Out and proud indie singer/songwriter Eli Lieb recently released his new album, The Nights We Lived.
In July of 2013, Eli got the attention of the music world with his power pop anthem, “Young Love.” Music blog Idolator called it “an instantly catchy, uplifting pop/rock anthem that sounds like a cross between Katy Perry and Bruce Springsteen.”
Thanks to its strong pop hook and a message of living out and proud, the song and the video struck a chord with many people. The music video for “Young Love” since garnered almost 8 million YouTube views.
In October of 2013, Eli was inspired to record a cover of “Wrecking Ball” that went viral in just 24 hours. The video was promoted in social media by singers Adam Lambert and Lucy Hale, and celebrities Rosie O’Donnell and Bob Harper. Eli’s cover of “Wrecking Ball” reached one million views in under a week, and at this writing the video has over 5.3 million views.
I recently spoke to the handsome artist about his work.
Asked if he sets out to tell a specific story in his music, Eli says, "A lot of times my songs really do just come out. When I look back at it, it's almost like I don't really remember writing it. Whatever comes out, I just let it be, and it'll very quickly start to manifest and I'll understand what it's about."
"I write songs and I somehow have managed to be able to put experience into a song."
Having spent some years in Los Angeles, and although he acknowledges good friends there, Eli is open about how it wasn't a good fit for him.
"It was just so dog-eat-dog and every cliché you hear about it is true. It's very, very hard to find a genuine relationship and to trust a genuine relationship because everybody has some ulterior motive, and if they think you're a shiny object, they're all over you," says Eli. "And then the second they see any kind of scuff in that shine, they're gone."
You can check out my interview via podcast below:
Eli says the title track of his latest album, “The Nights We Lived,” is his most intimate recording yet.
“It documents specific time periods in my life,” he said. “I picked this song as the title track to the album because the whole record is an accumulation of experiences that have lead to who and where I am today.”
The music video uses footage spanning 15 years as Eli takes a musical look back, and it's a life full of ups and downs, including a complicated, abusive relationship:
When I was 29 I fell in love with a monster
Hidden in the sly cloak of a charmer
Plotting to destroy all of me
That's when I learned what love and abuse was
Yeah I think I still have a few of his scars
If you look closely you can see
The track, authentic and raw in its emotional landscape, delivers fat, rich production with 80s power anthem vocals.
As a journalist who loves mainstream pop music, I'm happy to share Eli's latest music with you.
As a pop music fan, I can honestly say I personally plunk down my money to buy Eli's music. I think he's great. He connects; he's open; and he understands the power of music.
And as an LGBT activist, I'm always jazzed to see an artist as talented as Eli present our lives and loves so fully in his music.
Check out the music video for “The Nights We Lived” below. You should definitely check out more of his music on his YouTube channel here. ("Zeppelin" totally kills…)
Eli's new album is currently available at all digital download sites.
