Eliane Elias – HuffPost 5.1.13

Mike Ragogna: Ooh, that segues nicely into my traditional question that I ask all my guests. What advice do you have for new artists?

Eliane Elias: The first is, don’t run to the computer first thing in the morning. [laughs] I personally have devoted a lot of time to music and I still do. I have a house in the woods where it’s quiet, and I’m better able to create from being in quiet and nature. We need to have those moments. We are bombarded by so many things — you have a new mail, you have to answer this, you have to answer that. It’s so easy to be distracted that I would say to make sure to create some time and try to focus on what you like to do. Really devote yourself to the music and follow your dreams, really go do it.

MR: Nicely said. What was the best advice that anybody ever gave you?

EE: Oh, I don’t know. I don’t think I learned so much from advice. I think we all learn from our own experience. I can’t tell you what the advice was, but I can tell you that I did it the way I did and it worked for me. I love the music, absolutely love music, and I’ve devoted my life to it. I remember my piano teacher telling me when I was quite young that with an instrument, when you put your time into it, you will certainly see progress, get something back for the time invested into it. And how this can be different than a relationship with another person is that sometimes, though you may be devoting yourself to someone, suddenly, BOOM, you get hit on the head and that relationship is over. But your relationship with your instrument doesn’t work like that. The relationship with music is a wonderful relationship to have. It can be challenging at times, especially when you are developing technique that you have not yet mastered, but also very rewarding when you can immerse yourself in music and sound and create countless musical stories.