Packaging Spotlight + Interview: Eleri Ward

Today's packaging spotlight and interview is about Eleri Ward!

Eleri Ward is an American singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. 

She is best known for best known for her Sufjan Stevens-inspired indie folk renditions of the works of composer Stephen Sondheim.

She has garnered attention with covers posted to Instagram and TikTok.

She has released two albums called "A Perfect Little Death" in 2021 and "Keep a Tender Distance" in 2022, both on Sh-K-Boom Records' Ghostlight imprint.

She has also released two self-released pop EPs, "Prism" in 2020 and "Friction" in 2021.

In Summer 2022, she toured with singer Josh Groban.

As a stage actress, she has performed in productions for The Muny and MCC Theater.

We wanted to showcase the packaging of her latest album, "Internal Rituals" and we also did an interview with her!

1: What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a creative profession?
My advice rests on the foundation of authenticity. We've all heard people say "be yourself", and that is imperative, but the step beyond that is to have such a deep and profound relationship with yourself and your authenticity that your love for yourself builds a forcefield of confidence around what you do and how you express yourself. The self-honesty is imperative. The self-trust is expansive. No one sees the world the way you do. That is a fact. No two brains construct the same reality. Everyone's perspective is colored by so many experiences and beliefs that shape each and every individual's version of life. Your perspective is unique simply because you exist. Take heart in that, harness that, and uplift that.

2: Who is an artist you'd like to collaborate with?
Caroline Polachek.

3: Do you have any hobbies outside of music?
To call them hobbies feels wrong because everything I take interest in becomes such a part of me since I don't think I'm capable of partaking in anything in a casual way when I love something. I am obsessive! I invest my whole self. Outside of music, its witchcraft, tarot, astrology, neuroscience, psychology, and spirituality, and ultimately, these are the things that influence my artistry the most.

4: What is your favorite format to listen to music on? (CD, Vinyl, etc.)
Vinyl on an extraordinary sound system. It's peak!

5: How do you feel the internet has impacted the music business?
I think the internet has cracked the music business open, causing it to fracture in exactly the right the ways to reveal what hasn't been working. The only way to understand what needs to change is to see it clearly in the first place. I think the music business has been running on a model that isn't applicable anymore. Popular music was something once hand selected and programmed from the top, and now it's been shown that the people, communities, and audiences themselves have the power to choose what the people, communities, and audiences want to hear and what they resonate with. The internet has created that direct line. There's major power in that, but it's not yet fully formed. The old is still dying and is not yet dead. There's still shedding, learning, and rebuilding to do. I think one of the biggest things that has been unearthed is that even music industry veterans can't know how to navigate this territory. It's new to all. So, we as artists might as well do what feels good, be with what's human, and tap into the artist/audience connection. Realness is going to outlast everything.

6: What is the best advice you’ve been given?
All you need to know is your What and your Why. The How is none of your business.

7: If you could open a show for any artist, who would it be?
Caroline Polachek.

8: What band/artist do you think everyone should listen to?
Caroline Polachek.

9: Do you feel open-minded when it comes to what you listen to? Do you like going out of your comfort zone?
I don't listen to a ton of music! I find so much more inspiration from non-sonic experiences that listening to music has been sparse in recent years. But when I do listen, I'm open to anything that makes me feel something on a deeper level, surprises me, and makes me lean into curiosity. I surely have my preferences, but I always welcome in all walks of music. It's less about the style, instrumentation, etc. as it is the world that is being built, the story that's being told, and the WAY that story is being told. Something I always say is that I don't need to understand something to love it. If I love it, I love it regardless of where, who, or what it's coming from.

10: What outlets do you find out about music from? (Record stores, magazines, samplers, etc.)
Friends!!!