Check out our interview with LA based singer-songwriter Elthia.
With a songwriting style that references her favorite influences from pop music, while still showcasing the elegance of fingerstyle guitar, Elthia has been penning beautifully nostalgic songs, taking listeners on a colorful adventure.
Following the release of her debut EP, Island of Mine, Elthia is unveiling her new single, “i love you, but you make me cry.” The song was the beginning of her new venture towards indie-pop music with dance elements, showcasing delicate instrumentation, soft, dreamy vocals and glittery guitar harmonics.
“i love you, but you make me cry” finds inspiration in magic, with lines like “immersed in your hypnosis, willing to suffocate”, meaning, “I’ll keep obsessing over you, even if I put myself in danger”. The song is about the obsession, knowing that you’re getting hurt and still wanting to reach out anyway. The hypnosis and spells create an image of otherworldly forces taking over you, and that’s what this love feels like.
Follow Elthia @duchesselthia
Hi Elthia, please tell us a little about you?
Hi! My name is Elthia and I’m an indie pop artist in Los Angeles. I just released my debut single, “i love you but you make me cry”.
Describe yourself in 3 words?
Enthusiastic, playful, artist
We’re sure you have been asked this million times but how did you get in the industry?
While I was studying classical guitar in school, I started to post videos on Instagram of myself playing guitar. From there, I learned how to record and edit my music, and now I’m excited to be releasing it!
Describe your sound in 3 words?
Earthy, dreamy, nostalgic
Who influenced you and why did you choose to make music?
I was influenced by the artists that I loved, like The Beatles – I chose to make music because I wanted to follow the footsteps of the artists that I looked up to.
Do you play any instrument?
Yes! I play classical guitar.
Do you ever get nervous?
Yes, all the time – but I’ve learned that, although nervousness doesn’t go away, you get more used to it the more you perform, release music, and put yourself out there.
Tell us about your new single “i love you, but you make me cry”?
This song is about the feeling of wanting to leave a toxic relationship, but still feeling entranced and hypnotized by this love.
What’s the story behind this song?
I started writing the song when I went to a friend’s songwriter’s circle and she had an optional prompt for the meeting, which was: “write a song about an object, but never say what it is”. That was when I had the idea to write a song about an onion, and this was the beginning of “i love you but you make me cry”. After the meeting, I looked back at the lyrics and decided that I wanted to illustrate this idea of a broken relationship where it’s difficult to piece together who is actually in the wrong – is it the person trying to protect themselves and cutting themselves off from the narrator, or is it the narrator that is trying so hard to reach out, but keeps hurting the person they love most? The song is also heavily inspired by magic, by hypnosis, by the obsession with another person and the captivating atmosphere that surrounds them – so while it was originally inspired by an onion, I wanted to take this idea and weave it into a story of obsession, of magic, and of grief.
Did you have plans/concerts planned and cancelled because of COVID? If so have you done any online concerts or interaction with your fans?
Yes, I have had shows and plans cancelled because of COVID (I even had a show cancelled right at the beginning of quarantine). Since then, I’ve been doing live-streams with my fans where I perform my music and hang out with them.
Which project is still on your bucket list?
I’d love to design a really detailed set for my shows one day; I love shows where performers have really beautiful set designs and projections and props that illustrate the aesthetic of the world that the artist builds, and I really want to do something like this one day.
What is fun and rewarding about what you do? And what’s not?
It’s most fun and rewarding to see people being excited about the song! I love seeing videos of people listening and reacting to it.
I think that what’s frustrating about what I do is the consistent need to be on social media all of the time. It can be draining; but at the same time, I also love the connection that it gives me and my music with the rest of the world.
What’s next for Elthia in the last months of 2020?
For the last few months of 2020, I’ll be working on more music and continuing to live-stream for my fans.
What is your favorite song? And why?
It consistently changes; at the moment, it’s “Nobody” by Mitski. Her voice is so incredibly beautiful.
Any loves other than music?
I love hummus, Monsters Inc., anime, art, and Twilight.
If you could meet someone living or dead, who would it be and why?
I would love to meet Lady Gaga because she is the person that I looked to when I was feeling stressed about being in the music industry. I watched her interviews where she gave advice to young artists and it always helped me decide what I wanted to do next.
Best advice ever given?
When I was an undergrad at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, my classmates and I were preparing for our final performance exams (which are called juries) and one of our teachers said, “when preparing for your juries, treat yourself like a child that you love. If that child has a big test coming up, you don’t scream at them, you don’t belittle them; you make sure they’re prepared, you make sure that they’ve had enough to eat, you make sure they are drinking enough water, you tell them you love them, and you tell them that everything is going to be okay.” This piece of advice has really helped me reframe the way that I treat myself, especially when I’m stressed.
How’s a typical day in your life?
I wake up, eat breakfast, read, play guitar, and work on songs.
Name one your strengths?
I never forget to do my skincare routine.
Idea of a perfect Sunday?
A perfect Sunday would be going for a hike, playing music, and watching movies with my friends.
What is you favorite song to belt out in the car/for karaoke?
Hey Ya! by OutKast
What is your own definition of happiness?
My definition of happiness is when I’m with wonderful people.
What is your favorite healthy food?
I love brussels sprouts!
And your favorite cheat food?
I love chocolate in all its forms.
How do you see yourself in 5 years?
In 5 years, I’d still like to be performing and writing and working on music with people.
How would you describe your fashion style?
I really love to make art pieces for whatever style I wear; I made candle pieces that are lit on my fingers for the cover of “i love you but you make me cry”. For me, my fashion is much more about the art pieces to pair with the clothes rather than the actual clothing itself.
What do you think of Social Media?
I think social media is incredible – it’s an amazing tool that we use to connect with each other, but I also think that it’s important to take time away from it, because it can be incredibly consuming. I think that we still have a lot to learn about how to live our lives in a healthy way with social media.
Where we can follow you?
https://www.instagram.com/duchesselthia/
https://www.facebook.com/duchesselthia/
https://twitter.com/duchesselthia
https://soundcloud.com/duchesselthia
Quote: “You have to cancel out the noise and remember that it’s your thoughts that matter.” – Lady Gaga
Movie: Monsters University
Travel Destination: Costa Rica
