By Colin 
With over 180,000 album sales and a slew of radio hits under her belt, Eliza Doolittle is far from the new girl on the block. Her bright melodies and breezy vocals have dominated airwaves since her debut, and now she’s hitting the road again, embarking on a major international tour that spans the UK, US and Australia. Despite her packed schedule, Eliza finds time to talk to TuneFountain about her music, her songwriting journey, and why staying upbeat is more than just a musical choice.
From a young age, Eliza had a clear idea of what she wanted to do. Music was always the goal, and she believes aspiring artists should dive in early. “If you haven’t started writing, start now – and keep it up,” she advises. “That was a big thing for me, being involved in the music I make. Practice writing from a young age. I think if I started writing now I wouldn’t be any good at it because if I wrote songs now that I wrote then, that would be bad!”
She’s quick to encourage young musicians to hit the stage early too. “Once you’ve got a few songs under your belt, start gigging, start getting out there. If people like what they hear, maybe they’ll jump on board with a project – managers or whatever. Just get out there and show your music to the world.”
Real Life in Melody
Eliza’s songs draw directly from her perspective on life. “Yeah, they’re definitely my perspective on the world and the things I see,” she explains. “They’re my own experiences, but not necessarily things that have happened directly to me. It might be an observation on something I’ve seen – if someone else has gone through something and it’s something I can use.”
That ability to write with empathy and observation was especially present in her new single, ‘Rollerblades’. The track had an unusual origin. “When I was on the tube on the way to the studio, there was a guy who started having a go at everybody, including me – telling me I didn’t care about anything other than what hairstyle I had,” she recalls. “I got kind of mad inside. I was like, ‘You don’t know anything about me!’”
That irritation sparked something. “I care about way more stuff than you think,” she says. “I went to the studio and wrote the song with Craigie Dodds and Johnny Sharp – that was the first time I met them. We chatted for about five hours and it stemmed from that.”
The track became a message of resilience. “It’s kind of about people who don’t know what they want and they take it out on the people around them. We all go through that a little bit sometimes – everyone’s in the same boat. Don’t have a go at everybody just to make yourself feel better. Be happy and just sort of roll on together.”
Staying Positive, Staying Real
Much of Eliza’s music has an upbeat energy, something she says is intentional. “I try and have a positive conclusion to all the problems that I see and notice,” she explains. “I am human as well – I can be grumpy some days, but I do try and have that philosophy. As much as I say it in a song, I’m also trying to tell myself that as well.”
When it comes to influences, Eliza says hers were shaped more by immersion than by any single artist. “To be honest with you, I don’t have anything particular that I would say is my biggest influence,” she admits. “Maybe from a young age watching music channels – I used to watch The Box all weekend, requesting music videos. My mum would scream at me because of the phone bill!”
She soaked up music constantly. “I was listening to music all the time and wanted to become some of my favourite artists and singers. I like to think they’ve all influenced me and their best qualities have gone into my brain.”
Choosing Her Sound
Eliza’s debut album is packed with personal meaning. “When I was choosing songs for the record there were probably about 25 songs,” she explains. “I wrote even more than that, but there were 25 that I really loved. To pick just 13 of them was really difficult.”
Two tracks stand out to her. ‘Rollerblades’, not just the newest single but also a creative turning point, was where she discovered the sound she would shape the entire album around. “It was the first track I wrote where I really found my own sound and felt like it was something I hadn’t heard before.”
Then there’s ‘So High’, which has deep roots. “It’s the oldest song on the album. I wrote that four or five years ago with James Napier, who was my best friend’s older brother. He was the first guy I ever wrote songs with.”
The Stage and the Studio
Now in the middle of a whirlwind tour, Eliza reflects on her love for both the stage and the studio. “When I’m performing live, I’m like, ‘This is the best feeling ever! Nothing tops this!’” she says. “But when I’m in the studio and have just finished a song, I have the same thoughts. It’s amazing to have the fulfillment and have something I’ve created.”
She finds it hard to pick a favourite between the two. “They’re both great feelings. Also, when I’m live I kind of miss being in the studio – and it’s the same the other way around too.”
Fame, Criticism and Free Shoes
As someone still new to fame, Eliza is taking everything in her stride – both the perks and the pitfalls. “It’s all so new to me, so I don’t know really how much I’ve experienced,” she admits. “Some things are a bit crap – the press are really mean sometimes. There is a lot of negativity.”
She tries to keep her music at the centre of it all. “I’m more for putting my music first, but as a solo artist I understand that unless I’m going to do the Gorillaz thing and have projectors, I’m going to be recognised as a person as well.”
Online criticism is one of the tougher parts. “I am very aware of how bad it can be – people hating you on internet sites and blogs, saying really mean things, and the press printing bad stories.” Still, she’s aware of the flip side too. “I know how good it can be as well – like getting free stuff, which can be fun! You just have to have a thick skin I suppose.”
What’s Next?
The tour may be global, but Eliza is still thinking ahead. “During the tour I’m going to LA and Australia to try and introduce my music to those countries,” she says. “Then when I get back I’ve got a few more dates in the UK.”
After all that, she’s looking forward to a break. “I have Christmas off, which I’m super excited about. The music industry kind of dies down over Christmas so they’ve given me the time off, which’ll be nice!”
But the rest won’t last long. “After Christmas I have more live shows and I’ll be off around the world spreading the word more.”
Wherever she goes, Eliza Doolittle continues to do things her way: with honesty, heart and a touch of sunshine in every note.
‘Rollerblades’ is out on 17th October and can be pre-ordered from iTunes along with the track ‘Doo Little’ and the video below
Colin