Busker What’s Your Story? Eliza May

Eliza May

“I love the line ‘I am one step heavy and two steps high’ in the song ‘Without You’, by Oh Wonder.  I see it as such a positive line.  To me it means that even when things go wrong, there’s more good in the world than bad.”

Eliza May

Eliza May is a young singer/songwriter from Birmingham UK and a Popular Music graduate from Falmouth University.

Eliza’s passion for performing saw her begin her busking adventure around 5 years ago in Birmingham. Eliza then moved to Cornwall to study music where she says busking was an enjoyable way to help fund her studies and hone her craft.

“Around my studies, I managed to find time to visit other musician friends who lived in Liverpool and took the opportunity to busk there as well.  It was a great experience, busking all around the UK; it allowed me to meet lots of new people and get my music out to different parts of the country,” she says.

There is a chilled indie pop vibe to Eliza’s original music which she says takes inspiration from artists such as Corinne Bailey Rae, Tori Kelly, Skinny Living and Frank Turner. She has released four singles on Spotify and an EP titled Inner Damage on Soundcloud.

Eliza continues to busk and is also gigging regularly around Birmingham and other areas of the UK as a solo artist with her full band.

We’ve invited Eliza to Busker What’s Your Story? to find out a little more about her experiences as a busker.

You grew up in Birmingham, what can you tell us about your childhood there?

I spent a lot of my time focused on music. From the age of 3, I started singing along to Avril Lavigne and picked up the guitar at the age of 6.  

Growing up, I realised that I loved everything about music and spent my childhood immersed in it.  I’ve always had a passion for singing and learning instruments,  any instrument I could get my hands on and learn to play.

How much time would you spend busking?

When I was in Birmingham, I’d often busk at least two or three times a week and when I was studying in Cornwall, I’d busk once or twice a week.

Can you share some memorable moments?

I think the best moments when busking are when other people can get involved with the experience.  

In 2017, I used to busk with an amazing musician called Amelia Wallace.  One of my favourite most memorable moments was when we were singing together in front of a large circle of people and a woman stepped forward, into the middle, and started dancing which made the crowd cheer and clap.  It was one of the most wholesome moments I’ve experienced busking.  

Another great memory is of a Spanish man who came over and asked to play a song. I said yes and he sang the original version of Despacito flawlessly.  It was such a great performance of the song; everyone was so impressed that they started clapping and cheering.

If you could choose a lyric from any song that’s special to you, what would that lyric be, and why is it special?

I love the line “I am one step heavy and two steps high” in the song Without You by Oh Wonder.  I see it as such a positive line.  To me it means that even when things go wrong, there’s more good in the world than bad.

What’s something really interesting about you?

Well, along with being an artist, I also do a lot of community music work around the West Midlands.  

This involves working with people of all ages and abilities, including people with mental health and physical disabilities, to help get them involved with music.  

I have a strong passion for helping people get into music, no matter what experience they have. I love working in these settings because I see how much of a positive impact each project has on the people involved.

We love your collaboration with Nath Brooks called ‘Reach’ what can you tell us about that?

Nath Brooks is an upcoming singer songwriter that I met on a songwriting project at The Song Lab in Birmingham a couple of years ago.  We wrote the song “Reach” whilst on the songwriting project and near the end of 2019 managed to find the time to record it.  

We made a live video of it for his YouTube series “Brumtown and Around” which aims to showcase collaborations of people in and around Birmingham, UK.

What’s next for Eliza May?

At the moment, I’m working on my second upcoming EP.  Last year I finished writing all the songs for it; now I’m in the process of jamming out the songs with my band and then we’ll be in the recording studio laying down each track.  

I also plan on playing more full band gigs.  Last year I managed to play two massive shows with my band but this year I want to play a few more.  I can’t wait for the spring/summertime as well, so I can get back to busking on the streets.  One of my goals this year is to be busking more in London, so hopefully that’s where I’ll be next.

Facebook ~ https://www.facebook.com/ElizaMayOfficial/

Instagram ~ https://instagram.com/elizamayofficial

Twitter ~ https://twitter.com/elizamaymusic

Spotify ~ https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Pbpr3htIU9fvBsn2bPYno?si=lckxc2lmSLaHvRluoOgHEQ

Soundcloud ~ https://soundcloud.com/eliza_may

YouTube ~ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdZurXjn7wa_ixwduWnqqOA

Busker What’s Your Story? In The Groove Community Drumming

In The Groove

“My biggest musical inspirations are my teachers in West Africa. I have been very fortunate to be able to travel to Ghana on two occasions to study intensively and learn from Master drummers. There’s something very special about West African music. It’s music with a social purpose; it’s music that connects people to the moment and to each other.”

Bri Slattery – Founder of In The Groove Community Drumming

While wandering the local festivals on the lookout for buskers, Busker What’s Your Story ? came upon this cool community drumming jam at the Albury Wodonga Sustainable Living Festival in November. We asked Bri Slattery, founder of In The Groove, what community drumming is all about.

What’s ‘In The Groove’ all about?

In The Groove was inspired by both my own experience of the transformative power of rhythm, and my observations as a school teacher of how rhythm engaged and empowered my students. We share rhythm-based experiences that address four core social outcomes: education, engagement, community and well-being.

What do you all love most about what you do?

The thing I love most about what I do, is the way in which rhythm has acted as a vehicle for me to make genuine connections with a diverse range of people from all walks of life.  

What’s something memorable that’s happened when you’ve been performing?

I believe the most memorable moments don’t occur when you’re performing – rather, they occur when you are sharing the music with others – when you are actively engaged in the music together. That’s when the music truly comes alive.

There’s this amazing synchronicity – a shared, electric energy that can occur when you’re connected to others through rhythm. 

Some of my most memorable and rewarding drumming moments have been working with young people, teaching social/emotional skills through our Student Engagement Strategy. It’s amazing to witness how rhythm can teach and empower people through transforming their energy, boosting their motivation and confidence, and enabling them to connect with others.

Who are your musical inspirations?

My biggest musical inspirations are my teachers in West Africa. I have been very fortunate to be able to travel to Ghana on two occasions to study intensively and learn from Master drummers. There’s something very special about West African music.

It’s music with a social purpose; it’s music that connects people to the moment and to each other.

What’s a great piece of advice you’ve been given – and who gave it to you?

“Free your mind.”

This advice came repeatedly from one of my teachers in Ghana. Whenever I reached a block when trying to learn a new rhythm, my teacher would ask me to pause a moment and “free my mind”. I always played better afterwards.

These days, it’s so easy to become stifled by our own inner critic, or by worrying about what others think, or by overthinking the task at hand, or by being consumed with other thoughts whilst trying to execute that task.

Freeing your mind is about being completely in the moment. What I love about drumming, is that it only properly works when you are completely present and engaged in playing the rhythm. It’s also an activity that requires you to be in your body and physically awake as well as mentally alert. Drumming is just a beautiful way to bring yourself back to the moment and experience complete engagement.

Where else do you jam?

In The Groove performs and hosts community jams at a range of local festivals, community events and private functions/parties. Keep an ear out for us!

How do people get involved?

It’s easy to join our In The Groove community.

Keep an eye out for our free community jams around North East Victoria and spontaneously join in the rhythm fun!

If you would like to learn about West African rhythms and how to play the djembe in a fun, social environment, come along to one of our classes. Our community classes occur on a weekly basis in Albury/Wodonga, Beechworth, Wangaratta and Yarrawonga. We also run on-demand workshops – we love bringing the rhythm to new towns and communities.

All class details can be found on the website http://www.inthegroove.education/community and you can keep updated about our community jams on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/inthegroove.education