Indie 5-0 with Eli Lev
Eli Lev is the rising folk pop singer/songwriter that hopes to bring us all together as humanity one song at a time. He writes lyrics and produces melodies for everyday enlightenment - songs that resonate because they’re heartfelt, earthy, and offer the wisdom he’s gained through lifelong travel and self-discovery.
Eli has been working on his newest project, an EP called Walk.Talk.Dance.Sing. He’s been releasing singles since 2020 from this project inspired by the pandemic and how it has reshaped our lives so suddenly. His most recent single, “Vacation,” has an Ed Sheeran quality to it with a pop sound that meets a Bon Iver vibe.
We had the chance to speak with Eli Lev in this edition of Indie 5-0. So without further ado, let’s get started:
What was the inspiration for your latest single “Vacation”?
Really it started with gratitude. Just realizing that being with someone I love can make every day feel like a vacation, and that seemingly mundane moments with another person could be just as inspiring and beautiful as any moment on travel to an exotic location.
Your latest single “Vacation” is part of a series of singles from your upcoming EP. What can you share about that project?
Yes! I'm super excited about my upcoming singles EP: Walk.Talk.Dance.Sing. It's a collection of five singles I've written, recorded, and released during the pandemic, and acts as an audio movie of sorts of all the highs and lows I experienced as a creative and as a human. Kind of like a pandemic mix-tape.
What does it take for you to write music?
It takes inspiration, time, and space. My songs come along pretty organically, but they need attention to really become fully realized. I like to put limits on myself like 'write, produce, and record a song in two day' so I can be hyper focused on the songwriting and recording process. Sometimes songs take years to become fully realized, sometimes months, and sometimes a few hours! But in each case I need to make the space to connect with them and give them proper attention.
What made you go into the music industry? Why did you choose music as a career?
I actually kind of feel like music choose me. After I finished my master's degree in education from Indiana University in 2016, I went to Sayulita, Mexico on a solo beach camping trip for two weeks. I remember speaking to the waves saying: "Hey, thanks for a pretty amazing life so far. I've accomplished all I want and have gone on some amazing adventures, so now I'm in your hands." Since then I've just followed the bread crumbs and allowed my life and vocation to reveal itself, and it turns out that creating music and community and traveling the world sharing my songs is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing with my time on this earth. Not gonna lie, it feels pretty good...
If you could perform with any musician/band, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
I'd love to perform with John Denver. I feel like he was exactly the kind of human and songwriter who I'd really enjoy singing songs and just hanging out. I like that he smiles when he sings too, and that his songs connect with our natural world and describe our place in it. I am learning more and more of his songs, so it's kind of like I'm playing along with him one each one.
You can find Eli Lev via: Website // Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // YouTube // TikTok // Spotify // Soundcloud