Eli Lieb has come a long, long way from the cornfields of Iowa. The NYC based singer and songwriter has been at the music game for ten years now, and just released the video for the remix of his single “Place of Paradise.” Check it out above and then find out more about Eli in our interview with the singer.
Can you discuss the dichotomy of growing up somewhere like Iowa and then moving out to New York? What was that shift like and where do you feel more at home?
Growing up in a small supportive community actually really grounded me and prepared me to move to a place like New York City. I think the stronger and more grounded you are in yourself, the easier any transition will be. I really never saw New York City as this rough and tough place. I remember I got off the train at Penn Station, fresh from Iowa when I was 20, put my foot on the pavement and just flowed right into the City. It was really natural to me. I guess it was meant to be. I really feel at home in both Iowa and New York. I go back and forth between the two so much, that at this point, I almost can’t tell the difference between them.
What singers did you listen to growing up? Who are your favorite contemporary singers? What singers do you most admire?
When I was a lot younger, I was obsessed with Bjork. I mean, I still love her and she is a great influence on me but when I was young, I was all about Bjork. I’ve also been a huge fan of Fiona Apple ever since she first came on to the scene. But I listen to so many singers now. Joni Mitchel is one of the all time greats – she will never tire on me. Adele, Robyn, I love the singer from The Darkness, and I’m really loving Lana Del Rey.
What was the experience like shooting you first music video?
It was super fun. It was just me and my friends in the middle of Iowa creating something that we were really stoked about making. I remember when I first saw the finished video, I got so emotional. From conception of the video to the finished product was about 2 weeks, and I guess to see the finished video in front of me and what we created really made me emotional. I knew that it was powerful and It was exactly what I had envisioned in my head. It all just worked and when you experience those moments, it’s just awesome.
Do you enjoy performing live? Are you nervous or is it one of your favorite parts of the process?
I definitely enjoy performing live. For me, nothing makes me happier than when I am singing. I get just as much joy when I sing by myself in my apartment as I do when I sing for a lot of people. There is something very meditative about it for me. It’s my deepest form of expression. You know, I don’t really get nervous. I just figure, I don’t have any room for nerves. It would be too exhausting doing this as a profession and getting nervous all the time. I do tend to go into a very quiet inward place before i perform though. I like being alone right before I go on stage.
What are you goals, both in your life and as a singer/songwriter?
Anyone who knows me knows that my number one priority in my life is to just be happy. I fully believe that when you are going towards happiness, all the right things will come into your life in a much more effortless way. going towards happiness equals, quite simply, happiness. My goal as a songwriter is to just never stop growing. We are always expanding and learning and when you really take it all in, it can be such a great creative tool.
Can you talk about your early days in New York City? What was your most memorable performance or experience to date?
My early days in New York were great. I moved there when I was 20 and it was just a time of exploration and transition. I moved there because I knew I wanted to do music. I immediately enrolled in a bunch of performance based music classes at The New School, which were really great. I also found where the best open mics were and started playing there. The first place I ever played was The Sidewalk Cafe in the East Village. That was probably, funnily enough, one of my most memorable experiences. It felt like such a rite of passage. You go there with your guitar at 7:30pm, get a random performance number and most likely perform your one song at 3am. It was horrible and great at the same time. But it really all did start from there for me. The open mic lead to booking my own show there which lead to meeting more musicians and then it kind of just snow balled from there. It’s cool to look back at it all and see where the initial spark happened. For me, it was at The Sidewalk Cafe on 6th and A.
Can you go further into what your meditation brings to your music?
Well, my meditation just brings me more peace of mind, stability, and happiness. and I think that when you have a pretty good hold on those things, so many other things in your life just expand and fall into place. Your personal relationships get better and deeper and your creativity expands. I find it allows me to just tap into that deep place inside of me which absolutely gets expressed through my music. It allows me to create without holding back and without judgment. And I personally believe that when you are truly creating from that truthful deep place, whatever it is that you are creating is far more powerful – be it music, art, anything.
How do you balance having songs that while very much driven by a beat are very lyrical?
I think it’s just what naturally comes out of me. I’m a pretty passionate story teller and any song that i make, whether it be beat driven or just me and a piano, will always have that level of no holds back emotional intensity. I think the emotion that you feel is the link that balances the dance beats with the lyrics.
