BY ALISSA ARUNARSIRAKUL
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLUTCH 32 PUBLIC RELATIONS
A 17-year-old Texas native, Eloah Jones has recently released her first original single, SOLDIER. She began acting and singing at age 11, and the music industry eventually took notice of her perseverance and passion. Influenced by Selena Gomez, Lana Del Rey, and Banks, Jones has a powerful and captivating voice that will soon find itself on the playlists of millions of people worldwide. Her new single SOLDIER is now available on Apple Music, iTunes, and Spotify.
Congratulations on your first original single, SOLDIER! How did you feel when the song was released on Nov 1st? Were you nervous? Excited?
ELOAH: First, I want to thank you and Unclear Magazine for interviewing me. Your interest and support in my music means a great deal to me!
Yes, I was both! I was super excited for the song to be released. I put my heart and soul into it and I couldn’t wait for people to hear it. At the same time, I was a little nervous wondering how it would be received-how I would be received-and if listeners would enjoy it. So far so good!
The lyrics of SOLDIER are so inspiring and well thought out. Can you tell us a little about your writing process? How long does it usually take you to write a song?
ELOAH: Thank you. Well, writing has always been therapeutic to me. Timing on song writing varies. Lyrics come fairly fast and easy for me when the moment strikes. So, I have many lyrics and song ideas written. The beat progression and music takes a little longer. When I come up with something that I like musically, I go back to my lyrics and start working them in. For example, I had written most of the lyrics to Soldier in about 30 minutes. When I was collaborating on music ideas and found a progression I liked, I went back to the Soldier lyrics and everything just fell into place in about a day.
Out of all the many songs you’ve written, what is your favorite lyric? What does it mean to you?
ELOAH: Right now, it’s one of my lines in Soldier... “I thought you’d be my forever, but it turned into a war.” Soldier was built around that lyric. What I was saying there is to remember that everything happens for a reason and some things that may seem perfect are not. But, when going through tough times, it's easy to give in, but you can’t let those situations define you or defeat you. Because what defines you is not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up. You have to be strong and fight…. like a “Soldier.”
What sparked your interest in acting and singing? When you began acting and singing at age 11, did you think they would become such a big part of your life six years later?
ELOAH: I've loved to sing and act ever since I was little, I would see Taylor Swift or someone on TV, and think, "That should be me!" Music and singing just seemed to come naturally for me. My friends and family were very supportive and gave me the confidence to put myself out there, so that's what I did! However, being a credited actress and getting to meet and work with the people in the music industry that I have thus far has been amazing. I never dreamed of getting this far but I am embracing that dream and l honestly feel this is just the beginning.
Selena Gomez, Lana Del Rey, and Banks are just some of your biggest influences. What about them do you admire? Their stage performances? Lyrics? Personalities?
ELOAH: I admire them a lot because they are themselves. They keep it real. I think their voices are very unique and their music is different, positive and fun. I am inspired to be that type of artist.
So many musicians from Texas have had arguably successful musical careers: Beyoncé Knowles, Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato, and Miranda Lambert—to name a few. What about you sets yourself, or your musical style, apart from them?
ELOAH: Wow that’s a tough one! It would be difficult to think about what may set me apart from great artists like you mentioned. However, I think what will set me apart generally is that my songs are real. I put my heart and soul into Soldier. I lived it and it means something to me. It’s something I want to share with others, and my medium to do that is music. I think my audience will be able to relate to that.
If you could pick one artist, living or deceased, to collaborate with, who would you choose?
ELOAH: Another tough one! So many great artists to choose from. Honestly, I think it would have to be Michael Jackson. He was undisputedly the “King of Pop.” He was an awesome songwriter, producer and performer, and someone we lost way too soon. It would have been absolutely amazing to work with him and I certainly envy those that got that chance.
Aside from SOLDIER, do you have any plans to release more new music? Are you currently working on your debut album?
ELOAH: I am working on several new singles right now. So, in the very near future you’ll be hearing more singles from me. A little longer term I am hopeful to get a full album in the works.
I sense that 2017 is going to be a huge year for you. What do you have planned for the upcoming year? What goals would you like to accomplish in 2017?
ELOAH: I sure feel like 2017 is going to be a huge year for me too, so I hope we're right on that! Along with writing new material and putting out some additional singles, I am also looking to have more live performances on the schedule. I would love to get picked up in support of a national act and so I'm working very hard on these goals of mine.