Today we welcome an emerging face in the music scene. Sheeva Elliot is bringing old-school rock back in action. It is true that Sheva’s work is based on blues-rock and soul, but it is not tied to any one genre. Her debut album is coming out this summer, recorded live on tape at Sonic Ranch Studios in El Paso. Her debut record showcases her range as a writer & performer, crossing over into diverse genres such as psychedelia, glam rock, pop, and gospel. Sheva’s music comes from her heart and soul. “Art stems from the experiences we have in our interpersonal relationships, and most importantly, the relationship we have with ourselves,” she explains. While we still have to wait for the album, today we are sharing her new video “Somebody Else’s Man” and interviewing Sheva for the first time.
Hi Sheva! Thank you for being with us today. How’s your day going so far?
It’s going forward, thankfully.
Tell us about yourself. What moves you creatively? Can you quote any special muse?
Oh wow, you’re tempting me to get existential here.
Well, the music of those who came before me moves me greatly. Some “muses” include Aretha Franklin, Stevie Nicks, Donny Hathaway, Free, Allman Brothers (and they were all surely touched by their own Muse).
I’m also very moved by the natural world. Often when I feel stuck on a lyric or melody, I go for a hike, and it starts to flow through me.
Generally, I try not to define the “Muse”, I just understand it’s some undefinable, amorphous entity. It keeps me humble – the process of music-making is so magical because it’s utterly mysterious, and the next song is never promised.
Being a woman in the music industry is never easy. What has it been like for you?
Ha, well. It’s even more wild to be a woman in rock n’ roll. I can take good care of myself, and I’m from LA, so I’m not naïve. I will say though I’ve been asked multiple times – all by men – if I’ve written my own songs. Love that question. (Just kidding, I don’t.)
What got you into music? Any special past story comes to your mind in regards to your musical career?
Music chose me more than I chose it. That Muse started work on me early. I started singing when I was four years old, and even started playing with some rhymes and lyrics soon after.
I see your forthcoming album was recorded in El Paso, it must have been quite the experience. Can you share what it was like working with Sonic Ranch Studios?
I absolutely love Sonic Ranch! Tony, the owner, is so full of stories, and the best host one could ask for. The entire staff – from the kitchen staff to the groundskeepers to the assistant engineers – are absolutely wonderful. There’s an aura of peace & kindness that pervades the entire place. I also love that multiple bands are always on the grounds at once – it feels like a big artist retreat or commune.
Clothes in the Kitchen is quite a peculiar name, what’s the background behind it?
Ha, I know. It was inspired by a man I briefly…dated? (You know how it is in LA, very non-committal) He was a screenwriter, and as I’m also a writer, we weren’t often in reality together. He spoke very quickly, chain-smoked, used dated language – he really was like a film noir character. His studio apartment was so small that he had to keep his dresser in the kitchen. And there you have it…Clothes in the Kitchen.
Your video “Somebody Else’s Man” is amazing, your voice is quite astonishing! It was recorded live to tape, what was the process behind it?
Thank you so much! I’m proud of this one. I began writing it a few years ago, but wasn’t quite sure about the melody I had chosen. My producer for this album, Adan Jodorowsky, connected me with Victor Mechanick, a brilliant musician who ended up playing keys and organ on the record. I sent this song to Victor, and he sent me back a voice recording singing my lyrics over a new melody. I absolutely fell in love with it. Sometimes, we need someone else to help us break the code.
The video seems like a tribute to Old Hollywood. Would you like to mention what influenced you into taking this approach?
I grew up watching the films of Bette Davis, Rita Hayworth, Joan Crawford, etc. I also have a degree in film production, so I’m always eager to exercise the craft of making really narrative music videos.
While I’m very much connected to the free-wheeling, rock n’ roll mythos, I wanted to show a softer side of myself. I also wanted to pay homage to the real-life femme fatales who have been immortalized in our collective memory. The likes of Billie Holiday, for example, was on my mind when storyboarding the video.
Lastly, the trope of the femme fatale has some truth many of us can relate to – she’s a beautiful, glamorous character who seems to have everything in the material realm, but is lacking in her heart and spirit. You don’t have to be in the spotlight to understand this kind of longing.
Thank you again, Sheva for having this exclusive interview with us at LADYGUNN! Any famous last words you want to add? Maybe a sneak peek of your next work for your fans?
Pay the Priestess.
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