Something that most people have been through, breakups can be a strenuous time in a person’s life. While painful in the midst of one, these dark times almost always result in growth. Whether you learn more about yourself, find Mr. or Mrs. Right due to it or you end up creatively inspired, the end of a romantic relationship usually leads to better beginnings. In Atlantic Records artist ELHAE‘s case, he gained a record deal due to his.
Inspired by a relationship gone wrong, the sultry singer/rapper poured his feelings into his latest project All Have Fallen. Picking up on the authenticity of his music, the Atlanta, Georgia native’s current label signed the artist and the rest is history.
A sensitive soul, ELHAE was raised in the south by a set of parents with an undying spark for each other. There’s no denying the influence of having a constant example of love as it is prevalent in his outlook on relationships and, in turn, his approach to music.
Currently on tour, ELHAE is spreading his vibes and gaining a fan base due to his genuinely, organic performances. A constant flow of emotions and genres, this talent delivers aesthetically-charged music without compromising his realness.
How long have you been doing what you do? How did you get started?
It’s been about a decade. It started out as just a hobby with some friends in school. I didn’t take it serious until I graduated. That was a defining moment for me because I was left with the option of going to college or pursuing a career in music. I went with music.
Is there an early memory you’d like to share about getting into your craft, such as when you realized this was more than just a hobby or a passion?
I think the moment I saw Pharrell‘s “Frontin'” video I felt like this is what I wanted to do. I don’t really know what it was about that video or song but it changed a lot for me. I guess because I was a kid into skateboarding and music it was cool seeing Pharrell fuse those worlds together.
How do you describe your sound?
I’m big on chords. I’m a keys player myself and, as someone who was raised in the church, I have to have some type of chords in my music. Honestly, it varies, though. There are moments when I want to rap and then there are moments when I want to sing. I don’t put a limit on it. More than likely you can bet it’ll have some sort of R&Bish tone, though. That’s where I’m at with it currently.
Who are your influences? What is some advice that has stuck with you?
Pharrell, of course, is someone I look up to. In more ways than one. I had a chance to sit down with him a couple years ago and he shared a lot of wisdom with me. He honestly influenced the last few projects I’ve put out based off of that one conversation. He told me to continue to touch women with the music. He said, “The dudes are going to follow the women. So, if you got the women, you got everyone.” I’ll never forget that.
What do you hope people take away from listening to your music?
Honestly, I hope they take away the realness of it. Nothing I rap or sing about is fake. They’re real life experiences. I think that’s why I’ve been lucky enough to collect the fans I have so far. Real always recognizes real.
Tell us a little bit about what concepts or themes that reoccur in your new project?
All Have Fallen was a follow up to the previous project called AURA. I wanted the project to be somewhat of a dream where throughout there’s a female who’s responding to all of these songs. So, every now and then you’d hear her say something in response to the previous song or the current one. I was really experimenting on this project; having fun with it. So, to receive the response I got was dope.
What was your creative process like for this project? How did these songs make the cut? Any details about how this project came together would be awesome.
I honestly just went in the booth and laid melodies over beats, not even saying anything, but just murmuring over them. Then, I would later come back and put words to them. Like I said I just had fun with it and tried to be as creative as I could, but overall, it was pretty simple. I knocked this project out in about a month.
What are you hoping to accomplish next in your career?
I’m on tour right now putting in the necessary work to get to that next level. So, more shows and then pretty soon my first album. I honestly just want to create music that I love and that everyone else loves; everything else is extra to me.