INTERVIEW: Eliza May

INTERVIEW:

Eliza May

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IN this interview…

I have been speaking with the simply incredible Eliza May. I have ben speaking with her about the stunning new E.P., Candy Heart. She discusses the inspiration and concept behind the E.P., some of the artists and sounds that have influenced her, and what the rest of this year holds. A wonderful and multi-talented emerging artist, everyone needs to follow and watch Eliza May. She tells me about some important gigs coming up, which other new artists we need to keep an eye out for, how important it is to know that people are connecting with Candy Heart, and whether there is going to be anymore music coming through 2023. Somebody I am tipping for big things and a long future, spend some time today listening to Candy Heart and the music of Eliza May. She is someone that we will be hearing music from for…

A long time to come.

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Hi Eliza May. How are you? How has your 2023 been like so far?

Hi Sam. I’m doing well, thank you! 2023 has been amazing so far. My new E.P., Candy Heart, has just come out, and currently people seem to be enjoying it, which is so nice to see! My band and I also independently held our own E.P. launch too, which was such a magical evening. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the year! I hope your 2023 has been a good one so far too…

Take me back to the start. When did music come into your life? Which artists do you remember falling for at a young age?

To be honest, music has always been in my life. Ever since I was a child, my family always surrounded me with music, and when I was growing up I was always singing and trying to play every instrument I could get my hands on. I started singing when I was about three years old and fell in love with performing and singing instantly. I think the first artist that I loved musically was Avril Lavigne. I remember seeing her music video for Sk8r Boy on MTV and the more I heard her music, the more I loved her Rock-Pop sound and how fun her songs were to sing. I also loved a bit of S Club 7, but who didn’t at that age?

You have an original and personal sound, but are there any other artists that have influenced your music?

Thank you so much! For me, I’m quite heavily influenced by artists such as Paramore, The Wombats, Fickle Friends, and Olivia Dean. When I was a teenager, I loved Paramore and that love for their style of music has always stayed with me. I think that Hayley Williams’ music ability and vocals are unparallel with any other artist out there; she’s always been a big inspiration of mine. I’m also obsessed with Olivia Dean’s soulful Pop sound and the chord progressions she uses. I think that’s started seeping into the way I currently write music too, which is leading me towards a new sound.

“I’ve learnt that sometimes the best songs come from the most painful experiences though, and they’re just as important to share”

Your new E.P., Candy Heart, tells the story of a classic relationship cycle: starting off full of romance, originally tasting sugar sweet but over time, things turn sour as the relationship ends. How did you come to decide on that particular concept and arc for the E.P.?

At first, I didn’t really have a theme for this E.P., as all the songs were written separately over quite a few years. When I was listening back to them, I realised they all had a classic theme in common – love and heartbreak. I also loved the name and concept of my song Candy Heart, and liked the idea of comparing sweet treats to how we view modern-day relationships. Having a few sweet treats at first is great, but if you have too many, over time the taste starts to become sickly. As soon as I sat all the songs down together, I knew that the phrase “Candy Heart” would perfectly capture the whole concept for the E.P., and visually I knew we’d be able to have a lot of fun with it too.

You wrote these songs over the course of six years. Documenting various relationships, was it difficult revisiting some more painful moments for various songs?

Surprisingly not as painful as I thought it would be. But I think that’s mainly because I’m now in a very happy and healthy relationship, and have been for over four years. Whilst I was experiencing my previous relationships, I was writing each song pretty much in the moment, so the songwriting process for songs like Foolish, Edge of This and Empty Dreams for example were much harder to go through emotionally than songs like Green Light and Candy Heart. I’ve learnt that sometimes the best songs come from the most painful experiences though, and they’re just as important to share.

Do you have a personal standout track from the E.P. at all?

Even though I love all of the tracks on Candy Heart, for me Green Light is my personal favourite. It was the first song I ever wrote about my relationship with my current boyfriend - and it reminds me of the original feeling I had where everything seemed too good to be true. Part of me wasn’t sure if I was just seeing things with rose-tinted glasses or if everything genuinely was perfect. I was waiting for there to be a sign, signal or a green light to let me know it was as good as it seemed. I’m particularly in love with the middle eight section of this song when the harmony wall comes in; the lead guitar riff pans from ear to ear, and the keys dance effortlessly in and out of the rest of the instrumentation. Green Light always brings me joy, and it is a lot of fun to play live too!

Although you have just put out an E.P., what do you have your sights set on this year in terms of musical direction?

This year, I’d love to play some more gigs outside of my hometown, specifically in areas like Manchester, Liverpool, Brighton, and London. Last year, my band and I were lucky enough to play in Derbyshire at Y Not? Festival, in Hereford for Hereford Indie Food Festival, and we played a few gigs in London too. But I’d love to play in more new places and spread my music even further. I’m also hoping to record a couple more singles later this year, so keep an eye out for that!

“To see people smiling, dancing, and singing along at gigs makes all the hard work 100000% worth it”

The E.P. seems like it will be readymade for the stage. Quite cathartic for so many people. How important is it knowing that many of your audience will be able to identify with Candy Heart and feel empowered?

It’s so important to me, and it’s one of the main reasons why I started making music in the first place. My main goal is to make myself and other people happy through music, and I feel like this E.P. has done exactly that. My band and I have been playing some of the songs from Candy Heart for quite a while now, and we’ve seen first-hand the positive impact and relatability these songs have for people. To see people smiling, dancing, and singing along at gigs makes all the hard work 100000% worth it. It’s what I make music for, and if I can make at least one person smile, feel heard, or like they’re not alone, then I’m doing my job right.

Where can we see you play this year? Do you have some upcoming gigs lined up?

So, we have a couple of really big gigs coming up that I’m extremely excited about. The first one my band and I are playing is at The Sunflower Lounge on 3rd March for the Isle of Wight Festival New Blood competition alongside four other amazing Birmingham-based bands. I’m also opening for the incredible Jennifer Owens at The Sunflower Lounge on Friday 10th March. We’re playing a few festivals later this year too, but we’re keeping those quiet at the moment as we can’t announce those just yet. Definitely keep an eye on my socials or my website to find out more though. We can’t wait to announce more gig and festivals soon.

There are so many great new artists out there. Apart from yourself, who else should we be checking out?

There are three artists in particular that you should definitely be checking out. First up is Izzii Grace. She’s a Queer Indie Pop artist from London who has the most catchy songs. Her vocals are lush, and her latest song, Hoodies, is absolutely incredible. Next is Naomi Dawes, who’s a singer, songwriter, and producer from Birmingham. She’s just dropped a brand-new E.P. called Siren, and it it’s an incredible listen from start to finish. If you like Florence + The Machine, then you’ll probably like Naomi. Then, finally, I highly recommend the amazing Amelia Wallace. Amelia is a very close friend of mine, and she actually sings harmonies and backing vocals in my band. But alongside that she writes her own music. Her vocals are mesmerizing, and everything she writes is always stuck in my head for days. If you like alternative, soulful Pop music, then Amelia’s music is definitely for you. All three artist’s music can be found on YouTube, Spotify, and other online platforms.

Finally, and for being a good sport, you can choose a song (from another artist) and I will put it here.

Thank you so much! I’d have to go for Hoodies by Izzii Grace! I constantly have it on repeat at the moment!