Elba Rose's Dark-Pop World

Let's dive into the vibrant world of Elba Rose, where music is a family affair and creativity knows no bounds! From jamming to Frank Sinatra with dad to crafting her unique alt-pop sound, Elba's journey is a whirlwind of inspiration and growth. With her latest EP 'Magdalene', she fearlessly explores themes of mental health and self-discovery, infusing her music with authenticity and empowerment. Get ready for more infectious tunes and exciting collaborations as Elba Rose continues to shine bright in the dark-pop scene!

Can you tell us about your journey as a musician and how you got started in the industry?

My dad was always singing Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and the Everly Brothers around the house growing up. I can now honestly say I probably know all the words to most of the Everly Brothers' songs. At the same time, my older brothers were playing Hip Hop, Rap, Rock, and Britpop in the house, so I grew up in a household filled with different genres being played all the time. It really sparked my love for music. I had a couple of failed attempts at learning piano when I was very young and then picked up the guitar around 11 years old, and that was it, I was hooked. I began writing my own music, mostly acoustic songs or more country-style music to begin with. But then I moved away for university to Brighton, which is where I really started to develop my songwriting. I met my producer, RUINER, towards the end of my studies in Brighton, and I've worked on all of my music with him since. This was a real turning point for me in terms of my writing and sound.

What inspired you to create your latest EP 'Magdalene', and what themes did you aim to explore with this project?

There wasn’t really any specific plan when writing ‘Magdalene’. It really is a collection of songs that explore where I was at whilst I was writing. I was struggling with my mental health, and at the same time grappling with that feeling in your twenties where you’re sort of stuck between who you have been and who you want to be. I think I was coming into my own as a person, so it was quite natural to write about it.

How do you approach the songwriting process, particularly when it comes to addressing personal topics like mental health and relationships?

I don’t tend to sit down with a specific topic in mind to write about; I find that quite difficult. I do a lot of free writing, so just dumping everything I'm thinking and feeling on paper, and will often come back to it maybe a week, sometimes longer later, to see if there's anything I can use from it to write a song. That’s how "Blood Bath" was written.

Your music has been described as a blend of alt-pop with moody undertones. What influences have shaped your unique sound?

Definitely working with my producer RUINER, he’s been really fundamental in the development of my sound but also in my development as a writer. He’s constantly pushed me throughout our time working together, and we’ve both brought different influences to the table in the writing and production approach. When I was writing ‘Magdalene’, I had been listening to Billie Eilish's latest album ‘Happier Than Ever’, and her use of crooner melodies really took me back to listening to my dad singing Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin at home growing up, so I took influence subconsciously from that. Also, artists like Lana Del Rey, Lorde, and Banks were big influences.

Could you share with us a bit about your creative process when developing a song, from initial idea to finished product?

‘Magdalene’ was largely written on piano. I sometimes switch between piano and guitar. I'm not very good at piano; I can just about throw a few chords together, but there's something very freeing and loose when writing on piano. Most of the tracks were built out of some sort of free writing I had done. I don’t try to push myself to finish songs in a day; I just come back to them as and when. A few of the ones on this EP, like "Blood Bath" and "Fleeting Fickle", were only really half finished when I sent demos to RUINER. He would then flesh out the structure and his ideas, send it back, and leave spaces for me to write additional sections. So there was quite a bit of back and forth.

'Magdalene' touches on themes of female empowerment and coming into your own. How important is it for you to convey these messages through your music?

It’s taken me a long time to really feel comfortable in my own skin and confident in who I am as a woman. I’m still working on it, so for me, writing about it came quite naturally as I was really just writing about my experience and how I was feeling at the time. Writing about it and expressing how I really felt empowering, so if that message comes across to others, then that's great!

What has been the most rewarding aspect of releasing 'Magdalene' for you personally?

It’s so lovely when people listen to and like the songs. It’s heartwarming when people send you a message or drop a comment saying how much a track means to them.

As an artist who explores intimate and personal themes in your music, how do you navigate vulnerability and authenticity in your songwriting?

I think through writing, I’ve been learning to be more vulnerable. Some of my most honest tracks, like ‘Blood Bath’ and ‘Live Wire’, I really wasn’t sure about releasing or using. They felt a bit too raw, and I guess in a way, I did worry about what people would think. That’s where it’s great having a collaborator like RUINER. If I’m not sure, I send him a voice note, and he’s often given me the confidence to continue with an idea. One of the biggest things for me is trying not to pass judgment on what I’m writing too quickly as well, and also making sure I'm writing for myself first.

Can you share any memorable moments or highlights from your journey as a musician so far?

There have definitely been a few! Anytime I finish writing an EP and we finish production is always a great feeling, but also, the first radio spins I’ve had on BBC Radio One and Six were crazy. Also, people I don’t know messaging to say they like the songs, and over the last few months, people have been coming out to see my shows that have found me through Instagram and TikTok, and that's so lovely to see!

As an artist who explores intimate and personal themes in your music, how do you navigate vulnerability and authenticity in your songwriting?

I think through writing, I’ve been learning to be more vulnerable. Some of my most honest tracks, like ‘Blood Bath’ and ‘Live Wire’, I really wasn’t sure about releasing or using. They felt a bit too raw, and I guess in a way I did worry about what people would think. That’s where it’s great having a collaborator like RUINER. If I’m not sure, I send him a voice note, and he’s often given me the confidence to continue with an idea. One of the biggest things for me as well is trying not to pass judgment on what I’m writing too quickly, and also making sure I’m writing for myself first.

Looking ahead, what can fans expect from you in the future, and do you have any upcoming projects or collaborations in the works?

I’ve recently finished writing and am now in the production phase of my third EP, which I’m really excited about! But I’ve also got a couple of collab tracks coming out with my producer, RUINER, that we wrote during downtime after vocal recording sessions for ‘Magdalene’. The first one is called "HAPPY" and is out on May 9th, and then another one over the summer! So I’m really excited!

Follow Elba Rose on Instagram at @elbarosemusic
Photography by Amy Lauffer Neff for FIZZY MAG.

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