Unexpected life diversions often generate unlikely twists and turns that always make for a good story. In the case of London-based singer/songwriter Eloise, a missed flight became a catalyst for a creative goldmine. ‘Drunk On A Flight,’ a highly anticipated debut album by Eloise, packages a cohesive coming-of-age project making sense out of unforeseen circumstances.
Learning more about Eloise’s journey, the 23-year-old star has a history of being at the right place and time, with a lot of hard work in between. Being cast in a leading role in the British arthouse movie ‘Broken’ – Eloise was able to collaborate with Damon Albarn on the film’s soundtrack at the age of 10.
During her teenage years, when Eloise was channeling her inner pop star into acoustic covers, her version of Bruno Major’s ‘Second Time’ traveled all the way to Major himself, who asked Eloise to duet the track at his London show. Following her impressing appearance, she was invited to join Major on his US tour playing a solo set and contributing keyboards and backing vocals.
Fast forward to today, Eloise has two successful EPs, ‘This Thing Called Living’ has caught the attention of Billie Eilish, and her sophomore growing pains EP ‘Somewhere In Between.’
Today, Eloise releases her full-length debut album ‘Drunk On A Flight’ which sublimely conceptualises chaotic youthful upshots. Once she took away ego out of the equation, the newly discovered form of songwriting inspired more than 50 songs that she narrowed down into a 12-track narration of coming of age, recorded in London alongside South London producer Connor Albert.
‘Drunk On A Flight’ embraces the moment, and so should you. Eloise welcomed a new creative shift that blends classic soft jazz elements with pop and a pinch of heartbreak blues that produced an honest epitome of the unknown; the unknown city, feelings, and future.
Eloise also announced her headlining European tour dates that’ll kick off on June 2nd in Paris at La Maroquinerie and culminate at London’s iconic KOKO.
How did you start off this year?
By recovering from a hangover bad enough to inspire several more hangover-themed songs…
How would you describe your childhood?
Fairly idyllic; I grew up in rural France with old movies and without internet so I was so free to express myself however I wanted to which ended up being making a racket.
How was it collaborating with Damon Albarn on the soundtrack for Broken?
An unforgettable experience. He just gave me so much freedom to explore every crevice of my musical creativity. I think that experience was the thing that made me sure music was what I wanted to do.
How do you get into ‘performing mode’?
Honestly I stop drinking any alcohol and stop thinking about it. Performance is such a bizarre thing if you zoom out…and I can’t quite get over the fact that everyone acts normal about the fact that some people are on an elevated platform with thousands of people looking up at them! So I just try to blow it away and enjoy it all minute by minute.
What was your favourite studio session and favourite show so far?
Favourite session: Impossible to choose one but maybe making drunk on a flight with Connor. It was in the dead of summer and we had the shed doors open, drinking Diet Coke with all the time in the world to make whatever we wanted to make.
Favourite show so far: Lafayette in London because it was the first headline show I did where I felt in the right place. I felt confident and everyone sang with me and I got to go and be silly with my friends and family after.
What does your new album ‘Drunk On A Flight’ represent to you?
It’s kind of a freeze frame of all the chaos you can inflict and go through in a short period of time in your early twenties. I feel that, much like when you a child, we tend to think things are massive at the time…and then things pass and that doesn’t change no matter how old you get. The stakes get higher but that’s it.
What was it about missing a flight that caused this creative shift?
By missing that flight I had to crash at my friend’s house in LA and we ended up writing my first ever pop song and i was hooked (pardon the pun). I had just learnt this new method of writing and when I eventually got back to London, I began to approach what became this album like that.
What would be the best soundtrack for walking the streets alone in your opinion?
I reckon if you’re in a great mood, Sleeping Alone by Higgo or the whole DAMN album by Kendrick.
If you’re in your feels, the album Who Are You Now by Maddison Cunningham.
Which song do you wish you had written yourself?
At Seventeen by Janis Ian because it’s so me. The style of lyrics and the chord choices are just right up my street and I love how much it makes you ache.
You’ve been taking leaps of faith last year, what do you have in store this year?
If I’ve covered the leaps, I’ll move on to the bounds…I want to keep changing and evolving and I already know what my next album is going to be like and it’s nothing like this one! Which is so exciting because by changing I’ll never get bored of this wonderful “job” I do.
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Words: Karolina Kramplova