A Chat with E.L.W.12 (09.06.26)
Drawing on raw observation and celebrating life in its totality, electronic-pop artist E.L.W.12 shares intimate, moving melodies with the masses. We speak with the musician about her new album, Scraped Truth, what music means to her, her opinion on AI, and much more.
OSR: Cliché as it comes, but what drew you to music? How did this project come about? Also, how did the project name come about – what does E.L.W.12 stand for or mean?
E.L.W.12: To be completely honest, my musical journey started with a bit of chaos. When I was younger, much more spontaneous and definitely less thoughtful than I am today, I ended up in a band that was actually born out of a bet. We tried making music for about two years, though looking back, we were probably better known for being eccentric than for making good music. And since I was the technical nerd in the background, I was primarily responsible for that rather questionable sound, while the others handled the wild stage show. Eventually, I walked away from actively making music for a very long time.
The spark for this current project came back completely out of nowhere. I had a guest staying at my house who was going through a highly traumatic time after a severe stroke of fate. To distract him, I went up to the attic, dug out my old Korg synthesizer, and we just started messing around with it. Over a few days, we created a few tracks that actually sounded quite nice, and more importantly, it deeply helped him process things. I wanted to share that first song with friends and, as narcissistic as it might sound, I just wanted to be able to listen to it myself while driving, so I put it on Spotify. But as life goes, you start something small, you get hooked, and suddenly you realize you can’t let go anymore.
The project name fits that accidental journey perfectly. In the beginning, I honestly didn’t plan for this to be anything more than just that single track. So, without overthinking it, I just took the initials of my son and his football jersey number, and E.L.W.12 was born. Had I known back then that it would turn into quite a few more songs, I might have spent a little more time brainstorming.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
E.L.W.12: I actually find this question quite difficult to answer from an artist’s perspective because I still view music very much as a consumer. From that viewpoint, it is actually quite simple. Music is one of the most beautiful instruments to either lift your mood or fully immerse yourself in a certain feeling. A few minutes can make you happy, relaxed, or deeply reflective, and that is a bit of pure magic. I always want to keep that perspective when I create my own music. At the same time, I quickly realised that making music becomes much more meaningful when a song does more than just entertain, when it actually tells a story. The real challenge is tackling heavier themes without leaving people feeling depressed. It is a very fine line to walk, but finding that balance is exactly what makes the process so fascinating to me.
OSR: You recently released your album Scraped Truth? What can you tell us about it? Is there a particular theme or backstory to the album?
E.L.W.12: The work on Scraped Truth actually began when my previous album, Unfiltered, was just about to be released. The final few songs of Unfiltered suddenly became much deeper, and by the time that album was finished, I realized I still had so many themes left on my notepad that I wanted to explore musically. That was definitely the moment I decided to put a much stronger focus on the actual content of the lyrics. At the same time, I do not want to overstate it. There are definitely topics that move me deeply, like domestic abuse in ‘This is not love’, dealing with the overwhelming nature of daily life in ‘Fading Signal’, or ‘Graveyard of Morality’, which addresses how severe, undeniable crimes are covered up by power and influence, leading to a shameless reversal of victims and perpetrators. Parts of the songs are very direct, which was important to me, but I can think of so many other artists who achieve the exact same thing, so it is really nothing extraordinary. It was simply a common thread that guided me through the entire production, and it leaves me with a good feeling to have finally said these things, but that is really all it is.
OSR: You mention that the majority of this album was recorded independently at your home studio. What challenges did you face when recording this multi-layered electronic album? Also, do you feel that recording at home is more beneficial than in-studio?
E.L.W.12: Unfortunately, life is not a wish-fulfilling factory. In a different world, I would definitely prefer a professional studio, even if it would probably overwhelm me at first. But for that to happen, my life would need a completely different blueprint, one that elevates the music and this project to an entirely different level. In reality, I have a disciplined and responsible daily life that I am grateful to follow, which means music is a wonderful hobby. I try to give it the time it needs, even if that sometimes means just a few hours at the end of a very long day. That is where my modest, slowly growing home setup has its major advantages. I constantly hit technical boundaries here, and I probably spend more time trying to push those limits than actually writing music, but that is a state of mind I have learned to accept. For my current phase, I feel very comfortable with this setting, though I do feel an underlying desire to realize a professional, genuine studio production somewhere down the road. Then again, I have only just started with this project, so it is nice to leave a few big plans on the to-do list.
OSR: What do you hope people take from your music, and what do you take from it?
E.L.W.12: For the listeners, I simply hope they take away at least a good feeling, and perhaps in certain moments, an extra thought about something they might usually perceive only on the surface without questioning its true depth. To me, the ability to look closer is one of the most important elements of our society, yet for various reasons, it is often neglected. We should take more time to consider not just what is obviously right in front of our eyes, but also challenge ourselves to drop the convenience of superficiality. The answers we find beneath the surface are rarely easier, and they can certainly be more painful, but they are also far more real and honest.
OSR: You tend to release music in albums. Do you feel Scraped Truth is a representation of you at the moment, and how does it compare or differ to your other work?
E.L.W.12: Every album definitely has its own history. To be fair, there was at least one previous album that reflected my personal situation and my emotional world much more authentically than Scraped Truth does. Instead of a direct mirror of my feelings, I see this album as a representation of me trying to find a more mature path. The pace over the last few months was far too fast, driven by an inner restlessness and a constant urge to prove something to myself. That has changed recently. I have become much more critical of my own work, spending more time thinking about how to evolve the tracks. So, if Scraped Truth represents me at the moment, it represents my struggle between the attempt to find a new focus and the immense amount of impatience I am still trying to tame.
OSR: AI is a significant evolution in the music industry. What are your thoughts on AI and how do you feel about it being used in a creative context?
E.L.W.12: I actually appreciate that you refer to it as an evolution, because right now, these technologies are often viewed more as a threat to the traditional craftsmanship of songwriting. And I highly respect that perspective. For me personally, new AI technologies were a gateway. Without them, I probably would have never been able to release a single song. Yet, I am still very critical of AI-generated music, whether it is full tracks or just elements. While I accept all the criticism surrounding its use, I also believe some of it is slightly misplaced. An AI song will never replace a genuine, human track, just like e-books never banned physical books from bookstores. You can clearly hear the differences in AI music, and even as the technology evolves, those differences will remain, particularly where music truly matters, which is in real emotions. A frozen pizza can satisfy your hunger, but it will never replace the experience and the atmosphere of dining at your favorite Italian restaurant. As an artist, it is vital to know exactly what you are doing and how you let a song come to life. That is why my goal is not to ban AI, but to learn to use it in such a balanced way that I can merge both worlds optimally. Finding that balance is currently one of my most important self-imposed guidelines. And honestly, when I listen to other songs that were made entirely without AI, I often listen with a sense of envy, thinking to myself that this is exactly where I want to land one day.
OSR: If you could introduce a listener to your music, what song would you recommend and why that one?
E.L.W.12: I actually do have a favorite song that I would recommend to anyone, and that is ‘I’m Different’ from the album Artificial Love. In my view, that track just has so much going for it. It has a powerful message, the lyrics are completely spot on, and it has this highly engaging, uplifting character that just feels incredibly positive. At least to me. In this modern streaming era, the song does have one flaw: it does not start immediately. It takes its time, so a few listeners might have already hit the skip button before the song actually gets going. But that is just how it is. I have no interest in making streaming-optimized tracks that wrap everything up in two and a half minutes or refuse to build up an atmosphere first. Of course you want people to listen to your music, but a stream is simply not a benchmark for the quality of a song. That is definitely one of the most important realizations I have gathered over the past few months.
OSR: What can we expect from you in the future? More albums or a tour perhaps?
E.L.W.12: Well, I don’t think there are that many people waiting for a tour just yet, and to be honest, I enjoy having the focus on my songs rather than on myself. So that is not on the table for now. A new album is definitely much more likely, though I am currently in a bit of a battle with myself. On one hand, I really want to take a step back right now, clear my head, and eventually create something truly new and different. On the other hand, I already find myself sitting over first drafts again, lacking the discipline to just keep my hands off it. There are definitely plenty of ideas left, and I would honestly surprise myself if nothing happened for too long. Let’s just wait and see.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
E.L.W.12: I think my only message would be to occasionally slow down. It’s easy to stay on the surface of things because it’s comfortable, but giving a song or a topic a few minutes of undivided attention usually leads to much more honest results. Thank you so much for reading and for listening to independent music.
Many thanks to E.L.W.12 for speaking with us. Find out more about E.L.W.12 on her X, Instagram, YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
