Elodie Adams inSUBORDINATE Interview

Elodie Adams inSUBORDINATE Interview

Melbourne based neo-gothic, rock singer Elodie Adams has announced the release of her debut single, Born To Love You (out August 15) lifted from her debut EP, inSUBORDINATE, set for release on August 22. Elodie will be launching the EP at The Tote in Melbourne on Thursday August 28th.

A remix of Born To Love You has been hand picked by Video Game luminary, Lorne Lanning as the new theme song for his internationally acclaimed and best selling PlayStation game, Oddworld: New -n' Tasty; quite a feat for a young artist on their debut.

It was a simple Facebook message sent to the team at Oddworld that resulted in Born To Love You being chosen for Oddworld: New -n' Tasty. 'Stumbling across the hidden talents of Elodie Adams was such an amazing and exciting discovery for us here at Oddworld… we're thrilled to be showcasing this new Australian artist on a global platform and are looking forward to watching her star rise," explains Oddworld co-founder, Lorne Lanning.

The lead single, Born To Love You blends industrial rock with horror movie ambience, set against a backdrop of neo-romantic symphonic orchestration; designed to create a larger-than-life sound stage upon which dramatic internal conflict unfolds. The thought provoking, sensual lyrics delivered by Elodie's emotive, soaring vocals are complemented by delicately placed strings, combining to create a picturesque vision of sound.

Having studied classical violin from the age of 4 and opera from the age of 7, Elodie has spent the last decade honing her unique sound, which she herself describes as 'a hybrid between heavy rock and symphonic electronica"; a unique combination of genres that are aptly encompassed on Born To Love You.

The clip for Born To Love You explores the juxtaposition of fantasy and reality and the consequences that ensue when both collide. 'I wanted to visually represent the protagonist's struggle with her desires through the eyes of two people… the 'real" version of herself and the 'fantasy" of her ideal self," explains Elodie.

Two years in the making, inSUBORDINATE was produced by Lee Bradshaw at Baker Street Studios in Melbourne, and mixed by Benny Grotto (Amanda Palmer, Ben Folds) at Mad Oak in Boston, MA. inSUBORDINATE is dominated by synths, heavy guitars and rhythm sections comprised of drum machine beats and captivating strings, showcasing Elodie's love of classical music.

August 28 will showcase 'A version of the record that is hyper-realised; dramatic and characterful, and the live band creates a far more visceral musical experience," says Elodie, of her upcoming EP launch at The Tote.

Tickets to the EP launch on Thursday August 28 at The Tote, Melbourne are available now http://thetotehotel.com/

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Interview with Elodie Adams

Question: How would you describe your music?

Elodie Adams: Neo-Romantic Post-Industrial Stalker-Rock

Question: What was the main inspired behind Born To Love You?

Elodie Adams: I wrote the chorus hook of Born To Love You on a return plane trip to Melbourne when I was around 19 or 20 years old. I had done an audition in Sydney, then flown to Adelaide to spend some time with friends in the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra... over the timeframe of about 48 hours without sleeping…

I remember being past the point of exhaustion and captured in this state... my mind is usually so full, but at that moment it was completely blank… and at that moment the chorus melody entered my mind.

During that plane ride I remember reflecting upon the hours before and how much of a blur my life was becoming. As I was getting older and more immersed in the music industry I felt increasingly surrounded by people I hardly knew… or only knew on a shallow, surface level. And in retrospect, I think I wrote Born To Love You as a reflection of feeling very isolated at that time.


Question: How does it feel to have your song feature on Oddworld: New -n' Tasty?

Elodie Adams: I've been a fan of the game for so long, and the Oddworld universe as an art form, that the opportunity to actually be a part of it and to contribute to this new imagining was both incredibly gratifying and humbling.


Question: How did the feature on Oddworld: New -n' Tasty come about?

Elodie Adams: A friend of mine introduced the Oddworld co-founder Lorne Lanning, to me on Facebook and it all went from there.

Lorne is so passionate about his art form and is also very inspiring person in general that it has been been a wonderful learning experience for me to work on such a large-scale project.


Question: Do you write your own songs? What's your inspiration?

Elodie Adams: Yes, I absolutely do write and co-produce all of my music. The songwriting and production is what I feel makes me who I am as a person and as an artist.
I am rarely inspired by my own real life experiences. I love the excitement and limitless possibility of fantasy … so more often than not I will be inspired by a vision, seen in my mind either during waking hours or in a dream… or by another art form… an aural response to language, film, painting, photography… Classical music has always been great inspiration to me.


Question: What music/artists do you listen to when you are not playing your own?

Elodie Adams: Classical music was and will always be my first love… I began learning the violin at 4 years of age so I suppose I always come back to my favourite composers… Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Chopin, Bach… Vaughan Williams.

As a producer, I am definitely inspired by Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails.

Portishead, Bjork, A Perfect Circle, Deftones, Dave Matthews Band never leave my iPod… and I also enjoy David Garrett's crossover and classical repertoire.

Also, Thomas Newman is a great inspiration for me as an instrumental composer. His work really speaks to me on another plane.


Question: What's next? Tour/Album/Single?

Elodie Adams: It has been such a long journey getting here! I am really not sure what the future holds. I know I definitely want to focus more on playing live as so much time has been spent recording in the studio over the past two years… there is nothing quite like a live audience! Maybe a tour… who knows!


Question: Was there a moment you contemplated throwing in the towel?

Elodie Adams: Of course! Many times… I am very fortunate to have a wonderful team who support me and believe in my work. I wouldn't be where I am today without them. Honestly, there isn't anything that matters to me quite like music does. And I feel that having the ability to write music of my own is the greatest gift I could have been given in this lifetime.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?
Elodie Adams: I prefer the songwriting and production process most of all… but if I had to choose… I would say that I love the theatrics of live performance. The costuming and energy of the crowd… I also love being able to share the experience of connecting with an audience with my band members, who are absolutely amazing and gifted in their own right.


Question: What/who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Elodie Adams: I never once thought about wanting to go in to the music industry. All I knew when I was younger was that everything else in my life felt less… real compared to music. When I discovered that I could write music at the age of about 17? I knew that I could never walk away from something as existential as that. I felt that it was my calling, and what I was supposed to do with my life.


Question: What is the biggest challenge you have faced along the way to your musical success?

Elodie Adams: There is a constant sacrifice, and it is difficult to keep strong relationships with people due to the long working hours. Sometimes it feels like you live in a bubble and don't connect with the outside world… ! I suppose though, you learn who your true friends are pretty quickly.

I am somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to my art, and I think letting go and accepting that a song is finished is a great challenge for me.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Elodie Adams: Wake up… work the day job… talk to my publicist/graphic designer/producer/band members/booker during my lunch break… finish work… go to gym… then either go to studio/band rehearsal/work on PR strategies/answer interview questions/skype meetings… more phone calls or reply a LOT of emails. Usually I get between 4-5 hours of sleep on weekdays. I live by my phone and my calendar. I owe a lot to my Samsung!


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Elodie Adams: Becoming one with the world of production. I am intimately fascinated by sound design. Discovering and creating sounds is one of the most gratifying and exhilarating things I have experienced in my formative years as an artist. It sounds as though I am exaggerating, but I am being entirely sincere!


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Elodie Adams: The German crossover/classical violinist David Garrett. I admire the way he fuses classical music with contemporary to appeal to the younger demographic. He inspires young people to seek out and become interested in classical music through his work, and I am very passionate about that cause.


Question: Can you tell us 5 things required for a happy healthy & enjoyable life?

Elodie Adams: 1 & 2. Take care of yourself! I know from leading an incredibly busy life, that if I don't eat properly and exercise regularly I can't function. I eat a mostly clean foods and really enjoy jogging to loud music.

3 I think the most important thing for my own personal happiness, is choosing to surround myself with the right people. People who make you feel as though you are already complete the way you are… as opposed to a work in progress. I learnt that lesson the hard way.

4 Music, of course is absolutely essential.

5. Sleep. I definitely don't sleep enough and really, really, really appreciate when I have days off!


Question: What message would you like your music to say to your fans?

Elodie Adams: Music is so personal to the listener, the most gratifying thing for me would be for my fans to take their own meaning away from my work.

I hope that my female listeners feel empowered to embrace their sexuality and inner strength and feel proud of who they are as women.


Question: What is the story behind the EPs name?

Elodie Adams: I feel very strongly about the power of the female both sexually and intellectually… and I think that comes across very clearly in my work, lyrically. One thing that frustrates me in modern culture is that women are so often depicted as subordinate to men.

I knew that I wanted my collection of work to embody my belief in the power and strength of the female, but also to capture the beauty of feminine fragility. I felt that by titling my EP inSUBORDINATE it would make a clear statement that the female is fully in control of her mind and her body, and it is only her own decisions that define her.


Interview by Brooke Hunter