Elthia is a singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles. With a songwriting style that references her favorite influences from pop music, while still showcasing the elegance of fingerstyle guitar, Elthia has been penning beautifully nostalgic songs, taking listeners on a colorful adventure. She has played classical guitar in Carnegie Hall twice, And on several awards and medals, including the National Gold Medal in Classical Guitar from the Achievement Program.
Interview conducted on Dec. 14, 2020
By Dan Locke
Elthia. “I love you, but you make me cry” shows the beginning of the songwriter’s new venture towards indie-pop music with dance elements, showcasing delicate instrumentation, soft, dreamy vocals and glittery guitar harmonics.
You are from NY and now live in LA. What is your upbringing?
I am from Long Island, NY, and traveled to San Francisco to study classical guitar. After I graduated, I moved to Los Angeles (only a few months before the beginning of the Covid-19 quarantine).
How did you discover music?
My father was a classical guitarist, so there were always guitars around the house when I was growing up. He used to tell me that I should learn how to play the guitar, and I always refused. One day I said, “Dad if you keep telling me to play the guitar, I won’t do it.” He stopped telling me, and then I picked it up.
How did you start to write music?
I started writing music when I was 15 years old, after I saw another girl at my school perform her own song at a talent show. It was great, and she was younger than me, so it infuriated me and I started writing my own songs.
Describe your music.
My music is a blend of my favorite elements of pop and classical music; my songs feature the poetry that I love, the pop music that I listen to, and the classical guitar elements that I studied to create the indie pop that you hear in my music.
How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?
My first guitar was a gift from my father. I had been studying classical guitar for about 5 years when my father bought me a Ramirez (a very beautiful Spanish guitar). I still have it!
What is your guitar of choice now? Year, make and model? And does it have a name?
My guitar of choice now is a guitar that was custom-built for me by a luthier named Steve Connor. He built this guitar for me in 2017, and it has the most lovely tone and a gorgeous design. When he was building my guitar, Steve was doing a series that he called his “Portrait Guitar Series”, where he would center the design for the guitar around the person he built it for. I showed him a bunch of my designs and doodles of flowers, and he took this idea and ran with it, creating a whole floral design for the guitar. This guitar is also a bit smaller than most classical guitars, making it more comfortable to play, so I named my guitar Joy, because it finally felt good to play guitar.
Are you a classical musician who enjoys pop?
Yes! I studied classical guitar for years and then started writing pop music. Now, I love bringing my classical guitar background into my new music.
How were you hooked up with Orangewood guitars?
I was a big fan of their guitars after I had heard a few demos that my friends had done, and I was lucky enough that they would contact me for the unveiling of their first line of nylon-stringed guitars! I was so excited when I first received this guitar and I wrote apiece called Guanacaste with it, and the video of me playing it is on the Orangewood YouTube channel now.
Why did you change your name?
I changed my name for a few reasons; the first is that my real name wasn’t completely uncommon, so a few people already had it, and it made it harder for me to establish my social media sites because all of my handles had to be different.
I also changed it because I really like the distinction between the art and the artist; I really love the freedom that a pen name gives me as an artist, because not everything I do is a true reflection of who I am. It has made me feel a lot more joy when making art.
What makes a good songwriter?
A good songwriter is a good storyteller.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, BMI or ASCAP?
Yep! I belong to ASCAP.
What was the title of your first original song?
It was called Get Together.
Did you record it?
Yes! I actually recorded a few different versions of it. I did an acoustic version of it for my first EP, titled Island of Mine.
How was it to build your home studio?
I’m still building it, actually! I built sound panels and set them up in my closet to create a little home studio, and I have a table set up for my computer, interface, and preamp as well. I also record videos in there, so I have my ring light and I lined the walls with star lights.
Tell me about your debut single under the name of Elthia?
I wrote this song when I was going to a songwriter’s circle that was hosted by my friend, and the prompt for the evening was to bring a song that was about an object, but never says what the object is. That is when I decided to write the song, “i love you but you make me cry”, about an onion.
What is the mental health situation of the United States? How can the public help the doctors and nurses on the front line?
At the moment, many people in the US are still finding it difficult to cope with the issues that Covid-19 has brought. We all need to continue wearing our masks (over the mouth and nose) so that we can reduce the spread of the virus.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning of that song to you?
I always have Venus by Lady Gaga on repeat; this song is just so interesting and powerful, and it’s one of my favorite songs.
Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
Yes, I believe it will certainly affect the nature of live shows going forward. I think it will be a long time until people can safely stand in a crowd at a big show, so we will have to adjust and change the rules/regulations of each venue. In fact, many venues have unfortunately closed due to the pandemic. I think that many musicians will start relying on live streaming compared to live performances, and we will see a lot of innovation with the ways that musician’s live-stream.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine? Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
I’ve been writing and recording more songs, which has been amazing! I’ve gotten back into reading as well, which I have really been enjoying lately.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell Merch to them at the show?
I believe that live streaming will be the way that artists market themselves throughout the pandemic and in the future.
If you cannot do music, what would you like to be doing?
If I couldn’t pursue music, I would likely pursue something else in the arts.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
Be safe and wear your mask!
