Photo Credit: Ryan Hamblin
No one gets through life without a few defining moments. From the first days of schools to breakups that left hearts bruised and broken to a crash landing that inspired a musician’s pen. Okay, that last one may only be for a select few, Anastasia Elliot being one of them. When a fight she was on took a turn for the worse at LaGuardia, she walked away with more than a story to tell. Years later she’s finally ready to get that story off her song and from it, her latest single and video, “Crash Landing.” We talked about her plans to keep the video clips coming, catharsis, and more in this back and forth.
Kendra: It’s been a minute since you started down this musical path, but what initially gave you that push to pursue music as more than a bedroom hobby of sorts?
Anastasia Elliot: I don’t think it was ever a bedroom hobby for me. I am definitely not the type of person that just wants to create music and play for the sake of playing. I am a performer through and through and the most amazing aspect of what I do is getting to share it with others and have that connection. No element of what I do is done in isolation. Even though music is obviously a huge part of what I do, being an artist is so much more than liking to play music and I love every aspect of it.
Kendra: Your latest single. “Crash Landing,” comes to us several years after your plane did just that at LaGuardia. Having sat on this song for seven years or so, does it feel cathartic to finally share it with the rest of the world?
Anastasia Elliot: It does feel cathartic. It’s such a huge part of the story of who I am as an artist and a person. It feels surreal to have it out in the world now. The release of “Crash Landing” has been a very vulnerable part of my healing journey. Every step of the way has been a teaching moment and I am further learning to let go.
Kendra: With the video for this, you didn’t go literal with a plane but took the story into space. With your plans to release videos throughout the year that share elements with videos that came before and will follow, will the space theme continue, or just little easter eggs?
Anastasia Elliot: Without giving too much away I will say this, we will travel to many places…And times…
Kendra: Are those videos planned out already or are ideas for them coming to mind gradually?
Anastasia Elliot: Mostly everything for this project is planned out. I love intricate details so we do a lot of pre-planning.
Kendra: When will we be able to hear the album in its entirety?
Anastasia Elliot: The album is being released chronologically as singles. Once they are all out, the collection will be available!
Kendra: Usually, this is where I ask people what they have planned in the coming months but with the world in a strange place right now, plans aren’t as concrete as they typically are. You can go ahead and let us know what you have tentatively planned but can you also share a song that never fails to get you through when the world around you feels like a mess?
Anastasia Elliot: We are definitely in strange times. We had many plans for touring that have now been canceled and are being rescheduled. I have lots of fun ideas planned in the meantime for virtual entertainment over the next few weeks. We will be doing cooking videos, wellness gatherings, virtual concerts, and live streams of creative time. Carla Babcock also has some videos she will be sharing as well that you know will be nothing short of entertaining.
When the world around me feels like a mess, I most likely want to dance through it. I would have to go with “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol. Nothing gets me dancing like Mr. Idol.
