Talking to: Eliza Oakes

Soon to release her second EP, Eliza Oakes is embracing the messy and uncertain nature of personal growth, allowing us in on the process of evolving as a human and as an artist. Her latest single Green Light does exactly this, delving into the unknown, and contemplating the vulnerability, faith, and strength in embracing what we can't control.

She is currently involved in multiple exciting music projects; touring with Jordan Rakei, studying rare mediaeval music with Idrisi Ensemble and developing her own musical identity.

We discuss her recent adventures, her musical upbringing, her relationship to spirituality, and the power of the voice.

Tell me about yourself.

I’m a vocalist, artist, and session musician from south-east London. I've been working as a musician since I was 13 and I’ve always had aspirations to curate and foster my own individual artistry. Working collaboratively as a professional musician as well as making my own music is a real balancing act – it’s a lot of work but it's also really fulfilling!

You've been busy! Tell me about Glastonbury. How was it?

It was so fun, it was my first Glastonbury! So to go and to perform — twice! — was overwhelming. Getting to experience the magic of the festival was a lot to take in, it was such a bucket list moment.

I got to perform on the West Holts stage [one of the main stages] as part of Jordan Rakei’s band (on backing vocals, keys and synths), to the biggest crowd I’d ever performed to. Then doing my own music in a much more intimate space [the Lizard stage] and having a moment of this is me, this is my thing, was really special. They were two unforgettable environments to share and experience music that I love – at one of the biggest festivals in the world!

I saw you recently recorded at Abbey Road Studios, what was that like?

Yes! I recorded an acoustic version of my latest single ‘Green Light’ which is out now! I performed with my friend, artist Jay Verma on piano, engineered by the amazing Nia Clarke, and shot on film by Hugo Piper. It was important for me to capture the song live, as a one-take, and so to get the opportunity to record within the walls of one of the most iconic recording studios was such a treat!

We've just talked about bucket list moments - Glastonbury, Abbey Road - what are the other bucket list goals on the horizon for you?

Writing an album is definitely on the cards, and writing one with no fear attached to it, just feeling completely free in the process. I would also love to be involved in a tiny desk concert!

Any dream collaborators for that? Dead or alive, big or small?

Okay, we’ll go with the fantasy - Kate Bush would be a dream. My dream duet would be with Freddie Mercury. Other collabs would be Samora Pinderhughes, Bon Iver, Kacey Musgraves - the list could go on! Honestly, my friends, the people that I love.

And what’s your current musical landscape? Who are you listening to at the moment, who is inspiring you?

My current musical landscape is filled with a lot of friends who I hugely admire: Noum, ELSAS, Imogen and the Knife, Olive Jones, MRCY, Rosie Alena - to witness their craft and artistry in real time is such a honour and it’s even more exciting when you can be part of some of their processes in performing/recording with them.

Through Idrisi Ensemble I’ve been delving into rare 13th century medieval works, which transports me out of the modern world.

I’m in love with an artist called Natalie Bergman; she's got an album called Mercy which is really up my street! Minnie Riperton is a staple, Sufjan Stevens, Bonnie Raitt, Maggie Rogers, Laura Groves.

I would say a melting pot of folk, Americana, Pop, Soul, and Gospel!

If you were to map out the perfect musical journey through your day, who’s on your list?

These days, I would begin with Joni, I’m currently rinsing her album ‘Hissing of summer lawns’. I’ve been loving Adrianne Lenker’s new album Bright Future.

Then probably some HAIM, Paul Simon, ROSALÍA, Nina Simone, it honestly depends on the day, who knows! Stevie Nicks has got to be in there somewhere!

An ideal afternoon would be with Aretha Franklin and her Amazing Grace album. It's an album that was recorded live at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles in 1972. It's one of her most moving bodies of work. As a vocalist, she is my favourite, so powerful and so tender. This album would definitely be on my desert island discs! She is one of, if not thee, greatest vocalist to have ever lived. There's just something about music giving thanks to something - and as a gospel album it really resonates with me because that's where my musical journey started.

And now you’re singing a different kind of religious music with the Idrisi Ensemble. I had the pleasure of seeing you sing last July, and it was such a moving and powerful experience.

We study and perform rare and never-recorded medieval music by way of music archeology, music historiography and medieval literature. Experiencing this music has become such a vital part of my spiritual connection to music and the voice as an instrument. As modern voices of today, it’s become our mission to be vessels for this music, and carry the centuries worth of forgotten grief, love, and praise. I’ve learnt so much from this practice thanks to our director Thomas Fournil, it continues to help me navigate music as a spiritual practice. Singing with and around people my whole life (choirs, trios, ensembles…) is what has helped shape my voice to what it is, and now more than ever I think community is so vital!

The voice is such a powerful vessel, and yours, I have to say, is incredible. What you can do with your voice amazes me. Your song Til They’re Gone pulls something from my stomach all the way through my heart and up my throat. I get tears tingling in my eyes just from the vocal performance, let alone the lyrics. It’s such a magical effect on the listener, it feels like you’re reaching into every layer of a body.

That is really kind of you to say, thank you! That song remains really special to me. The voice, I would say, remains at the forefront of my sonic identity. But I'll be really honest, I am still figuring out how I want to present it. The voice is where I’m most free, the most safe, and I’ve just always wanted to see how far I can stretch it technically and emotionally. As I lean into a lot of change in my life, I have to allow my music to also do the same. What remains at the heart of it is an expression of vocal exploration, blending classic songwriting with improvisation and performance. I’m excited to see where it guides me next. I’m trying to keep it safe in this current industry climate of numbers, product, fast content – it can feel overwhelming and at times, lonely.

I wanted to ask about that; about coping with doing the stuff that comes with being a musician. What is your relationship to all the elements of being a musician; writing the music, performing, doing interviews, music videos, all of that?

I think when it comes to working within this industry - I’m still figuring it out. It's an interesting one, there’s a lot of bullshit I'm trying to dodge, but I think taking care of the musical intention now will take care of the long term. Community, supporting independent grass-roots venues, buying your friends music, seeing live gigs; there’s so much I'm inspired and enriched by. I think we have the power to choose how we want to exist within this industry that can be so set on numbers.

What is your music writing process like?

I start with improvising, mainly with harmony and melody, that draws me in. Then I map out arranging and production. I tend to find the lyrics last. With Til They’re Gone, the lyrics came to me in about twenty minutes, which is rare!

This upcoming EP feels like a really important timestamp as I navigate what my creative process is and how it might be changing.

I love the idea of a musical timestamp. As a listener, I love being able to see a musician's musical journey. What is that like on your side of things? How do you feel about your debut music, does releasing this music feel different?

Totally! I love hearing how an artist’s vision changes. With that change, playing older music can feel hard sometimes. I still play a lot of those songs live but I try to feel a bit more lightly about them so that I can offer something to someone who is hearing them for the first time.

With Green Light, I actually wrote it a while ago but I’m really proud of the version of myself that made it. It feels like a different version of myself in some ways, but she deserves to be heard. I owe it to her and to my future self to go let it be free!.

What’s it about? Is there a theme to the upcoming EP?

Green Light is about my relationship to the unknown, the fear, but also the hope that accompanies it. The EP leans into this overall theme as well as themes of love, loss, resilience and loneliness. It is a taste of what is to come.

I was lucky enough to receive the Women Make Music fund from PRS Foundation for this EP, which I am so grateful for. It has allowed me to branch out in terms of production, to really just be in a studio and learn more about the engineering process. I've performed live since forever but recording music is just such a different process, I got to really lean into it and the time and patience of it all. I'm so excited to share!

Interview and photography by Thymian Gadd

Want to explore what else Eliza Oakes has to offer?

You can find out more on her Instagram, Tiktok, website, Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.

Green Light is out now and can be found here.

Eliza Oake’s new EP will be out in Autumn

Thymian is an interdisciplinary writer-artist from London. Their writing practice draws heavily on experiences and insights gained art school where they discovered their love of writing about art and culture. In their more personal work they like to consider themes of the body, memory, reality, relationships, and healing. They are currently working on their debut novel and are about to start a MA in Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths University.

Featured