am singing as well as new music updates on my Facebook page (facebook.com/elleeliades).

How would you describe your music to someone who’s not familiar with it?
I would describe my music as a story or experience. Authentic happiness is something important to me and is essential for all of us. My music is written to engage others in a familiar story which they can relate to and enjoy for a bigger purpose.

If your EP was a movie soundtrack, what kind of movie would that be?
It would probably be a movie about a young child who thinks love is like a fairytale from watching too many Disney movies (Cinderella). As a teenager growing up, she goes through her own experiences and learns things along the way (Insomnia and Losing Interest). Having witnessed her grandmother’s dementia worsen following the passing of her grandfather, she realises that her dementia didn’t become worse sooner because he would help her when she forgot things and they were both dependent on one another. She aspires to have the same strong love that exists between an old couple, which can make any sickness, disease or any adverse situation much more bearable (Until the End). All in all, a life of being grateful.

What’s it like starting a career in music today?
Back in the day, most artists were discovered from playing live, whereas today, with the internet and technology, there is so much opportunity to do things ourselves, such as produce our own music, write our own songs, promote ourselves, book our own gigs, teach ourselves instruments. I would say there is a lot more opportunity but there is also a lot more competition. So starting a career in music today is exciting, because you can experiment with different sounds just from being at home on your laptop creating your music.

What has been the greatest challenge you’ve had to face?
The greatest challenge was overcoming my fear of performing. As a child I was very confident and loved to perform, but as I got older I became a bit shy and developed a fear of performing, which for a while held me back. There were many times when I would perform and knew that I was holding back and wasn’t performing as well as I knew I could and my plan was to keep building on this. It was so frustrating and I would always be disappointed in myself, but now I feel a sense of achievement whenever I perform, because I remember how I used to feel on stage, compared to now. The other day actually, one of my coaches from a few years ago watched me perform and she said ‘its like watching a new person, you couldn’t even get up on stage before’. This helps me to better connect with my audience.

What is your greatest aspiration?
My greatest aspiration is to sell out my own headline show in a stadium filled with thousands of people and put that money into a fundraising or charity organisation.

Who are your heroes?
My musical influences include Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, and Alicia Keys. As a songwriter I also look up to a lot of up and coming young artists, such as Daniel Caesar and H.E.R. I admire Beyonce’s performance ability; she is a superhuman. Alicia Keys has so much soul, and Stevie Wonder has a sweet feel-good vibe that can make anybody smile.

How has your Greek background influenced your foray in music?
Firstly my Greek background has influenced me a lot in life in general. I come from a very hardworking family; my yiayia and pappou on both sides of my family came to Australia with little to no money and made a living for themselves and their families. I feel very blessed to have opportunities that they didn’t because of them and I feel that I have definitely inherited this hardworking trait from them as have my parents. I also loved listening to Elena Paparizou when I was little.

What does being Greek mean to you?
Being Greek means family and traditions and most of all love. I am very close with my family and I love going to Greece and Cyprus to where my grandparents grew up. Love is important to understand and I feel this can be shared via music and can help others, I am grateful for that.