GUAP had the exciting pleasure to sit down with the one and only Elijah Blake, the U.S born singer/songwriter took the time to tell us about his journey all the exciting things in the pipeline. Yesterday was the release of ‘Black & Blue’ Blake’s latest single. After you read this, you will soon realise why everyone should have Elijah Blake under their radar.

After a sweet and joyful welcome, Blake shared with us how jet lagged he was but he’s ready for the London vibes and time zone.

Shannie: Hey, so I’m a really big fan and I love your music but for those that don’t know who EB is, can you tell us who you are, what you represent etc?

EB: I would say if the music industry was X-men, my super power would be fearlessness. It’s not like I’ve accomplished everything already but that’s just me in my purest form with this project. A lot of people think when you unlock your super power, it’s like an instant thing. With me I just know when I’m at my full potential its when I’m fearless. I hear sometimes ‘’Elijah your so under-rated’ and for me I think yeah maybe I am but there’s actually something special in knowing your just not for everybody. So Elijah Blake right now is weird but fearless, and at the same time progressive and forward thinking. I’m entirely liberated but I’m also a Gemini and sensitive as fuck *both laugh*.

Shannie: I love that, So you mentioned your project which is super exciting when is that coming?

EB: It’s a summer album so you can expect it in the summer. It’s mainly up tempo and that’s different for me.

Shannie: So where did that inspiration come from with all the up tempo stuff?

EB: It’s funny because I just think as artist you gotta be like multi-faceted and my last album was, slow chill everyone would expect me to be like a weed head. Their like ‘you make weed smoking music’. This time I just wanted to embrace my inner big kid kind of. It’s not like ‘happy’ it’s still soulful, It’s just feel good music.

Shannie: Tell us  more about your inspirations like where do they come from? Is it other artists, i.e Michael Jackson?

EB: Well Prince is mine. I think he’s amazing he led the being weird coalition. I like him, David Bowie and Jimmy Hendrix style of fashion. This is why I love London just being around the fashion. But also my church growing up and my struggles with religion inspired a lot of it. I grew up in an island family and I just felt like one moment we were Catholic, then we were Seventh day Adventist like what are we? So yeah I want to just express that because as humans sometimes we think we’re the only ones going through it. So I want to sing about it and talk about it.

Shannie: That’s really exciting, and just touching back on your comment about being under rated. How important is it for you to get your message across to your listeners, like what is that message?

EB: Its important because when we leave the Earth it’s about what we did to change the world. It’s not just about changing the charts for a week- it’s about making people smile more and how you make them feel. You may have seen Elijah Blake in different costumes but this time it’s entirely skin and bones and just about the music.

Shannie: So, I was on twitter talking a little bit about what I was doing and I had said ‘oh I’m speaking to Elijah Blake does anyone have any questions’ and one girl was like ‘Oh my gosh can you ask him about the strange fruit visuals they were amazing’. So tell us a bit about that?

EB: Oh wow! People really got onto me about that like ‘how dare he…’but I was actually talking about my own struggle with faith etc and different things that came with that. God said to Adam in the garden of Eden you can have anything you want except this apple. But a woman was able to convince him through lustful desires. So that’s what strange fruit was about for me.

EB: Also one of my biggest fears is being misunderstood, so through my visuals I try to be as clear as possible. Yeah visuals are amazing for me- so to hear someone appreciate that it lets me know I’m doing something right!

Shannie: Yeah, so can we expect some really great visuals with the new project?

EB: Oh for sure – We just shot one not long ago. It was cool I was tryna get my D’Angleou on so yano. I Just want dudes to know its cool to care about how you look yano. I wanna promote that love yourself and all of that.

Shannie: Yes! I love that. Also aside from your projects. You also co-wrote usher’s Climax and Rhianna No love allowed. How was that for you?

EB: That was incredible because you grow up listening to these people and then there sitting like across from you. They ask about my projects and I’m like what you care about my stuff, it’s super cool man. It was great to just share music with each other. It was such an inspiration and I just felt like when I listened to music that wasn’t even released yet I had to then put that into something and it really helped who Elijah Blake was. When I seen Rhianna first time she was so beautiful but so cool and saying to me ‘ I love your mind, its so sick’. So yeah it’s great to call these people friends and brothers and sisters.

Shannie: That’s great man. So can we expect any shows soon?

EB: YES! I have to, I mean I love performing I grew up in church I went to performing arts school you can expect Elijah Blake shows real soon. That’s why I loved coming out here and doing this TAPE lodge unplugged stuff, it’s like a new thing they got going on. I wanna do some serious touring though.

Shannie: Yeah, this all so wonderful thank you so much it’s been great.

Elijah Blake– Black & Blue is out NOW! You can listen here:

So be sure to go and get that and follow on socials @sirelijahblake.

Shout to all EB team and a big thank you to Imran Malik and his team also.

Everyone follow @accesstape and special thank you to TAPE LONDON.