A DAY IN THE LIFE: ELI SMART

ELI SMART RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM, ‘NO SUMMER’

F Word welcomes back singer-songwriter Eli Smart as he celebrates the release of his joyfully nostalgic debut album, No Summer—a collection of 14 timeless tracks that evoke both a longing for youth and a sense of wholeness.

Fresh off a string of performances, including supporting Declan McKenna and headlining at Servant Jazz Quarters—where Eli's father accompanied him on lap steel guitar throughout, adding a heartwarming touch—the gig felt like a big hug. Next, Eli heads to the U.S. for shows in New York at the end of September and Los Angeles in early October. He’ll also join Ninja Tune’s Nilüfer Yanya as a supporting act on her European and UK tour in November and December.

To celebrate the release of No Summer, we caught up with this rising talent for a glimpse into a day in his life. Eli takes us on a wholesome journey through London, where he listens to the test pressing of his new record, rides Lime bikes, and pays a visit to his favourite tree.

F WORD: What was the biggest change you made to the album during the writing process?

ELI SMART: Deciding to mix most of the record myself with the help of a good mate was a decision I’m glad I made. A lot of times, some of what I find most special in songs are the little sonic identities they have in their early demo stages. Those initial textures are what I fall in love with in the creation process, and I’m glad I decided to not mess with a lot of those or try to make anything sound too clean.

Started the day up on the heath with my best mate James

FW: What are you hoping people will take from this album?

ES: What I love most about discovering a song or a body of work is how it can soundtrack some part of my life, or even just a simple scene, in a way that I haven’t experienced before. Finding music that clicks with me helps unlock new lenses that seem to reveal a certain nostalgia. It would be so cool if my music could have those moments for someone else’s life in a whole new way.

Lime bike kind of day

FW: What genre could you see yourself experimenting with for a future project?

ES: I want to explore all genres moving forward. I always will try to pull from and synthesize many different influences when creating. More than genre, though, I’m eager to tap into new environments to create music in. I find the setting I make music in the most inspiring aspect of all. I’m excited to go home back to Kaua’i after having lived away for a few years and tap back into a familiar environment with a new set of tools and see what emerges.

Visited my favorite tree in Greenwich park

FW: If you had to choose one component for a great album, what would it be?

ES: I think the key component when making something is that you’re making it because you feel like you have to, and there’s some force driving you to turn whatever it is you’re working with into something tangible. Believing in your own drive to do something is the most important thing for me. Even if I’m unsatisfied with a “final” result of something, I can still feel fulfilment from having been present enough in the process to see it through from nothingness to something.

I’ll often stop by to listening to music, write or read

FW: Out of all the artists featured on F Word, who would you most like to collaborate with?

ES: Declan McKenna is a close friend of mine, and I’ve always been a fan of his music and whole atmosphere around making tunes. I’ve been fortunate to have had wonderful experiences of collaborating with him for his project. I would love to write more together and get him on some of my tunes as well. I feel like it’s a rare and beautiful opportunity when you get to actually make music with someone you’re genuinely friends. I would love more of that!

The view

FW: Go-to lunch on a studio/writing day?

ES: I love to cook to, so the other day when I was mixing some of my record with my mate Finn Howells, I brought left overs and they were very tasty. I had made some stir-fried morning glory spinach with some other greens and tomatoes, I cooked it with sesame seed oil, garlic and probably some chilli flakes. I also had steamed some vegetable dumplings. I put it all over rice and topped it with some coriander and lime, if I can remember correctly. It was so, so good. That was an ideal lunch.

Always a cozy stop at Waterstones

FW: If you had to choose a new career completely outside of anything having to do with music, what would it be?

ES: I love the idea of doing something that gets me outside a lot. With music making, I tend to spend a bit of time inside alone, so the idea of spending days outside surrounded by more nature sounds very appealing. I don’t know what career would that would necessarily, be but maybe something active that could pair with the sedentary music recording routine nicely.

Lime bikes forever!

FW: What’s bringing the most joy to your days lately?

ES: I randomly started messing around with writing a story the other day. I had just finished the book I was reading (Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson), and I was riding a lime bike when I had a random idea for a story that I thought could be cool to try and tell. This was a few weeks ago now, and I’ve been messing around when I feel like it and when I have time, but I’ve got about 5 chapters roughly written down. It’s been so cool to find some other creative world to have fun with, it feels like unlocking a new random part of my brain. I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt like this, it’s been very random, fun and exciting.

Taking my test pressing of my new record into town to listen to it on new speakers

FW: What’s motivating you the most lately?

ES: I think I’ve been particularly looking forward to being home for a bit. I’ve been away for about seven or eight months now and I miss it loads. I’m moving out of my flat in London next week and am so excited to get rid of a bunch of belongings and make my way home a lot lighter than I’ve been. I’m excited for the freshness and energy that making a big life change brings.