Sometimes leaps of faith pay off. Imagine buying a piano that you don’t know how to play with a credit card you know you can’t pay off anytime soon and then hot-footing it home and writing songs until your fingers bleed. In Elviin’s case, this particular leap of faith marked the start of a 2 year journey that would culminate in him recording his debut album in LA with Tony Hoffer.
Within 18 months Elviin had taught himself to play that digital stage piano, was writing and had started to gig. He played a few of those early songs to childhood friend Jack Penate, who had also become a performer. Says Elviin, “I had something I’d written on my iPod, which I played to him and he was like, ‘You’ve gotta get up there and keep doing it’. So I did!” He played his first gig so fast he nearly passed out during one song, having forgotten to breathe – wanting to get it over with before anyone noticed he was playing piano with only two fingers.
He need not have worried, as his performance went down brilliantly. Working alongside other musicians was Elviin’s next step and not only did it improve his playing technique but it also fuelled his song writing. A healthy MySpace following came next, followed by tours with Jack and Adele. Within a short space of time, he found himself in LA with world-renowned producer Tony Hoffer. Between them, they crafted Elviin’s debut album ‘Made Of’.
‘Made Of’ has an air of all-American positivity that permeates, but Elviin’s sound remains positively English. Remember what happened to music after the Great Depression? The hemlines went up and the flappers came out. That’s what this country needs now – so hail the leader of the Sunshine Soul Revolution. There are tracks on the album about greed, power and human nature, such as first single ‘In Colour’, where he questions just what price humans are prepared to pay. But even when Elviin sings the words ‘it’s do or die’ he sounds inherently uplifting, giving a human battle a positive spin.
Elviin supports Alesha Dixon on her UK tour this Autumn appearing on the following dates:
OCTOBER
Wednesday 28th Newcastle, City Hall
Friday 30th Manchester, Apollo
NOVEMBER
Monday 2nd Cambridge, Corn Exchange
Tuesday 3rd Birmingham, Symphony Hall
Wednesday 4th Bristol, Colston Hall
Friday 6th Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall
Monday 9th Ipswich, Regent Theatre
Tuesday 10th Southend, Cliffs Pavillion
Thursday 12th London, Shepherds Bush Empire
Monday 16th Lincoln, Engine Shed
Tuesday 17th Southampton, Guildhall
Thursday 19th Brighton, Dome
Elviin’s debut album ‘Made Of’ and second single ‘Good Books’ are released on the 11th January 2010.
|
