A Chat with Elizma (04.12.24)
Elizma’s music touches the soul. Her ability to move fluidly between high arias soaring belting and delicate whispers gives the listener a genuine, emotional experience. Her songs, which explore the deep complexities of the heart and soul, are remarkably profound for a young singer-songwriter, and her creativity feels much beyond her years. Join us as we chat with her about her new song ‘Secrets’, her future plans, and more.
OSR: What drew you to music? And why did you choose to become a music artist?
Elizma: When I was about six years old I would sing Hannah Montana songs around the house all day. It drove my older brothers crazy singing and my mom would tell them, “Wouldn’t you rather her sing than be screaming and crying?” And although she was always my no. 1 supporter, sometimes when we sang together I would say, “No Mommy, I’m singing.” I guess you could say I was a bit of a prima donna… My mom always supported me. She was a single mom, barely making ends meet, but she found a way to afford vocal lessons.
As a teenager/young adult, I experienced a lot of heartbreak in both the family front and the personal relationship front. I searched for anything outside myself to help me cope. Now here I am, still young, but with so much wisdom to offer and what better way to express it than through music? I chose to become an artist because I have a lot to say.
OSR: You recently released your new single ‘Secrets’. What can you tell us about it?
Elizma: Well, growing up I was surrounded by people who thought it was a flex to do drugs/alcohol and we all listened to music about drugs. As the obvious result, I thought they were no big deal. When I knew I was dedicating myself to music, I made a somewhat proactive decision to go to rehab. I knew I was about to step into a world full of temptation and I could see myself becoming one of the many faces lost to that battle.
Originally, ‘Secrets’ was a less complex beat that was burned onto a CD and given to me in rehab. I couldn’t come up with any words until the first day I graduated from the treatment program. I was sitting at my kitchen table fighting the urges to go back to my old lifestyle. I replayed the track until the lyrics finally came. The saying, “Secrets keep me sick” is from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous and that was the first line I could think of.
OSR: The lyrics of ‘Secrets’ touch on the themes of addiction and recovery. How did your personal experiences shape the message behind this track?
Elizma: As I mentioned, the idea behind the song was inspired by my struggle to avoid using substances. The quote “Secrets keep me sick,” is about confronting these desires by being honest with myself and the people in my support system. As time went by, the meaning became more than just addiction. The other idea behind the song refers to psychological trauma we are too afraid to ever get help for. I’ve personally seen people live their entire lives without seeking help for abuse that happened to them when they were younger. The shame of that trauma can really take a toll on a person’s ability to move through the world in a healthy way. On the flip side, there are some people who got help and spared the next generation from that same pain. Even as a member of our collective society, I’m seeing the ripple effect play out in situations like P. Diddy vs Cassie. Cassie’s courage to speak out about the nature of P. Diddy’s abuse has really shed light on the sickness that exists in our world. Now that the public is aware, others are coming forward and we can work on breaking this cycle.
OSR: In ‘Secrets’, you offer a critique of how drug use is often glamorized in pop culture. What do you think artists, especially in the music industry, can do to shift the narrative around substance use?
Elizma: I’ve really taken time to think about this question. I won’t say that there is a one-size-fits-all solution. I believe there are artists who genuinely want to make a difference in society and there are some that will do anything for a check. My critique of the current narrative surrounding substance use is mostly a call for mindfulness. Instead of pointing a finger at the artists creating this music, my goal is that my message can be a veil that reveals the potential impact our words have on the collective consciousness.
I was moved to tears watching Jellyroll give his testimony to the Supreme Court, urging lawmakers to act on an anti-fentanyl bill. This is the type of artist that deserves a platform – the ones that genuinely go to bat for positive change. Every five minutes, someone dies in a drug-related death, families are being torn apart, and we would all be fools to say that the messaging surrounding this topic isn’t perpetuating that statistic.
OSR: Your voice is incredibly dynamic ranging from powerful belts to fragile whispers. How does your vocal style complement the emotional weight of ‘Secrets’, and was it important for you to reflect your own vulnerability in the performance?
Elizma: Some of the emotion in my voice on ‘Secrets’ was intentional and some was a byproduct of my mental state. I had always sung in a more R&B style but ‘Secrets’ was the first song where I expressed a vocal style that was uniquely my own. It was a challenge to record because I really hadn’t sung in such a low key before but I wanted to have a deep tone. To me the deepness in my voice is a foreboding tone – it’s a warning. Additionally, some of the emotion was due to my mental struggle to stay motivated because my voice wasn’t in shape. I wanted to add embellishments at the end of phrases to elicit certain emotions.
OSR: Your lyrics convey such a sense of introspection. Can you share more about your creative process as a songwriter, and how you approach translating your emotions and experiences into music?
Elizma: Each song is different. I usually repeat the same few words from a concept I like, I think of a melody and I record it on my phone so I remember. Sometimes I find a beat I like and the words will fit. Sometimes I just sing into the air and my producer sends it to someone who can create an instrumental accompaniment. The part where I translate my emotions comes when I record the lyrics. Each syllable is carefully placed to elicit an emotion but a lot of times I do that naturally and refine it in each take.
OSR: And how would you describe your music to a person who had never heard of you before?
Elizma: I always just tell them, you don’t know what you’re going to get because I’m still defining what my sound is. It’s a very experimental time for my music. Some are more Lana Del Rey, others are kind of like Billie Eilish and then I have ‘Morning Coffee Baby’ which is completely different from all of them.
OSR: You’re just beginning your career, but your songwriting feels beyond your years. Who are some of the artists or songwriters that have influenced your sound and lyrical style?
Elizma: I realised I loved to write in high school. Our class was assigned to write sonnets in correlation to what we were learning in Shakespeare. From there I wrote poems, essays, and even wrote the commencement speech for my graduation about music. I was also inspired by the band Evanescence. From there, my lyrical style has just free-formed into an expression of my experiences. I don’t really think about it, I just write.
OSR: And what do you hope people take from your music?
Elizma: I hope they feel a sense of agency to change their situation. I hope they feel like they can take a piece of my healing journey and use it in theirs.
OSR: Now that ‘Secrets’ is out, what’s next for you in terms of your music and your journey? How do you hope people will connect with your story through this song?
Elizma: Right now, I am getting ready for a show on December 13th in Ashland VA. I’m also preparing new releases for early 2025 so stick around and I promise not to disappoint.
Many thanks to Elizma for speaking with us. For more about Elizma, check out her official website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
