Shrouded in fog and billowing white fabric, Elyanna took the stage for Spring Weekend 2024 and mesmerized audience members with her captivating voice and alluring movement. Her eyes cut straight through the Main Green; her stage presence was all-encompassing and infectious. She sang mostly in Arabic, conveying a passion beyond language barriers through her performance.
As the second artist to perform in a language other than English in Spring Weekend history, Elian Marjieh 鈥� known professionally as Elyanna 鈥� is a Palestinian-Chilean singer-songwriter making a global name for herself at only 22. Following requests sent to interview each Spring Weekend artist, Elyanna and her team did not hesitate to share some of her experiences.
The Herald sat down with Elyanna after her Spring Weekend set to discuss her creative inspirations and her background as an artist. She entered the Blue Room still wearing her stage outfit, but is young enough to have been typing away at a paper in her sweatpants like any Brown student.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Herald: How did the performance go? What did you think of Brown students as an audience?
Elyanna: As my first university gig, I was really surprised at how many people came and watched. I鈥檓 just so happy to be here, and I really loved it. It鈥檚 such an honor being here at Brown University. I think the crowd was amazing and I had the best time with them. They were really vibing even though they didn鈥檛 understand everything I was saying. They were jamming and having a good time, which made me have a very good time.
I love how everyone was wearing their keffiyeh as well and their belly dance scarves. I saw lots of different cultures there, and that made me happy because they鈥檙e here to support and see a different kind of art, which I love. As you know, I鈥檓 also 22, so I can relate to how they act or feel, and that excites me a lot.
What鈥檚 it like to be so young and in the music industry?
It鈥檚 always been a dream for me to do this 鈥� to be a performer and an artist. I am a new artist, and I鈥檓 aware of that, but it feels like I鈥檝e been doing it for so long. It鈥檚 not an easy thing to do, but at the end of the day, if you鈥檙e passionate and if you do it for the love of it, you鈥檒l get what you want.
How did you first get into music?
I started singing when I was seven years old, and my brother was the one that discovered my talent. I always wanted to be a singer, and I still don鈥檛 know why 鈥� I just loved it. I鈥檇 perform around in my hometown Nazareth, in school, any opportunity I could get. When I moved to San Diego at 15 years old, I was discovered by a producer named Nasri. I got into the studio for the first time when I was 15 and I think that鈥檚 when I started doing music professionally.
How does your relationship with your family impact your music?
It鈥檚 funny because I feel like some things are just meant to be. Being a singer and having my family around me, I think each person has a role in my life and a role in anything we do.
We鈥檝e been doing this since we were super young. My brother has been my creative director since we were seven and nine. My sister has been styling me since we were that young. My mom has been writing since then as well. We鈥檙e just now on a bigger platform 鈥� nothing has changed. We鈥檙e just growing and we鈥檙e just learning.
I鈥檓 also grateful for the people I work with on my team. I care so much about the people around me and I care about energy a lot. I know they want me to be happy as well. That energy is what you need.
You recently released your first album, 鈥淲oledto鈥� 鈥� how does that feel?
I鈥檓 excited and happy 鈥� I mean, this is my first album ever. So it was very special for me to create. It was a lot of work and detail and up-and-down emotions. We took our time when it came to creating this album. I wanted it to feel timeless and different. I really wanted to create this whole new thing, a whole new genre, and it鈥檚 a vision that me and my brother had for a long time. I feel like creating it was such a process, but I learned so much from it.
When you talk about your own genre, what are you going for?
To be honest, there鈥檚 no name for my genre yet. It鈥檚 really a mix of my background and things that I was just inspired by growing up. I鈥檓 also part Chilean, so I鈥檓 very inspired by my Chilean side as well. I鈥檓 very inspired by my Palestinian side and by the world in general. For now, we can call it the 鈥淓lyanna鈥� genre. I鈥檓 excited to keep creating and trying things, even when I do my English records or hopefully one day my Spanish records. I want to always make sure my music has this identity.
You were the first person at Coachella to sing a full set in Arabic, and I鈥檓 sure you did so at other places as well. What is it like to be the person breaking down some of these language barriers?
Sometimes it鈥檚 bigger than me. It鈥檚 bigger than being an artist. It鈥檚 more like a message that tells me to do this. When I started doing music, I personally did not want to sing in Arabic. I just found myself connecting to my roots more than ever when I came (to San Diego) and was far away from home. I wanted to remember my inspirations like Palestinian weddings and my grandpa and a lot of different things that inspired me growing up. I know my taste in music now and what I like. It鈥檚 because of what I grew up listening to and what I grew up around.
I鈥檓 honored to be the first and I want to make sure that I鈥檓 not the last. I want to run so people can walk.
After just finishing your first tour, do you have any favorite moments that stick out to you?
After every show, I would go outside and my fans would be waiting for me, and it was freezing. Sometimes I would not have the best show. When I would have these days, to make myself feel better, I would just go outside and say hi to them, and nothing felt bad anymore. I was just happy to see them. Connecting with my fans is very special to me.
Do you have a preference between singing on stage or off?
I love being onstage. I really think of the live performance even before creating the song. I鈥檓 always grabbing inspirations and building on them until it鈥檚 showtime.
What are you most excited about right now, music or non-music-related?
I鈥檓 very happy that I dropped an album and that people are receiving it well. I鈥檓 also excited to perform my album at a lot of upcoming festivals like Governors Ball and Lollapalooza.
If it鈥檚 not music-related, I鈥檓 excited to find myself slowly and find the things that I love because I鈥檓 still discovering 鈥� just like everyone else our age. I鈥檓 learning something new every day.
Isabel Hahn is an Arts & Culture section editor who concentrates in English and Behavioral Decision Sciences. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, reading, and journaling.
Rya is an arts & culture section editor from Albany, NY. She is a junior studying English and Literary Arts, and her favorite TV show is Breaking Bad.
