Elliot James Reay Talks New EP, All This To Say I Love You
When Elliot James Reay’s new project hits listeners’ ears on June 27, be prepared to be taken on a journey of love and life. In the new EP, titled All This To Say I Love You, Reay wants each listener to have their own unique experience and interpretation of the songs, because “everyone experiences love differently.” Featuring five tracks of groovy, timeless melodies with an underlying message of love, this EP is not one to miss.
Crave Music Magazine time traveled back to the 50s with Reay — whose sound is inspired by that era — during 1824’s press conference on June 17 where he shared news details about the upcoming EP and the inspiration behind it.
Photo: Elliot James Reay “All This To Say I Love you” | Graphic by Paige Firsten (Crave Music Magazine)
An English singer-songwriter from Manchester, Reay rose to fame this year when his single “Who Knew Dancing Was A Sin” blew up on TikTok due to the similarity in sound to that of Elvis Presley — with some listeners even confusing Reay’s song as Presley’s. While Reay has noted he draws inspiration from Presley, he still works to create a unique sound that is his own.
“I’ll never be Elvis and I’m something different from Elvis,” Reay said at the conference. He is able to keep his music modern and specific to today's audience, he said, by using words and phrases that are popular today.
The first single, “Who Knew Dancing Was A Sin,” dropped on May 23 and gave listeners a glimpse into what sounds they’ll hear on the EP. The track tells the story of a man who sneaks away at night to go northern soul dancing, and his partner who is suspicious of his whereabouts. The concept of “Who Knew Dancing Was A Sin” was something Reay came up with on his own, he said, and later thought of the idea that his partner has no clue about the dancing and thinks he’s cheating — something that Reay said makes the song “slightly more interesting.”
When asked how he creates music so closely related to the 50s and 60s, Reay explained that he starts the songwriting process with melodies, and then picks out chords and builds his lyrics around his musical framework.
Reay is set to tour the EP this summer throughout the United Kingdom — making this the artist’s first ever tour.
“I’m excited to experience that and see what it will feel like. I want people to listen to the music and enjoy it and feel like they have no cares for the whole tour,” Reay said.
