Ryan's Gig Guide - August 2019

How long have you been pursuing music and who are your influences? I’ve had a strong passion for music since the age of three when I first started to properly sing but I found my sound and started releasing music in 2016! I released a demo version of my track “Fading Away” on Soundcloud and started getting myself out there. When I was younger, I grew up listening to a lot of Avril Lavigne and Paramore so originally they were my main influences but over time I started getting into other genres and other artists which changed my influences a bit. My current sound is influenced by artists such as Corinne Bailey Rae, Tori Kelly, Skinny Living and Frank Turner. How has your music evolved? Originally I started out as a singer/ songwriter and my sound was firmly in the genre of acoustic pop but after a year or so of writing new music and being influenced by different genres my sound changed! I started writing music that allowed me to fully express myself and after working alongside a full band, I made my way into the genre Alternative Indie Pop. My music sounds more defined and tight compared to the demos I was originally releasing on Soundcloud due to now having a full band and being able to experiment more as an artist. Going to university also helped to develop my current sound as I was constantly learning and being inspired by other artists around me as well as upcoming mainstream artists. Do you have any more new material on the way? Yes! The band and I actually played some new material at my EP launch at the Prince ofWales Cambridge Street on 22nd June. The new songs sound a little bit more like my track “I Plead” so I’m excited to get those recorded and released as soon as possible. Any other upcoming local shows? I’m currently in talks at the moment about upcoming shows with a few venues but other than my gig at The Sunflower Lounge on 29th Aug, nothing is set in stone yet. I always announce my upcoming shows on Facebook, Instagram and my website so that’s the best way to find out when the band and I are playing. EP: The Fall You can tell that Eliza and her band are very comfortable together and would be a good fit at the coolest clubs & festivals around. The opening track “Noughts and Crosses” is a gentle soul- infused song with a smooth-jazz feel and some lovely hamronies and instrumental passages. “Fading Away” begins with solo acoustic guitar fools you into thinking you might be in for a shouty Turner-esque song but it quickly & effortlessly launches into the smooth & funky vibes you fell in love with on the first track. The music takes a more minimilistic turn in the first half of title track “The Fall”, with Eliza expressing an emotional song. Closing track “I Plead” is a monster of a track beginning with a Radiohead-style guitar intro, then drifts between the now- familiar smooth-jazz piano and full-on funk. Throughout the whole EP, Eliza and her band have succeeded in creating beautiful, cool, commercial music, while retaining the singer/songwriter qualities that Eliza clearly has in abundance. “The Fall” EP is out now. You can catch Eliza May live at The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham on Thursday 29th Aug with Ellisha Green, Isolabella Marson and Emily Sambrook Fat BlokeWith No Tattoos  www.elizamaymusic.com www.ryansgigguide.com rgg Aug 2019 21