Eloise on the Release of Her Latest Single “Therapist” and Upcoming Debut Album 'Drunk On A Flight'

Based in London, 23 year old singer-songwriter Eloise uncovers new elements to her sound in the latest additions to her discography. Set forth to release her debut album Drunk On A Flight on April 14th, Eloise has given us a taste of the project with three irresistible singles. Released on March 15th, her latest track “Therapist” is a witty and lighthearted single that touches on interpersonal relationships with mental health and emotional baggage.

Eloise states in regards to “Therapist” that “Although the song is about mental health and a plea for someone to seek help from a professional rather than a partner, it's all tongue and cheek.” She brushes upon possibly uncomfortable situations in a feel-good tone, making the space she creates with her music entirely resonating like a chat with a friend.

Adjacent to “Therapist,” Eloise previously released the undoubtedly transparent single “Giant Feelings” on February 17th in conjunction with a glimmering Los Angeles-based music video filmed all in one take and directed by Tess Lafia. Eloise explores principles of fictional songwriting in “Giant Feelings,” embodying her take on the emotional realities of a faltering relationship. Eloise’s unmatched ability to convey vulnerability and emotional clarity through her sonic soundscapes is palpable in the world of “Giant Feelings.”

This leads us to the release of Eloise’s debut album’s title track “Drunk On A Flight” on January 20th of 2022. The oldest track from the album, “Drunk On A Flight” encapsulates Eloise’s navigation of heartbreak through her lyrical storytelling. Eloise taps into a deep sense of yearning and unpredictability narrated through her personal experience of getting drunk on a flight after a breakup. Honing in on themes of heartbreak saturated with personal revelation and emotional empowerment, the title track for Drunk On A Flight elicits an encompassing feeling worthy of anticipation. Produced with Conor Albert, Eloise’s debut album is one to look out for, set to release this April 14th.

In a conversation with Unpublished Magazine, Eloise discussed her latest singles, the excitement behind her debut album, and how she is preparing for her upcoming tour this summer.

[UNPUBLISHED]: Thank you for sitting down with Unpublished today! What have you been up to lately outside of music?

[ELOISE]: Not much outside of music because it's obviously the run up to the album coming out. So, I think it's been a lot of stuff that doesn't seem initially taxing or anything. But, it's lots of little bits here and there getting ready for it. Then the rest of the time I’m just trying to keep one foot on the ground and keep my social, private life ticking along.

[UNPUBLISHED]: You just released your latest single “Giant Feelings” last month. How does it feel? Can you tell us about the inspiration or story behind it?

[ELOISE]: When I was writing this project, I was definitely exploring a different type of songwriting for the album. I had just been in America doing a little bit of songwriting and hence fumbled my way into a writing session for pitch and for pop. So, when I came back to London, I wanted to apply all this new knowledge I had on how to write songs to my songwriting. I decided to challenge myself to write a new song every single day, finish it, and do it in this structure. That was the first thing that came out of that. So, "Giant Feelings" was not about me. It's about my take on how I feel I'd react if I were in that situation. But, it's very much the first song that I was like, "Wow, I can see the direction of this album now."

[UNPUBLISHED]: I read on your Instagram that you described “Giant Feelings” as having a fictional element. Do you see yourself pursuing this songwriting style again in the future?

[ELOISE]: I think maybe. I've never set any kind of limitations on how I'll ever write songs. I mean, I used to be a little snobby shit who was really stuck out about pop. Then I ended up really loving pop and loving writing pop. So, I'm just clearly someone who can't make their mind up and I'll just keep trying new things. So, I guess I probably will at some point write another fictional song. We'll see.

[UNPUBLISHED]: Your new single “Therapist” comes out on March 15th — congratulations!! I feel like the song is really in tune with the grand discussion of mental health in our generation and how people tend to communicate their trauma with one another, whether in healthy or not healthy ways. Can you tell us about what drove you to write this song?

[ELOISE]: I think everyone, but especially women, can relate to the feeling of their partner unloading a bit too much on to them. The reason I say especially women is because I feel like emotional repression and, in turn, a dependency on a partner is typically seen in men. Although the song is about mental health and a plea for someone to seek help from a professional rather than a partner, it's all tongue and cheek – I definitely wanted the song to feel like you’re part of a girls chat at a wine bar!

[UNPUBLISHED]: The lyricism is really witty and can resonate with a lot of people. Do you have a favorite line from the song?

[ELOISE]: I reckon “Acting like a boy but I fell for a man” just because it’s so cutting and simple. It’s super harsh but it delivered the exact feeling I had when writing it.

[UNPUBLISHED]: The music video for the single was shot all in one take – was this difficult? Any fun experiences from filming?

[ELOISE]: It was so brief. We flew to Los Angeles to do it and had an afternoon where we went to the hiking trail and blocked it out because we knew that by the time we'd get on set, it would be pitch black. So, we had to know where we were going and wait for the sun to start to rise. So, it was kind of exciting. But, it also seemed fairly simple. I'm also not the camera person. So, they did not have a simple job. They were literally sprinting backwards, holding a camera, trying to keep that steady while they're having to jump backwards on a trail where they might fall off. There were high stakes as well because once the sun starts to rise, you've got basically 10 or 15 minutes to get the sunrise. And that was the whole point of coming to Los Angeles as I wanted the sunrise in the background. So we were like, "We literally can't ruin this. We have to get this." So, we only had time to do like three takes before the sun had completely come up. We all got set at 4:30 in the morning. It was wild. It was very, very quick. And I'd recommend anyone doing a one take video because of how quick it is.

[UNPUBLISHED]: You’re about to release your debut album on April 14th, which is really exciting! How are you feeling – nervous? Excited?

[ELOISE]: I think I feel excited and relieved because it feels like I've had this for so long and the process of making the album was very quick. Within six months, I'd written the album and it had been recorded and produced. So, because it all came together so fast, you put the brakes on when it comes to releasing it and you have to slow down and gradually tease everything. I'm just excited for that moment to be over and I can be like, "Here's what I've kept a secret the whole time and I have to tell you now." I'm excited for that moment and to celebrate that.

[UNPUBLISHED]: Can you tell me about the significance of the album title and the title track – “Drunk On A Flight.”

[ELOISE]: So "Drunk On A Flight" is the only old song on the album. The day I went on my first tour, I had broken up with my long term boyfriend and we broke up on the day that I flew away, so we woke up together. Then I was with my friend who was the drummer on the tour and I was just like "Get me drunk on this flight. Like I gotta just get on with it and feel something else.” We got really drunk and spoke about it loads and often our conversations lead to me writing down on my phone because I think they'd be good lines for songs or whatever. And from then on every single major thing in my romantic life that happened seemed to be around either flights away or flights home. It all coincided.

[UNPUBLISHED]: Do you have a specific song from the album that you are excited for people to hear?

[ELOISE]: I feel like I keep wondering about this and I'm not sure. I can't choose between my children. What I'm more excited about is for people to hear the album as a whole. I love albums. I love listening to albums head to toe. And if someone has made an album with the intention of it being listened to as a piece, it's nice to do that. I think more than being excited about anyone listening to one individual song, I'm most excited for people to just play it start to finish and feel the ark.

[UNPUBLISHED]: If someone were to sit down and listen to the album in full, what do you envision as the perfect place to do so?

[ELOISE]: Maybe like a flight from London to Berlin because that's about the same amount of time as the album goes on for. Something like that. I feel like it should be on a plane. It'd be nice to say a park. But, the ideal place to listen to that is like if you're taking off and opening lyrics sets you off and then you touchdown when the end of the album happens. What a dream that would be.

[UNPUBLISHED]: You’re about to embark on tour this summer! How do you prepare for tour?

[ELOISE]: The only preparation I feel is important for me is actually trying to not let myself get frightened and overwhelmed by it. Rehearsals are always easy because logically if you're in a room for a certain amount of hours practicing songs, you're gonna be fine. So, I can logically figure that out. But, the idea of performing will never be completely natural to me because you're standing on a heightened platform in front of hundreds of people all staring at you. That's a weird thing to do. So basically, I spend months running up to tour psyching myself up to go and be an extrovert, when actually, I'm probably an extroverted introvert.

[UNPUBLISHED]: Is there a city that you’re excited to perform in this summer?

[ELOISE]: I'm so biased because I finish at KOKO in London. Normally, I would say somewhere else. But, because it's KOKO and because KOKO is where I've seen so many of my favorite artists play and it's the milestone venue, I'm so excited to play that one. And to end the tour and have all my friends and family and everyone there is gonna be so much fun.

[UNPUBLISHED]: As an artist, what’s one of the best pieces of advice you’ve been given?

[ELOISE]: I don't know if I've had advice that I can remember. But, I've heard lots of artists I love speaking. I've always thought that the less informed you are, the less you're trying to copy something, and the more you stay in touch with the most innocent part of yourself that's a musician, you're just gonna make the best stuff you can. I think I wrote some of the best songs I'll probably ever write when I didn't know about structure and I didn't know that a song had to have a chorus. I think that's a really important thing. Stay in touch with your freedoms, stay in touch with the fact that the less formula there is, then the Jeff Buckley's exist again, then the Joni Mitchell's exist again, because they weren't following a structure.

[UNPUBLISHED]: What have you been listening to lately?

[ELOISE]: I've been listening to a lot of UK garage and dance music at the moment. But, I've been smashing out that song "The Thrill Is Gone" by RAYE and I think that's a great song on her new album and it's super old school, it's very bold. That's very cool, great horns. I've been having a real Amy Winehouse moment again, which I haven't had in years. I've just been going back. When I'm trying to be creative I need to not really listen to songwriting and stuff that's coming out that's new, or I'm too informed. Which is why I think I listen to dance music all the time because it's nothing like what I make; but, I can still enjoy music.

[UNPUBLISHED]: What are you most excited for in 2023?

[ELOISE]: Playing KOKO is one of the things. I'm excited for festival season. That's always really fun. I didn't really play any festivals last year, which tends to mean that I probably will this year. So, that's exciting. And just having this album out will be a real weight lifted because I think then I'll feel like I can finally start working on the next project. I've started, but because my head's still in Drunk On A Flight zone, I can't fully throw myself into the next album. So, I'm excited about all of that. It all happens very fast. So, a lot can happen in a year.

[UNPUBLISHED]: Anything else you want readers to know?
[ELOISE]: I just hope that they like the album and I hope that people who have heard my music before who are reading trust the process. The songs are a little bit far out and different from my old stuff, it doesn't mean I'm going down that route forever. I'm just trying something out.

Make sure to keep up to date with Eloise on Instagram and stream “Therapist,” “Giant Feelings,” and “Drunk On A Flight” out now on Spotify. Watch the “Giant Feelings” music video HERE. Catch Eloise on tour HERE.