Often dubbed the “global ambassador of good vibes”, particularly by his aptly named fans, the ‘Levitators’, Eli Lev is a folk-pop musician from Maryland, USA. Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Eli before his live gig at Bomba in Exeter, just one stop in his massive European tour this year.
Eli’s influences can be tracked right back to his childhood. Growing up in a very diverse Maryland, the street he lived on had the highest number of different houses of worship per mile in the USA. “It was a true melting pot, it was pretty cool”, he said, and “those sounds were a big influence on me”.
It wasn’t always going to be music though, in fact it was never his original plan at all. It was more of a hobby, writing silly songs and playing in a high school band, “music was always kind of my therapy”, he commented, “before I got an actual therapist!” Although it was always around, it was only six or seven years ago that it became his living.
From playing in the Andorran mountains for English tourists, to charting the USA, to taking spontaneous bike trips through Spain, Eli has experienced a vast array of cultures, and thrives on how interlinked our world is – “music has allowed me to connect with all the places that I’ve been, it’s a universal language”. The lovely stories Eli can tell of his travels are displayed across his social media and you can really get a feel for his love for these different places and the effect such a blend of cultures has had on him.
Currently on the UK section of his ‘Present Journey’ tour, Eli is attempting to do 26 gigs in 27 days, an incredible feat, but one that is definitely taking a toll on him. Full of long drives and late shows, he describes it as “a marathon each day and then a gig to play after that” – not exactly a breeze then. Yet he takes important measures to make sure he is up to the task, from eating and drinking healthily, to gaining enough sleep, to having a strong meditation routine, it all provides a “real steady presence”. His maturity and experience have certainly helped him be motivated and manage this lifestyle better, “if I was in my teens or early twenties”, he noted, “I would not have made it this far!”
Eli’s latest release is an EP called ‘Present Journey’, part of a three album project, alongside ‘Past Lives’ and ‘Future Myths’, which are coming soon. All of the songs on the album are from personal experience, perhaps none more so than the opening track, ‘Love in the Middle Ages’, a catchy tune about how your perception of love changes as you journey through life. “This song is a reminder that there are lots of different types of connection”, he said, and he was quick to note how the romanticised Hollywood depiction of love, although great, must be coupled alongside the celebration of “the deep commitment and empathy” it requires to be with another person.
‘We Need a Bigger Bus’ is a song that encourages people to ‘hop on board’ Eli’s musical journey as it were, hence the need for a ‘bigger bus’ to accommodate everyone. When asked who his dream three guests and driver would be on the bus, he was quick to reply, “Bruce Springsteen would drive because that dude can play shows for hours and hours and stay energetic”, a brilliant answer. Johnny Cash would be also be there for his “kindness but also adventure”, alongside Stevie Nicks who would bring the “mysticism and spirituality”. Finally, he would bring along his great aunt Sarah, one of his family whose voice and experiences really struck him whilst sourcing recordings of his ancestors for the album, ‘Past Lives’.
The theme of spreading kindness is continued with the song ‘They Say’, a track that also reminds us that the older we get, the more we have to listen to “our own knowledge and our own experience” to not let people restrict you from what you want to achieve. Eli wrote the next tune, ‘That Universal Song’ almost as a sister track to ‘We Need a Bigger Bus’, as both are “big, fun and boisterous”, they are “kind of like the ‘boom’ songs on the album”. Interestingly the closing song, ‘The Honky Tonk Truth’ came just from Eli having a jam with his producer, actually creating the melody first before the lyrics. It establishes a real connection between Eli and his ‘Levitators’ and he found it was a “good way to honour the folks that have been with me from the beginning, or for a week, or for a day”.
‘Present Journey’ has been met with amazing responses throughout the tour and ‘They Say’ has recently won a competition which means it will be on a folk compilation CD that will be available to all the American folk DJs to use. If you want to listen to the song and album for yourself, they are available from all the usual streaming services and via Eli’s website.
In fact, that is where he encourages you to go to to discover more about him and his music – Eli-Lev.com. All the songs and lyrics, ticket information and promotional material can be found on there. If you are a fan of folk music and want to support an independent artist, I thoroughly recommend checking out Eli’s tour and seeing him before he moves onwards!
Eli Lev | Home – a link to Eli’s website.
