Our writer Minna got to talk to London based alt-pop singer -songwriter Kings Elliot about her EP Bored Of The Circus (out now). With her very first headlining dates behind her and and festival dates, plus dates with Imagine Dragons, there's nothing she can't do. Check out their interview below!
Can you please introduce yourself and your music?
My name is Kings Elliot and I write songs filled with melancholia and soothing vibes. I live in London with 4 adopted rabbits and my goal is to look like a mermaid from the 50s. :)
Are there any artists in particular that inspired you?
Frank Sinatra, Queen and Lana Del Rey
How did you begin your music journey?
I grew up in Switzerland and I always wrote music from a very young age, but since I have roots in the UK I moved here as soon as I possibly could and pursued music in a more serious way. I worked about five jobs at the same time to feed myself while writing music and finding myself… and a few years later, here we are :)
You've had the opportunity to open for musicians Imagine Dragons. What has that experience been like for you?
Absolutely mind-blowing to be honest.. It was incredibly surreal. I still can’t believe it happened. It’s such a huge honour to be taken on tour with a band as incredible as Imagine Dragons, and to be able to sing to their fans every night.
How would you describe the EP?
It’s a body of work filled with beautiful melancholy that feels soothing and also very painful at times. Influenced by sounds from the 50s it draws you into another world to escape the one we’re in.
You play around a lot with different instruments in this EP (with some piano ballads, guitar hooks and bridges that are accompanied by an orchestra) How has exploring composition helped with the making of this EP?
I think each and every one of the songs benefited from us experimenting with different composition elements. I hope people love the different sounds!
What’s the inspiration behind the EP?
My inspiration lies in my experiences, the things I feel and need to process and get out into songs. I also take a lot of inspiration from random beautiful songs from the 40s and 50s too.
Can you walk us through the EP cover art?
The sad clown represents mental health struggles to me. It’s showing the sadness that hides beneath the facade. It’s beautiful, yet haunting and so very sad. I’ve always been enamoured by sad clowns/pierrots and I’m so glad I got to become one for ‘Bored Of The Circus’.
What is your favorite lyric or song from the EP? and explain why?
‘Someday, Somewhere’ is my favourite song off the EP and I love the lyric ‘why should I wait for the morning to break my heart?’.
What was a moment in recording and creating this album that is unforgettable in your mind?
When we watched the final episode of ‘Adventure Time’ during one of our breaks and both cried our eyes out! That was probably my favourite moment of them all! But musically when we wrote ‘Til I Die’. As soon as we wrote the first line of the verse, we knew that it was going to be a special song. It’s to this day the most vulnerable song I’ve written.
What’s next for you?
I’m going on a tour in Europe next week, then writing in the US, putting on my own headline show in London and working on production for some new songs! There’s also something in the works I can’t talk about yet but all I can say is I’m really excited!!
Keep up with Kings Elliot
