Exclusive Interview with E!ENA

Elena (or e!ena) is from a small town close to Boston, Massachusetts, but she currently lives and works in Burlington, Vermont. She resumed making music after a protracted break during which she completed college, ended her collegiate hockey career, and started working as a medical assistant. She now uses songwriting as a coping mechanism for her depression, anxiety, and ADHD symptoms. She has found comfort in expressing herself through moving lyrics and alluring melodies that are complemented by her own vocals, even though she is still learning how to produce (it’s MUCH harder than she thought). Although she has learned to genuinely care less about what others think of her, she still wishes that her lyrics could somehow resonate with someone. Check out her song ‘Bittersweet’ and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

E!ENA: I was born in Boston, MA and raised in Northborough, MA as an only child. Like my mom, I’ve always been an avid fan of music. I started singing and writing my own music for fun when I was around 8 years old. Music has always been a great outlet for me no matter what I am feeling.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

E!ENA: I’ve had some formal training on and off throughout the years. I took guitar lessons starting around age 10 for 3 years, but discontinued once I got to high school. At that point, I started playing ice hockey and I think that that became a huge outlet for my ADHD. While I was still constantly listening to music, I took a break from making my own and focused more on my schoolwork, (undiagnosed ADHD made it feel nearly impossible to keep up) and improving my hockey skills so that I could continue playing at the collegiate level. Now that I’ve graduated college and have more time to focus on music, I’ve started taking guitar lessons again. I took voice lessons for a short period of time as well, but I eventually had to choose between the two due to my budget.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘E!ENA’?

E!ENA: Definitely Stevie Wonder and Amy Winehouse. They have such soulful, jazzy tones that are truly captivating. Amy’s lyrics in particular really resonate with me. I truly love her honesty and how she depicts her thoughts, feelings and experiences through her music. With regard to the artist name ‘E!ena’, I honestly have no good explanation for it. I just thought it looked cool and I wanted something to set me apart from the thousands of other people on streaming services named ‘Elena’.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

E!ENA: The most important part of my music to me is my lyrics. Every song I write has a hidden meaning behind it and tells a personal story. In ‘cognitive dissonance’ for example, I tell the story of a time in which I felt like I had completely lost my mind. My mental health was suffering, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and I’m sure that a lot of people can relate to that. With regard to my sound, I would describe it as a bit jazzy and soulful, with a little bit of pop, folk and R&B mixed in.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as RNB?
**E!ENA:**
Honestly, I think I am still developing and learning about myself as an artist and music maker. When I sat down to write ‘cognitive dissonance’, I wanted to emulate Billie Eilish’s music a bit, (she is my favorite artist, currently). However, during that process, I discovered a totally unique sound of my own that’s definitely a bit more jazz-like and R&B. I think that as I continue to make music, I will develop and grow into myself more.

6. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

E!ENA:

I’m going to say no, simply because I don’t have nearly as much time and energy as I want to have to work more on my music. I currently work full time 8-5 during the week, so the only real time I have to sit down and focus on my music, (without being exhausted) is on the weekends. I would love to be able to focus solely on music, but it just doesn’t pay enough right now for me to be able to do that and survive.

7. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

E!ENA:

It really depends. Usually, I come up with lyrics throughout the day that I write down in my notes app on my phone. Later, I go back to them and see if I can come up with a chord progression that suits them. The same goes for chord progressions, where I might come up with a few that I like, make note of them, and come back to them later with those lyrics from my notes. I have collaborated with a friend of mine on a song I have coming out mid-January. Other than that, I haven’t collaborated with other artists – yet.

8. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

E!ENA:

I’ve definitely been through a lot, which has made me a much stronger person. As a whole, I think that the hardest thing for me has been the ability to overcome trauma that I’ve endured in the past. With that said, I wouldn’t change anything. Without those negative experiences and the mistakes I’ve made, I would not have been able to grow into the person that I am today.

9. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

E!ENA: I honestly love criticism. I think I really learned to love it through playing hockey because I was constantly criticized and that really pushed me to continue working to improve my skills to become the best I could be. Learning from being critiqued is really the best way to grow and improve. When it comes to naysayers or people that are simply trying to bring me down, however, I simply ignore it. Feeding into it only gives them what they want, and that’s to get on your nerves. The fact that I even have naysayers says I’m doing something right.

10. Creative work in a studio environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

E!ENA: Interaction with a live audience, for sure. It’s my dream to be on stage with an audience singing along and dancing with me to my music. The feeling of being able to connect and resonate with new people is simply unbeatable.