Not doing what 'they say': Singer Eli Lev takes daily inspiration and weaves it into song
Apr. 17—Eli Lev grew up in a musical household.
His mother played guitar and piano, while his father played the oboe.
"I was surrounded by it," Lev says. "I've been writing silly songs my whole life. Now the songs I write are a little more mature and represent who I am. There's still the silly part of me, but I've grown up."
Lev is a singer-songwriter based out of Maryland. He recently released the single, "They Say," as well as his last EP, "Walk.Talk.Dance.Sing." in 2022, and the compilation, "Four Directions" in 2021.
Lev is crisscrossing the country on tour in support of his music. He will make a stop at The Mine Shaft Tavern in Madrid on Sunday, April 21.
Over the course of the last two years, Lev has slowed his creative process cycle.
During the spring, summer and fall, he will tour and note all of his ideas.
"During winter, I'll jump into the studio," he says. "I'll spend the majority of winter mixing and mastering songs."
Once the cycle is complete, Lev will then plan out the single releases for the rest of the year before he hits the road.
"Each song has its own journey," he says. "I make sure that I'm present when all of this is happening."
Lev's debut, "Four Directions," is a compilation of his four conceptual EPs.
The Indigenous traditions he learned during his time as an eighth-grade English teacher on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona were his inspiration.
"We are surrounded by four directions, and each has distinctive attributes, powers, and teachings according to Navajo traditions," Lev says. "For example, because the sun rises in the east, it is the first direction and source of new ideas and inspiration. With that in mind, I started my EP series in 2017 with 'All Roads East,' echoing the sounds of my youth and upbringing. I released 'Way Out West' the following year, where I experimented with the frontiers of folk tropes and melodies. For 2019's 'Deep South,' I went back to my southern roots with a truly modern and powerful sound. The final piece in 2021 is the more introspective 'True North.' "
Lev grew up in the diverse suburb of Silver Spring, Maryland, where a blending of incongruous backgrounds made an indelible impact on his pan-culture perspective.
Prior to music calling, he studied in Bloomington, Indiana, taught in the U.S., and lived in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Andorra, before returning to the United States to get a master's degree in English education.
Lev says he was inspired by the pandemic while creating "Walk.Talk.Dance.Sing."
The five-song collection compiles his songwriting during that time, capturing the highs, lows and all the emotions in between during our global crisis.
"I first got into music when a friend gave me a mixtape in elementary school featuring Bruce Springsteen, Nirvana, The Police, MC Hammer and U2," Lev says. "It sparked something in me that led me to where I am today, and how I make my living through creating sounds."
Lev doesn't work off of a set list for his shows.
He enjoys the freedom of keeping the performances as fluid as possible.
"I'm feeding off the crowd," he says. "Whether it's an original or a cover song, it gives me time to have moments with the audience. I like to think of my concerts as having a conversation with the audience. I want people to see me for the art I create."
