Among fans of country music, there are those who yearn for authenticity and artists that lean towards the traditional side of the genre. Lucky for them, more artists are starting to come to the surface to carry that torch, and while they may seem new to fans, these artists have been putting in their years to get to where they are. Elijah Ocean is one of those artists. Inspired by country heroes like Bare, Haggard, and Jackson and the overall genius of Dylan and The Beatles, this singer-songwriter has a decade invested into his career with countless shows and miles under his belt as well as five albums. On August 13th, Elijah will be releasing his sixth album Born Blue and today he is exclusively premiering “The Ice Machine” on The Country Note. Pre-save/order here.
We recently talked with Elijah about his career leading him to Music City, the new single and Born Blue, and more.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
EO: I grew up in rural Maine and started playing guitar and writing songs at 13. I studied music in college, played in rock bands, then moved to Brooklyn. I recorded a couple folky solo albums there, did some touring, then moved out to Los Angeles for 6 years. I recorded more records and gigged a ton, steadily leaning more and more toward the straight ahead country thing. In March I moved to Nashville where I’ve been writing, gigging, and getting ready to release this new record, Born Blue.
CN: Which artists have influenced you both personally and as an artist?
EO: The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Bobby Bare, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, Clint Black to name a few.
CN: You recently moved from LA to Nashville. What was the driving factor behind your decision to move?
EO: I spent a year in California through the pandemic. I was able to dive more into the production thing, but was really unable to do much else which was pretty depressing. I needed to make a change and coming to Nashville seemed like the best option – I have a lot of friends here and I’m able to make music the way I want.
CN: LA is known for its punk, rock and rap scene, and while Nashville is known for its country music, there are many other genres that call Music City home. What differences and similarities have you found between the two cities – both musically and on a personal level?
EO: I love both cities but I have more space in Nashville and it’s a lot quieter which is nice. I miss the California vibes for sure, but I am enjoying how much country music is happening here every day and night. I feel totally immersed and that feels great.
CN: You are known for your songwriting as a storyteller. Can you take us through your songwriting process? Have you taken part in writing sessions since moving to Nashville?
EO: I never put pressure on myself to write and usually just write when I’m inspired, which comes and goes. I have been doing more co writes since moving to town and that is a much different process. I do love it though! If the spark is there you can really balance each other out and come up with great stuff. It also feels like working a muscle that only gets stronger the more you use it.
CN: Did you find yourself writing more or less during the pandemic?
EO: I think I was writing about the same amount. I was definitely more focused on the recording side of things though.
CN: On Friday, July 30, you will be releasing “The Ice Machine,” which is an interesting concept in that you have a rather intimate conversation with…an ice machine. Where did you get the inspiration for this song?
EO: Honestly I can’t remember. I think the tagline “comin’ clean to the ice machine” popped into my head at some point somehow and I thought that was really funny – like going to confession or something. I just pictured the moment the guy is about to cheat (or not) and wanted to explore that.
Listen to the premiere of “The Ice Machine” below:
CN: The song provides a great plot for a music video. Are there plans to release one?
EO: I could definitely picture that. I don’t have plans for it but a video is in the works for the title track.
CN: This single is off your upcoming album Born Blue featuring your band The Countrysiders. You describe the album as “Secondwave Neotraditional Country & Western Music” that takes the heart of 80s and 90s country music and slightly modernizes it. How important was it to you to honor the tradition of Neotraditional country music while creating your own sound?
EO: The whole idea of the Neo-traditional Country music from the 80s/90s was that it rode the line between modern and classic country. It was era-appropriate, while still paying respect to the history of the genre, and was neither a complete throwback or a reinvention. That’s exactly what I was trying to do, but in 2021, I was able to pull influences from the entire 20th century – Ernest Tubb and Dwight Yoakam, Merle Haggard and Alan Jackson.
CN: What can fans expect from this album?
EO: The album releases August 13. It’s 12 bangin country tunes with lots of fiddle and steel. There’s shuffles, rockers and even a waltz.
CN: How did you come to the title of the album?
EO: The title track is probably the most introspective of the bunch. It felt like it summed up the feelings of all the scenarios I explored in the other songs, so it was the obvious choice.
CN: Where can fans catch you either online or in person?
EO: I am doing a CD release party at The American Legion Post 82 in Nashville on 8/12 with the full 7-piece band and will likely be hitting the road next year.
Pre-order/save “The Ice Machine” here.
Pre-order Born Blue here.
For more information on Elijah Ocean, visit his website at elijahocean.com and connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Soundcloud and Bandcamp.