Meet E La She | Singer, Songwriter, Drummer, Visual Artist & Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with E La She and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi E La, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born in Newark, New Jersey to Brazilian parents in an immigrant neighborhood. When I was five years old we moved to Minas Gerais, Brazil where my parents are from. My childhood was filled with family, love and celebrations. When I became a teen, my parents and I moved back to the U.S. where I no longer spoke the language and did not have much family. I had an immigrant experience, despite being born in this country. I was put in ESL (English as a Second Language), struggled to make friends and was told to “go back to my country” on more than one occasion. Soon after, my parents split and my family became even smaller. In difficult moments, I turned to music, art and writing: these were the only ways in which I could express what I was feeling. I would get lost in my favorite songs and pour myself onto canvas and journals. These forms of expression eventually became the foundation for my journey as an artist. I realize now, that every experience I went through equipped me with the strength, resilience, empathy, compassion and adaptability, I am now so proud of. Qualities that are essential to creatives of all kinds. I also realized how important community is and recognized the power of culture in my life and in my art. Today, I strive to create meaningful art that reflects my culture, relates to others’ similar experiences and helps the collective heal in some way. I am so proud of the person and the creative I am, and I am like this thanks to my journey.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art consists of music, writing, painting, drawing, jewelry and fashion. I love to create and express myself in all of these ways, and I believe all of these forms of art work in tandem to make me who I am as a creative.

I’m very proud of how versatile I am and how fun and fluid creativity can be because of it. My first medium was visual art – drawing and painting. I discovered music later, in my early twenties, and since then it’s been my primary form of artistic expression, although I still paint, draw, make jewelry and sew.

I am completely self taught on drums, percussion, guitar and vocals. I used to feel insecure about having started so “late” in life and never having attended music school or taken lessons. But I learned to really value the fact that I’ve gotten this far and made art that I’m very proud of on my own, I think it shows the level of passion that I have for this. It’s not a race and it’s not a competition. I’ve learned to go at my own pace and enjoy every moment of what I do. At the end of the day, it’s not about anyone’s opinion or judgment, it’s about you, your voice, your process, your definition of success and your happiness.

I like to remind myself that music chose me, not the other way around. Unlike so many others, I didn’t dream of being a musician growing up, I didn’t take piano or guitar lessons from a very young age. Instead, I accidentally found myself in a community of people who would get together and jam, or improvise, when I was in college. It was so compelling and therapeutic that I decided to join them. Eventually I bought my own drums to bring to these sessions, and then formed a band that began to perform locally with some of the members, and next thing I knew, I was playing venues, bars, restaurants and art galleries all over New Jersey and New York. I had the privilege of playing with some incredible musicians, some of which went to Berklee or Mason Gross School of Music. I backed up several local artists on percussion, drums and vocals. As I jammed and performed more and more, I gained not only chops but also confidence. Now, after years of performing in both original and cover bands, I’m shifting focus to writing, recording and releasing music. Something I have been wanting to do for years but never gave the time and energy it needs.

My message to anyone out there is to be your authentic self always. Do not compare yourself to others. There is room for all of us and success is different to each of us. Be yourself, share your unique gifts and perspective with the world. In the end, all that will matter is your experiences, how you expressed yourself and how You impacted the world.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Downtown LA is my new home and I love showing my friends and family around. I love walking through the fashion district – it’s a great place to do some shopping, see beautiful fabrics and enjoy the bustle of people walking around. The same can be said of Little Tokyo and the Japanese Village. This city is filled with so much culture and it really feels like a piece of Tokyo in that neighborhood. Downtown is also where you can get the best Indian food in town at Bombay Beach. Daytime fun can be had at the Los Feliz Flea Market or a stroll through the lovely Echo Park or a tour of The Last Bookstore.

If we are in the mood to get out of the city a short drive will land us on the beautiful beaches of Santa Monica or Venice where there is so much to do, including watching the sunset, taking surfing lessons or enjoying fresh cut fruit with chamoy and tajin on the sand. Night time in the city is perfect for rooftop hangs at Spire 73 or The Broken Shaker. Or we can catch a funky r&b band at the Rhythm Room on the weekend, or an open jam at The Stowaway, or karaoke at The Falls. There is so much excitement in the city and so much to do from comedy shows to live music, open mics, art shows and museums, breathtaking city views and gorgeous beach landscapes, to any type of cuisine you can imagine. It all depends on what mood you’re in! I love showing friends and family who visit my new city around. I’m so proud to be here in this completely new place that I’ve come to call home.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a huge shoutout to my partner Jarred Barnes (aka ARKTKT) who has been by my side and helped me grow through so many life moments but also in music, helping me bring my songs to life in the studio and onstage.

Shoutout to my communities in Newark and New Brunswick, New Jersey where I have roots and where I started my journey as an artist. People like Caroline Romanelli of Embrace DIY, Barry Rubin and Brian Bilsky my mentors, Silent Knight, Livingston Steele, Kween Moore, Carter Mangan, Mayowa (aka Godsent) of the Cryout Cave, the first few bands that I was in Offkey Lifestyle, Soul Searching, Green Knuckle Material and many other individuals who believed in me, valued what I brought to the table, gave me opportunities that shaped me and helped me build myself as an artist, performer and leader.

Shoutout to my community here in LA. It is so difficult to start over in a new place so far away, but already I’ve met some incredible individuals that have been propelling me forward in my artistry and also in life. Shoutout to the folks at Rhythm Room, the musicians at Oaks Hollywood, my friends at Soundvibe Music Studio and the Farfield Beer Company jams, as well as the crew at Bombay Beach and Nami, the owner of Ohnami Gallery, for making me feel home away from home.

Instagram: @e.la.she

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elashecreates