If there’s one thing Eliott should be known for, it’s her ability to tell a story.
Born in regional Victoria and now living in Melbourne, the 23-year-old musician has always had songwriting and lyricism at the forefront of her sound. As a teenager, Eliott and her guitar were already exploring the complexities of adolescence through entirely original music, and at 21, her debut EP Bold Enough built itself around a similar sense of turmoil, likewise the few singles that have come out since: ‘Shaking My Hips’ and ‘Find A Way’.
What sets Eliott’s music apart, however, is her ability to convey this turmoil in a way that makes the listener feel it for themselves; every inch of emotion making themselves known through her infatuating vocal, and the way her lyrics embed themselves in the swirling, subtle productions accompanying them. This powerful, longing sense of emotive relief is a characteristic trait of her music that keeps people coming back, and has already garnered a fair share of attention for the musician behind it. Since releasing Bold Enough in 2018, for example, Eliott has collaborated with musicians such as The Kite String Tangle and LUCIANBLOMKAMP, and supported Matt Corby and Dean Lewis on national tours amongst sold out headline shows of her own.
Released in April this year, Eliott’s last single ‘Circles’ was a testament to the power of her songwriting and her ability to translate reflections of her past into show-stopping, heart-gripping pop. It was empowering for Eliott, and it struck a chord with others too. The song was premiered on triple j’s Good Nights and has already struck a million streams online. While touring hasn’t turned out exactly how it was planned, she was quick to adapt a stripped-back live show for YouTube’s Music Sessions series supporting Paul Kelly, and online events such as Isol-Aid.
‘Circles’ was a big, brilliant moment for Eliott. However, there’s something special about her new track ‘Home’ that separates it from the rest. Written in Sydney with Chris Collins (Skegss, Didirri, Yorke), ‘Home’ is an aching moment of homesickness that poured out of Eliott not long after returning to Australia following back-to-back tours. It recollects how it feels to reunite with your family after so long apart, and how reconnecting often grounds you, bringing you back to earth after an extensive period of time touring it.
The single also arrives with an official video that’s amongst one of the most touching and emotional for the year, featuring her close-knit family making their music video debut. Directed by Tim Nathan, the video for ‘Home’ shows her family members listening to the song for the first time; her mother, father and siblings reacting to Eliott’s respective verses about them, and the sheer emotional power that impacts each of them.
As Eliott mentions, it was an emotional music video to film. There’s a moment when her mother breaks down into tears, listening to Eliott sing about her relationship with her father and siblings, and how her mother very much keeps it all together. The weekend they filmed was the first time Eliott had seen her family in months – having been in Paris recording prior to that – and considering her close-knit connection to her family, it holds a special place in Eliott’s heart too. “I love it, I think it’s my favourite video that we’ve ever done,” she beams. “I didn’t really feel like I was working at all, I was just spending a weekend away at home, spending time with my family.”
It’s a powerful moment, made only more potent by the circumstances it’s being released within. Although the single and video were created long before border restrictions came into play, ‘Home’ and its visual accompaniment hits a soft spot for those that have been split from their family due to coronavirus, unable to visit home due to restrictions separating interstate travel.
“I think there are so many people at the moment who are away from their home, and haven’t seen their family in months,” Eliott reflects. “I think it’ll really connect with people because of that, but I also hope it makes people take a step back and reflect on the special times they’ve had with their families and really appreciate it.”
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