Elina Filice made Friday the 13th a lucky day with the release of poignant indie pop anthemic ‘These Days’. Written about the pain and longing of a long-distance relationship, it examines the feelings of always running out of time. Heart-wrenching and comforting at the same time, the track is a great introduction to the genre-hopping sound Filice has created. So we talked about musical influences, achievements, and hobbies!
Hi! Could you introduce yourself, your genre, and your musical influences?
“Hi! I’m Elina. I’m a singer-songwriter now based in Toronto. I’d describe my music as heartfelt, soulful, and melodic with strong storytelling elements. I definitely have a hard time committing to a genre. If you listen to my discography, you’ll hear everything from folk to rap to rock, though I think my music always sounds like “me.” I would say my biggest musical influences are the female singer-songwriters my Dad played for me growing up, playing in jazz band, and gay pop icons.”
What inspired you to start making music and what inspires you to keep going?
“I come from a musical family and I started writing poetry, songs, and stories from a young age. I’ve always loved writing and performing, love being on stage and connecting with audiences. The independent artist life is definitely not an easy one. What keeps me going is just love for the art form. As an artist, you truly have to love what you’re doing to make it through the hard days! I love writing and performing, so that’s what I try to focus on, despite there being lots of noise that distracts and disheartens us. Music has taken me to incredible places, let me connect with people that I never otherwise would have, so I like to think that if I keep pouring into it, it’ll keep surprising me.”
Where do you, in general, get inspiration for your music and song-writing?
“I take inspiration from my life and experiences. What I’m thinking, feeling, or going through at a particular time. A song tends to capture a moment in time, a chapter in my story. I like to think of my songs as kind of a ‘time capsule’ in that way, immortalizing a moment in time.”
Which musical achievements are you most proud of?
“So many! I’m so proud to have been streamed 2million times. That’s a huge achievement for any independent artist. I’m proud to have achieved worldwide press acclaim and radio play, and that I’ve performed my music on three continents. I think I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve just kept going despite the discouragements of being an independent artist.”
What do you hope to achieve by releasing music with followers old and new?
“For new followers – I hope to just keep reaching more ears with my music. I hope people can connect to my stories, lyrics, and melodies. I hope it can help some queer person somewhere feel less alone. For long-time followers, I hope I can keep making bangers for them. I hope they feel inspired by the fact that I’m still out here making & releasing music. And I hope they dig into my discography and remember where we’ve been, together.”
What are your plans for the new year and what are some of your goals and dreams?
“I’ve really loved exploring the Toronto music & arts scene so I’m excited to keep doing that. I have tons more singles, collaborations, videos and gigs planned, please follow me on instagram to keep up with what I’m up to!”
Aside from music, what are some of your hobbies and interests, we’d love to know more about you as a person!
“I love to travel and have been lucky enough to see some really cool parts of the world. I love nature and have been on some really epic hikes (ask me about my bear encounter). I’m passionate about independent music and am the founder of Drop Rocket, project management software that helps independent artists release new music.”
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