Singer-Songwriter Aria Elan has had an exciting musical trajectory as her debut album SMILE brought joy and happiness to everyone who found it. With a unique blend of “feel good” Soul, Pop, Gospel & Jazz sounds in her music, listeners can’t go wrong when they put on a song by Aria Elan.
Read our interview where we discuss her latest single “I DO,” her start as an artist and what’s next for the future!
Thank you so much for speaking with us! Please introduce yourself to our readers!
Thank you very much for interviewing me. My name is Aria Elan. Like food and water, music seeped through my umbilical cord before birth. My mother was choir director and a gifted vocalist in my father’s Charleston county, South Carolina church. Fast forward to LA, where I completed law school, passed the California Bar exam, and became an entertainment attorney; then onward to New York City, and the production of my musical “Amandla ka Mandela”. After helping so many musical clients achieve their dreams, in 2012 I decided to help myself. My debut “Smile” album dropped in 2013, followed by the social justice album “Hotter” in 2018. I’m so happy to share the new “I Do” video with you and your audience. “I Do” is the first single from my forthcoming third album. All of the other original R&B, pop and jazz love songs that I co-wrote on my new album were produced by award winning songwriter KarI Marrett (Marrett Productions/Bronx, NY). I live in California and collaborated with Oxnard, California producers James Chambers and Reggie Brown on “I Do.”
Your new single is incredibly beautiful! What’s the story behind “I Do”?
Thank you. I remember the excitement of falling in love, getting married and looking good for my husband. The moment I heard James and Reggie’s romantic music, the title, lyrics and hook for “I Do” came to me in a rush. “My hair, My hands, My hips/ My legs, My lobes, My lips/ I Do/ I Do it for you…” All too often, feminists equate dressing sexy, cooking your man a gourmet meal and running a bath for him, with subservience. However, I believe small things done with love and the reciprocal things your mate does for you add up and are what keeps a relationship alive and well.
The scenes flow with each verse and leave a beautiful long lasting impression. What was the process of creating the music video like?
You are very kind. First I wrote the story and made a storyboard (pictures, scenery, sequence). Then I hired Hamzaa, an incredibly talented brother from Morocco, to create the “I Do” lyric video with footage from real weddings shot on location in Morocco and Antigua, Caribbean. Life is all about relationships. The couples in “I Do” video trusted me to tastefully use scenes from their wedding videos without hearing the song first. I’m glad to report they love “I Do”.
Your music features a unique blend of “feel good” soul, pop, gospel & jazz sounds. How did you come up with your sound when you were first creating your sound as an artist?
What makes me and my music unique, is I write and sing about things in a way that speaks to the humanity in all of us. I believe we have much more in common than differences. My life experiences enabled me to create “feel-good” music fans can relate to.
What’s your creative process while songwriting and putting together the sounds for your songs?
I hear music, arrangements, lyrics, while I’m running, sleeping, gardening – all the time in my mind. Singing into my iPhone, writing in my notebook, and playing with the melody on piano are all part of my songwriting process.
You’re known for creating uplifting and positive songs. What inspired you to start making your own music?
I wanted to write and sing songs that inspired people to share more love and compassion and to think.
Which one of your songs was your favorite to produce and share with the public?
“Wow! That’s a great question. I love all of my songs, so choosing one is like picking a favorite child. I can say that my first single “Smile” is a fan favorite. Whenever I perform, people from the audience ask me to sing “Smile.”
As an Entertainment Attorney, you worked with many artists. Is there any particular artist that inspired you to start sharing your music?
Another great, thought provoking question… Every artist I’ve ever worked with inspired me, but Sylvia Moy definitely encouraged me to keep writing songs. Ms. Moy was Motown Records’ first and only female producer and songwriter for many years. She wrote and produced Stevie Wonder’s hit “My Cherie Amour” and 2 songs (“Love’s Inside” and “You can depend on my love”) which I released on my record label, SiSi Records. Ms. Moy told me: “A lot of people can sing, but only a few can write great songs. Keep writing.”
What’s been your favorite song released so far?
“Earth Aina”. My talented daughter Eden Edwards composed the music and played grand piano on the studio recording. Eden and I are environmentalists. “Aina” is a Hawaiian word which means the people, the ocean, the land, are one.
What do you hope listeners feel when they listen to your music?
Passionate
What are your hopes for 2020?
I hope to share musical conversations with millions of people in 2020.
Peace and One Love…
What a great interview… The questions and answers both were well done! Aria, you do have a exceptional skill for writing thought-provoking songs and one of my favorites is No Homelessness as well as Smile… I like Smile because in all of your pictures and videos you have that captivating “SMILE” and you appear to have fun writing and singing all your songs. I look forward to more.
YEAH GREAT INTERVIEW AND A GREAT WAY FOR THE WORLD TO BE INTRODUCED TO A WONDERFUL LADY WHO WRITES MORE UPLIFTING SONGS A GIFT TO THE WORLD THAN ANYONE I KNOW…and I know people smile PS and yes Earth Aina is one of my favorites too and was in the top 10 songs of my radio show