Nostalgia in the present: Austrian-Bulgarian singer, songwriter, and rapper Eli Preiss on living the moments she’s going to look back on with love

COLORS x EDITORIAL | ARTIST INTERVIEWS

Austrian-Bulgarian artist Eli Preiss began writing music in an indie-rock band before shifting her gaze towards a career as a solo-artist. She released her first single ‘I Want You to Know’ in 2018, with dreams of breaking into the Viennese music scene as an English-speaking artist. In 2020, Preiss headed to New York City to nurture this dream, but was forced to return to Austria a week later due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Back in Vienna, Preiss started to write songs for the German-speaking market. Since then, she’s released the EPs ‘MOODSWINGS’, ‘WIE ICH BLEID’, and her debut acclaimed album ‘LVL UP’. With a steadfast approach and the belief that change promotes success, Preiss continues to drop music while refusing to be defined by genre or style.

Following her A COLORS SHOW performance of ‘Alles (und nichts)’, we spoke with Preiss about being inspired by the likes of Rihanna and Billie Eilish, taking time to be grateful in the moment, and embracing the symbiotic nature of collaboration.

What’s your earliest musical memory?

Listening to Nelly Furtado’s ‘Powerless’ in the car with my mom when she picked me up from kindergarten.

Did you grow up in a musical household?

There was always music in my house. My mom sang a lot, and my sister was constantly playing something—either music or films. My sister taught me so much about popular culture.

You started your professional musical journey on a casting show “Kiddy Contest” at the age of 12. Did you always see yourself pursuing a career in music?

I always had this feeling—as if I could see my own future—that I would be a performer. I remember my jaw dropping while watching Hannah Montana when I was young. I felt it in my chest that this life was meant for me.

Do you remember the first song you ever wrote?

Yes! I was 11-years-old and it was super dramatic. I wrote the song on my guitar. The lyrics were something like ‘I’m alone in this world, do you feel my pain?’ Lol!

You began releasing music in 2018. What drew you towards writing songs in English at this time?

My then boyfriend was on a mission to start a band. He wasn’t the best writer, so I ended up writing the lyrics for their songs.

I enjoyed building a creative symbiosis with like minded people, but I quickly realized I would prefer having control over the final product. In bands there are too many opinions. So, I left and began reaching out to producers to create my own music.

You began writing in German during the pandemic. Why did you decide to make this shift?

In Vienna, people often tell you that you should write music in German because it’s the language of our main music market. I rebelled against this and continued creating English music. Then the pandemic happened. I was in New York at the time where I’d been planning to stay for a month. A week into my trip we were warned of a lockdown, so I was forced to move back home. When I got back I was crushed. It was as if my dream of creating English music was lost.

The first time I wrote a rap in German was for my sister’s birthday. I wrote another for my mom, which became ‘Danke Mammi’, a fan favorite. When I started writing in German I did it for fun. That’s probably why it came so naturally to me, because I wasn’t taking it too seriously.

“My idols are Billie Eilish and Rihanna—artists who don’t fit into any one genre. If these iconic artists who I aspire to be like are experimental, why can’t I be too?”

You’ve released music in various genres from electro-pop to R&B and hip-hop. What do you like about experimenting with different styles?

I try not to think about genres. My taste in music is versatile and my idols are Billie Eilish and Rihanna—artists who don’t fit into any one genre. If these iconic artists who I aspire to be like are experimental, why can’t I be too?

Your 2023 album ‘b.a.d’ captures a generation filled with stress, anxiety, and ADHD. What made you want to address these topics?

I rarely sit down and make a concept for an album. I usually make songs, identify a pattern within them, and build from there. For example, the album’s outro, ‘flackerndes licht’, was written in 2020. At the time it didn’t fit with any of the other tracks I was making, so I put it to the side. As I continued writing more and more songs, I noticed that I’d collected multiple tracks with the same darker tone and introspective themes as ‘flackerndes licht’. That’s when I decided to put them together to create ‘b.a.d.’

Which song off the album do you feel most emotionally connected to?

‘Phasen’. The lyrics really expose how I was feeling in the studio that day. My subconscious came out on that track.

In 2023 you performed alongside Bounty & Cocoa, Wa22ermann, and Babyjoy in a cypher accompanied by an orchestra. In your verse you discussed your dealings with misogyny, as well as predatory men in the industry. Tell us about this collaboration, and why you believe it is important for women to speak out about their experiences.

We were given the topic: ‘What it’s like to be a woman in the music industry’. I knew this performance would attract the attention of people who might not otherwise be exposed to our experiences, so I knew the theme was important to explore.

It was an emotional experience. It was both dramatic and beautiful to perform with a live orchestra. I felt the depth of the moment while I was on stage recording. As I stood there performing, I knew it was important, if not for anyone else, for me to express what happened to me.

What was the writing process like for your verse?

I wrote around 50 different versions of my verse. At first, I wanted to speak from my friend’s perspective—she had just experienced something bad in the industry. Later I switched the focus to my own experience. I pre-recorded myself before rehearsals, and even then it was difficult for me to express what I wanted to say. When the day came to perform, I stood in front of the conductor and watched as he mouthed along to my verse. It was really beautiful. I felt myself choking up at that moment, knowing that my words resonated with someone who does his style of music.

“Seeing another discipline connect to my own made me feel very grateful for my art. It’s in those moments that I feel the most present.”

In December 2023 you went on your first ever tour. What was it like touring your music for the first time?

There was a beautiful synergy on the tour. I fought to have dancers on the stage with me and I cried the first time I saw them perform to my music. Seeing another discipline connect to my own made me feel very grateful for my art. It’s in those moments that I feel the most present. It’s odd, it feels like nostalgia in the present. I’ve become so aware that these are the moments that I’m going to look back on fondly. I started out as a dancer before I wrote music, it was my first form of expression.

Can you tell us about ‘Alles (und nichts)’, the song you performed for COLORS? What is the story behind it?

I was living in a shared apartment when I wrote the song. I was sitting in the living room with a friend talking about something sad, and we could hear a melody coming from our new roommate Lukas Eggers’ room. I didn’t know Lukas, the producer of the track, well at that point, but I felt connected to him even through the wall. Listening to the chords, it sounded like he was feeling nothing and everything all at the same time. That’s when ‘Alles (und nichts)’ came to mind. I knocked on his door and asked if I could sing to the melody. We made the track right then in his room. It was a very new and challenging experience. I sat there, closed my eyes, and freestyled.

What does the future hold for Eli Preiss?

I want to be surrounded by nature, and to feel more connected with myself. I want to be more aware, more thankful, and at peace.

Eli Preiss is an Austrian-Bulgarian based artist whose A COLORS SHOW was released on 8th February 2024. You can watch the full performance on our YouTube channel.

Text: Katerina Lytras
Photography: Megan Courtis