Photo Credit: Matt Walter
Interview by Carol Simpson
One single. One honest and emotionally driven single is what it took to catapult Eliza & The Delusionals to the next phase of their career. A promising young band from Australia that did not anticipate a wave of success from the U.S. market, is about to reach new audiences and creative heights. Their gritty yet delicate rock sound is taking fans to a space where all listeners can resonate. Their newfound success has earned them coveted spots on tour with Silversun Pickups and Beabadoobee. We caught up with Eliza Klatt to discuss the band’s upcoming plans, creative process, and so much more.
Eliza & The Delusionals formed early in 2015 in their home country. The band has been consistently touring at home since the release of their track “Jackie”. During that time “Just Exist” was still in its infancy. “Between the two songs we went through a lot of changes within the band and in our personal lives. We had a lot going on and we had a lot to figure out. We also were in the middle of a lot of Australian touring after the release of Jackie, so when it came time to record Just Exist we had just come out of a really weird time and a lot of changes. The song had probably been written for at least 6-8 months before it was even recorded. We had it in our live setlist for a while before putting it into the studio.”
Having that time to sit on the song and test it out live has worked out for the band so far. The track reached #1 on SiriusXM’s Alt Nation chart. “Just Exist” tackles the harsh reality many musicians face of feeling depressed, but feeling inspired and creative as a result. As they gear up for the upcoming schedule, Eliza opened up about that vulnerable and sensitive state. “I think that it’s something I’ll always deal with. I feel like a lot of creatives can relate to that. Things like touring and recording music definitely makes me forget a lot of the sadder concepts that are behind the songs, because we just enjoy playing them live so much. It’s a really interesting when I think about it – writing and performing songs about my most vulnerable points in life.”
Writing from such an honest place can be challenging, but the support of your band as collaborators can ease the process as it has done for Eliza & The Delusionals. “I can definitely say everything from the writing process to the performance we have changed in so many ways. We have been through a lot as a band and in our personal lives – especially over the past year or two – but I think we’ve always come out better on the other end. The writing process is a lot more collaborative between us now as well, which I think is really great.”
People are definitely picking up on that heartfelt songwriting and running with it. As their socials grow with love and the track’s streams continue to grow, the band is in a dream like state of gratitude. “It’s a dream honestly. We really didn’t expect it to go over so well in the US. One day we woke up and there were heaps and heaps of comments and messages from US fans, so until Kurt and I went and visited New York in December we were pretty much living the experience through Instagram comments. We are so grateful for everyone who has been listening to Just Exist in the US.”
As the band continues to look forward to this year, they are specifically excited about an upcoming date at The Wiltern Theatre in LA with Silversun Pickups and hitting new cities like Minneapolis and Aspen. Their explicit gratitude has them in the right state of mind for a promising career. While they have more in the works for fans, including new music, the band hopes to also hop on festivals this year. If you haven’t given Eliza & The Delusionals yet, get on it before they start headlining globally to massive crowds.
Check out the full list of their upcoming tour dates here.
Impressions Magazine 