LOCALE sat down with the remarkable Eleea - a talented musician known for her soul-stirring songs and raw, emotive voice. From her beginnings as a ‘happy little traveller’, to her status as an award-winning singer-songwriter, Eleea’s journey is one of passion, perseverance and poignant storytelling.
Eleea, your latest single ‘Just Friends’ was a finalist in the 2024 Queensland Music Awards Indigenous category. How did it feel to be recognised alongside artists like Busby Marou, Tia Gostelow, and Djawarray?
I’ve always been so grateful to be a part of the QLD music community, and to be acknowledged alongside such a high calibre of artists I genuinely admire. I feel very lucky to live in this state that’s filled to the brim with so much talent!
‘Climbing Trees’ brought you to the grand final of Listen Up Music’s Songwriting Prize. Can you share the story behind this autobiographical song and what the songwriting process was like for you?
The theme for last year’s competition was ‘Belonging’ and my song, ‘Climbing Trees’, told my story of growing up on a farm in Mullumbimby, then moving to the city, then solo travelling to bigger cities all over the world - yet never quite feeling like I’d found my feet anywhere. I remember writing it when I was about to head off for my first big solo Euro trip, and I was terrified. It was really lovely to share that song at the Grand Finals in Sydney and experience all the other songwriter’s interpretations of the theme.
You are currently recording your next EP with Kelsey Berrington. How has working with him influenced your music, and what can fans expect from this upcoming release?
I’ve been playing 100+ shows a year since I was about 20 and in many ways, I feel like I’ve always had a disconnect between my recorded music and my live show. I’m very proud of the indie-pop music I’ve recorded performing with a band, and the experimentation and fun I’ve had in the studio - however, as a mostly solo artist and traveller, it feels right to move towards the acoustic sound that matches the way I wrote this song. Kelsey Berrington releases and produces beautiful folk/country style music and has been a joy to work with on this new chapter of stripped back music.
Your 'Travel Collection' is inspired by your solo backpacking trips to over 45 countries. What do you love about travelling solo? Is there a specific destination that has had an impact on your music and songwriting?
I fell in love with solo backpacking at 19 on a spontaneous month in Japan, and I’ve never fallen out of love with the thrill of the unknown, the possibility of meeting new friends from all over the world and the interesting experiences travel brings. Since then, I’ve solo backpacked extensively through Southeast Asia and Europe, and have touched on America, Africa and The Pacific. Somehow the travel bug is still biting me very hard!
‘The Travel Collection’ is an anthology of 140+ songs inspired by the 45 countries I’ve travelled to, with a song written about every single country/city. It has been a fantastic creative writing tool and way to keep my eyes open for inspiration in every facet of my trip. For example, I’ve gotten lyric ideas from graffiti on a wall in Vienna; the time I broke my foot hiking in the Austrian alps; and when I get bedbugs in Hungary.
These songs are like little postcards to myself of all my travel memories, so it’s a total joy to share them at my shows.
You’re a Gold Coast girl - how has the local environment and culture shaped your music and creative process? Are there any local spots that particularly inspire you?
No matter where I’ve travelled to, I always love coming home to the Gold Coast. This city has so much going for it, but I tend to get a lot of songwriting ideas when I walk my little old chihuahua, Trembles, on the beach every day. It’s a beautiful place to switch off my phone and connect with nature and creativity.
With your heritage of Indigenous Australian, European and Asian backgrounds, how do you weave these diverse cultural influences into your music?
I’ve always felt like a melting pot of all the different parts of my heritage, but mostly understood my place in it through personal oral histories that had been handed down. One’s cultural identity is very interesting, and probably only something I started understanding properly when I grew up a bit, moved from my small hometown and began travelling. Now, I have a huge interest in learning about other people’s backgrounds and experiences, especially when they differ greatly from mine.
My songwriting was heavily inspired by my roots, as almost all of my earliest songs were my retelling of my family’s stories and my experience being weaved into them. There was lots of material to write about, that’s for sure!
You've built an impressive catalogue of over 800 songs. What drives you, how do you continually find new inspiration?
I genuinely adore songwriting and feel like I’ve viewed the world through a storytelling lens since I wrote my first song aged 4.
I’m often most creatively driven when I’m experiencing big emotions: sadness, heartbreak or falling in love; but using tools like ‘The Travel Collection’ or songwriting challenges that I set myself can also allow me to write freely without having to be rooted in strong emotion at the time, which makes the output a lot more sustainable.
You've performed at festivals like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Brisbane Festival. How do these different performance settings influence your live shows and connection with the audience?
I played at Edinburgh Fringe while on a 4-month busking tour throughout Europe in 2017, and it was such an amazing experience seeing a city like that come to life with so much art! And then back home, I’ve been lucky to play at many of the Southeast Queensland festivals and it’s always just a real joy to get to share my stories and music with new crowds.
I think every show that I play helps me hone my craft, whether it’s busking in a park in Rome; singing the national anthem at the Gabba or playing at a quiet bar to nobody.
You were a finalist on The Voice Australia. Has this experience shaped you as an artist, and what did you take away from participating in such a high-profile competition?
As an artist, where everyone’s taste is so subjective, it’s a very valuable thing to build a thick skin and have a healthy relationship with rejection. I really enjoyed taking part in The Voice and all of the great people I met along the many steps of auditioning before the televised Blind Auditions.
I like to think it’s a blessing in disguise that I didn’t progress very far in The Voice, as it led me to a really different path with my original music and allowed me to pursue my Journalism and Public Relations degree, which ultimately led me to work as a travel journalist and music publicist, alongside my singing work. I tend to just have faith that what doesn’t come to me, was never meant for me.
LOCALE FAVES
LOCALE FAVES
Favourite beach to visit?Main Beach (I’m a dog lover!)
Place to grab a coffee? 5B2F Bakehouse, Chirn Park
Favourite place to escape? Gorge Falls, Tallebudgera Valley
Favourite restaurant? JFX, Southport
Favourite spot to chill and have fun with family and friends? Sunset at Burleigh Hill or Coolangatta
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