Enigmatic electropop singer, songwriter, and producer Elohim doesn’t simply make music; she transcribes the human expertise into it. Combining her digital music manufacturing abilities along with her classical coaching, Elohim (aka Valerie Lee) takes listeners via a journey of uncooked emotion along with her unapologetically candid lyrics, all whereas serving up beats that you may’t assist however transfer to—a really recent discover in an period of pre-packaged music.
Since studying to play the piano at age 5, Elohim developed a boundary-pushing relationship with music as she used it to precise her distinctive manner of experiencing the world–together with her struggles with nervousness and panic assault dysfunction. This relationship would face the last word check when she skilled an acute psychological well being disaster proper as she set off on a headlining tour in 2023. As an alternative of triumph, Elohim confronted a dilemma that compelled her to cancel her tour and pulled her whole livelihood into query.
Nonetheless, Elohim would persevere, finishing her album The Energy Of Panic and releasing the shifting single “A Little Assist” on the finish of 2024. Immediately, she shares an inspiring story of resilience, creativity, and a ardour for music that carried her via one of many darkest chapters of her life right into a newly profitable one.
EDM Maniac: You combine profound themes out of your lived experiences and the oftentimes difficult nature of being human into your music. Are you able to stroll us via your inventive course of?
Elohim: It’s attention-grabbing as a result of I believe I’m simply inventive, and my mind is simply all the time creating– whether or not I’m driving to the grocery retailer, mendacity in mattress, or within the bathe. I get so lots of my most significant concepts in these moments the place it’s sudden–I write a lot whereas driving! I don’t know that I’ve ever gone into historically making music. It’s very very similar to “I’m simply going to create and if an album comes from this, superb, and if it doesn’t really feel like that, then oh properly.” I’ll simply preserve creating and preserve writing… I’m creating simply to create and to get my little creatures and demons out and revel in life.
EDM Maniac: Your final album, The Energy of Panic, vividly depicts your struggles together with your psychological well being. What’s the importance of the album title on this regard?
Elohim: It means one thing fully completely different now than once I made it, truthfully. This was going to be the second the place I channeled my panic into one thing so highly effective that I might overcome it. That was my story. That’s what I wished, and the alternative occurred.
I used to be in all probability on the worst I had ever been. I used to be taking a lot Xanax as a result of I couldn’t get out of this cycle of panic and this heightened state of nervousness—battle or flight at each second of the day. I couldn’t sit up in mattress with out dry heaving. Nothing felt actual. Previously, I’d have a tough time at first of a tour, however I’d push via it and be okay. However this one felt completely different. That was the darkest.
So yeah, mockingly, making that album, I wished it to be this story of overcoming the worst, and I ended up falling into it worse than ever. However now I’m feeling so significantly better. Final yr, I wrote 68 songs after taking the yr off touring, being dwelling, and simply writing. It was one of the productive years of my life. Whichever manner you go, there’s all the time a sacrifice. However a lot magnificence can come out of it, too. So I don’t know; I believe there was a goal in all of it. There was a number of sacrifice staying off of the street and stuff. Nevertheless it ended up being an superior yr.
EDM Maniac: So that you fell into this darkish place, and the unique message of the facility panic not resonated. But you ultimately discovered the motivation to maintain writing music. How did you handle to complete the album?
Elohim: There was a second once I was virtually contemplating simply beginning new and never doing music anymore. However I believe it’s simply in my blood, in my veins, and my DNA to make and create. I took somewhat little bit of a break, after which as soon as I obtained again in, it felt like, oh shit, a lot was pouring out of me. So it was fairly simple to complete the album, it was cathartic. The music I had made earlier than meant much more to me after going via all of that. I couldn’t avoid it.
EDM Maniac: You additionally launched a single in December 2024 referred to as “A Little Assist.” There’s a passage in your track that goes: “I really like you regardless that you hate your self; everyone wants somewhat assist.” And vice versa, “I really like you regardless that I hate myself.”. Who is that this dialogue directed to?
Elohim: I wrote it with certainly one of my closest pals. It was kind of like a dialog between us. We’re all the time so type to our pals, and I really feel like we all the time hype up our pals, you recognize. However then now we have this manner of not doing the identical to ourselves. I believe the primary line was one thing that somebody had mentioned to me. He mentioned, “I such as you regardless of all of the belongings you say about you.” It’s superb how usually we are saying horrible issues to ourselves. So this yr, I’m actually making a acutely aware effort to quiet that down. If do say a unfavourable remark, I can right it with a optimistic one. These little issues add up, and it does make you’re feeling good.
EDM Maniac: A number of different artists, together with Griz and SVDDEN DEATH, have taken breaks or stepped again from touring and performing because of stress lately. What do you suppose is happening?
Elohim: I believe we reside in an attention-grabbing time proper now the place there may be extra focus and a spotlight on psychological well being and our well-being as people. We’re seeing our pals, our friends, different artists, and other people we glance as much as taking their lives or overdosing. So I believe we’re getting smarter and questioning if now we have to be doing this many reveals and never caring for ourselves and partying and all these items. Perhaps we are able to suppose outdoors of the field. What’s going to occur in case you take a yr off? Sure, I made much less cash, however as a human, it was very fulfilling. And I perceive it’s a privilege to have the ability to do this. However I believe that as people, we care somewhat bit extra about caring for ourselves, which I believe is an effective factor.
EDM Maniac: What might the trade do to assist higher artists dealing with psychological well being challenges?
Elohim: I don’t know what it might do to be higher in all honesty. I don’t suppose it’s a very good trade for the mentally unwell and people who find themselves coping with a psychological well being disaster. Mockingly, it’s an trade constructed on that–songwriters, musicians, and artists since without end have been ipromiseyoumedias. however I believe a very good step could be paying pretty, particularly for streaming as a result of caring for your psychological well being is extraordinarily troublesome in case you don’t have the means to take action.
EDM Maniac: How has your relationship with music and the digital music scene modified since your incident?
Elohim: Whenever you don’t have your well being, it appears like you don’t have anything. So I worth my well being and myself greater than the music trade. On the finish of the top of the day, with out that, you don’t have something. It modified my whole perspective as a result of now I wish to do issues that make me really feel good…I began learning classical piano once more and I discovered a whole piece entrance to again, which was an enormous accomplishment for me. I additionally really feel like I made stunning human connections by identical to, sitting, speaking, and laughing for hours with my piano trainer. It was identical to, fuck every thing else, that is what issues in life, and in case you’re not having fun with it, what’s the purpose?
EDM Maniac: What insights out of your expertise would you share with different individuals who could be fighting their psychological well being?
Elohim: A lot of it comes right down to having good individuals round you. And remedy is so useful. If you are able to do it, get remedy, it’s so useful! I get aggravated with individuals who say issues like journaling alone will remedy your nervousness…That’s such bullshit. For individuals who have actually struggled, you recognize that whenever you’re at your worst, you may’t raise a pen, you may’t raise your hand, you may’t raise something. You’ll be able to’t do something.
However that being mentioned, writing via your emotions, exercising, strolling, meditating, all these “cliche” issues, they’re really useful in case you can by some means match them into your on a regular basis life. However neighborhood is fucking so essential. You may be having the worst day, so that you FaceTime certainly one of your greatest pals and simply discuss actual shit, and also you’ll really feel completely different, you recognize?
EDM Maniac: As somebody who’s been via one thing very comparable, I can relate to that. Your journey story is so priceless to those that can relate. Thanks a lot for chatting with us.
