London-based alt-pop artist elmss released her debut single, “must b more,” on March 17th. It is a masterful combination of raw lyrics, soulful vocals, and a velvety production. It has such an enticing sound that just draws you in with ease – you’ll definitely want to leave this one on replay. We had the pleasure of interviewing Elmss, and here’s what she had to say:
Q: What’s the story behind “must b more”?
ELMSS: My life like everyone else’s has changed a lot over the past few years. Covid messed a lot up and put us all in a weird position, and at the same time, I was leaving school and then college and trying to navigate a world that nobody has ever seen before. The cost of living crisis alone is enough to make someone go mad and the idea that anyone actually understands what’s going on right now is absurd. It’s a running theme in my life of people trying to teach me things or give me life lessons, believing that because I’m young and trying to pursue music I’m naive and can’t comprehend anything. I think the truth is nobody can comprehend anything, and that age transcends that. I pursue music because it’s the only thing I can comprehend and someone doubting me doesn’t change that. Sure I don’t know anything but who is to say you do? Especially when I’m trying to understand my own life having other people impose themselves onto it, in an already confusing world makes no sense. “must b more” is just those thoughts put into music.
Q: Can you walk us through your creative process for this song?
ELMSS: I’ve been working with Raf Riley and Loup for the better part of a year, however, I had the privilege of going to music college where I was surrounded by the best of the best. I’m lucky to have all of my best friends as part of my musical journey and all are equally as talented in their own right. “must b more” started by me inviting Murphi into one of my sessions with Raf. He made the basis of the drum loop and from there we collaboratively worked on the beat until I was ready to write. I initially wrote completely different lyrics and melodies about god knows what that I hated. Raf and Murphi told me that it was good but when I get into my head about that stuff there’s no coming back. I went home and tried again and that’s what we have now. There were lots of mixes and versions of the song as I and Raf kept talking about the little tweaks it needed before it reached its final form.
Q: What drives you to make music?
ELMSS: My parents are not musical at all. My Dad likes to say he is because he shrieks out-of-tune melodies throughout the house and will forever claim he’s the reason for my talent, but realistically I couldn’t tell you why I always had an interest in music. All I know is that right now it gives me purpose in a world that seems to have none. Creative expression seems to me the purest form of human expression, because if it comes from yourself it can’t lie.
Q: What role do you think music played in the early years of your life?
ELMSS: I grew up in a very political family and in the early years of my life music was presented to me as political expression, which I still agree with but in a less black-and-white way. I grew up with the sounds of ska and punk and other protest movements playing around the house, alongside the stories of how impactful those movements were and how the music shifted mindsets. when I started making music I thought I’d have to try and make my music that way, but I quickly realised it came naturally to me, and all the music I make now has that kind of anger behind it, however inadvertent.
Q: At what point did you decide that you want to be a musician? How did your family react to this?
ELMSS: When I was in school I was very academic and I was urged by my teachers to pursue academia as obviously everyone likes to bring up how unstable of a career music is, however, I always had a hatred for authority and being told what to do, and I knew that who I was suited an unstable and, to be honest pretty mental lifestyle. I knew music was all I really enjoyed by the time I was 14 and planned for that to be my life since then. Whenever someone would tell me I’m stupid for chasing what I know I could do, it would just make me laugh and you can see that in “must b more.” You can never do something and be 100% sure of yourself and your choices but in my eyes, I’m more unsure of all other paths, dreading a 9-5, so all I have left is the manageable option. It’s not that I can see myself loving music all the time because it’s still a career, but it’s that I can’t see myself loving anything else, and I’ve known that forever. I think people in creative industries are scared to admit that it’s not all as idyllic as it’s presented to be, but I’m okay with that. My parents, however, have always been supportive of any choices I make, and have believed in me more than I have sometimes.
Q: Outside of music, what do you enjoy doing?
ELMSS: To be honest, my life is completely music anyway. All my friends are musicians, I work bar jobs that are constantly surrounded by music, and to unwind I listen to music, go to gigs, and go to parties where the main attraction is the music. But I see that side as different from my musical career because music is such a versatile thing. When I’m making music or in the studio or having meetings that’s different from my hobbies and what I do outside of that, even if they are somewhat intertwined. But that’s why I love it because it’s everywhere and it never means the same thing twice.
Interviewed by Zoey King
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