Indie Sessions _ Interview with Elly Deda
Elly Deda is an independent artist whose music sits at the crossroads of introspection, healing, and emotional honesty. Her songs are born from personal experiences and inner journeys, exploring themes such as heartbreak, self-sabotage, self-love, and growth. Through a soulful and reflective sound, Elly uses music as a way to express, release, and connect, both with herself and with those who may resonate with her work.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
One of my earliest memories connected to music is sitting in front of a piano when I was very young, probably around one or two years old. I don’t actually remember being there, but there’s a picture of me in that moment, and that image has always stayed with me.
Music was often around while I was growing up. My dad loved music and collected instruments, while trying to learn some, whenever he had the time and space: guitar, piano, trumpet, double bass, just in his spare time. My mum loved singing and played the flute before having us kids. My brothers later learnt guitar, and I happened to sing in the church choir with my mum and sister for a few years.
I also remember some family gatherings with friends playing guitar and singing together.
Later on, I started listening to my dad’s cassette tapes, then the radio, and eventually bought my first CDs as a teenager. Music always felt present, but for a long time it felt like something around me, not something that belonged to me.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
It began completely unexpectedly, as a response to heartbreak.
My ex-partner was a singer-songwriter, and after we split up he released a song that was very difficult for me to hear. One night I couldn’t sleep and started singing the chorus of the song in my head, but with different words. The next day, I think I had a day off work, and I sat on the floor of my studio flat, crying, and rewrote the whole song with my own words, my version of the story. That’s how Never Gone, my first song, was born, as my “reply” to Gone. During COVID, months later, while I was back home, my brother, who’s a music producer, was essential in turning it into a fully original song.
That was the first time music felt truly mine. I wasn’t doing it for anyone else. I had never studied music, I didn’t think I had a voice worth sharing, and I was terrified of even hearing it myself. But I felt that if it helped even one person, or even just myself, that was enough to overcome my fears.
From there, I kept writing mainly whenever I was in pain, feeling thoughtful, hurt, lonely, disappointed, confused, and sometimes I also wrote when happy. Those writings slowly became songs, and eventually I released my first album.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
My first songs, which later became the Never Gone album, were really about healing from the end of a long relationship. I kept writing, and the idea was then to collect the following songs into a second album, focused on moving forward and continuing the healing journey.
Originally, this second music project, which I’m currently working on, was born during a joyful phase of my life, but it later turned into another layer of healing after a new, and even deeper, heartbreak.
Self-Sabotage became the starting point.
This time, the focus is wider. It’s not just about healing from one person, but about self-healing in general, exploring themes like attachment, emotional patterns, allowing yourself to let go, being ghosted, and metaphors between nature and life struggles.
My understanding of pain and trauma has widened, and so has the music.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
I don’t think I’m very good at describing music, that’s probably why I just make it 😉 But the words that come to mind are introspective, reflective, soulful, thoughtful, and nature-inspired.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Learning a few chords on the piano changed things for me, as it allowed me to draft some music before the lyrics. Before that, I always wrote lyrics first and then tried to imagine the music.
Now, for some of my newer songs, the music came first and the lyrics followed, which opened a new creative door for me. More than anything though, I still go with my gut. I write what I feel, without overthinking or following technical rules.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
The basics: pen and paper! 😉
I’ve now updated to using my phone notes, which makes it easier to jot down ideas anytime they come and anywhere I am. They might sit there for a few years before taking life and becoming songs.
When I’m ready to work on them, I use my laptop, mic, headphones, and audio interface. I originally drafted ideas on guitar, and now piano is becoming more important. But since I travel a lot, it’s mostly just me, my laptop, and my notes, until I’m back home in Italy.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
This changes a lot depending on the time and moment, but I’m always drawn to artists whose lyrics feel honest, real, authentic, emotional, and human, the kind that make you feel something genuine rather than trying to impress. I really love Passenger and Forest Blakk.
At first, I didn’t connect much with Passenger because all you’d hear was Let Her Go, and the other songs sounded similar to me. That was before I ever wrote anything. But once I started listening more and paying attention to the lyrics, I discovered how powerful and beautifully written they are, and I found myself wishing I could write like he does.
I also resonate with Sasha Alex Sloan, Lizzy McAlpine and Dean Lewis.
In general, I listen to many indie artists and a wide variety of music, rather than anything too specific. When I’m in the mood for something more energetic, I usually turn to Pink and Lady Gaga.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
My heartbreaks have been the biggest influence on my music. Through them, I started learning about attachment styles and emotional patterns, which deeply shaped both my writing and how I listen to music now. My childhood experiences, challenges, and resilience, all influence how I see life and write about it, often with a sense of hope and reflection. My music is introspective, thoughtful, and oriented toward awareness and healing, because that’s the journey I’m on myself.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I hope my music can resonate with people and help them feel less alone in whatever they’re going through. If it can also inspire them to heal, grow, or reflect, even just a little, that would mean the world to me.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Music has taught me to release, not just on streaming platforms 😉, but to release emotions, fears, hopes, and pain. It has also been part of my way of learning how to accept myself as I am, including accepting my voice.
The biggest lesson has probably been learning to accept imperfection: finishing things even when they’re not perfect, and recognising that this is the best I can do so far. Publishing my music was about choosing acceptance and progress over perfection, and not letting fear or self-doubt stop me.
I hope this can inspire others too.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
I’ve only sung in a couple of pubs, nothing formal, and my little “stage” experience has been just joking around at work! Since I spent several years in Cornwall, two festivals I’d love to sing at are Rock Oyster Festival and Tunes in the Dunes. I’ve been there to see Passenger and The Cat Empire, and it would be amazing to perform there myself. I guess I still have a bit of confidence work to do!
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Lady Gaga. At first, I found her performances a bit over the top, but after seeing A Star Is Born, I saw a different person and it made me curious to learn more about her. Her voice is incredible, and the depth of emotions she brings in the soundtrack of that movie deeply resonate with me. I think it might also connect to a hidden dream of mine of going from 20 years in hospitality and bartending to singing my own songs on a stage, with people singing along to the words I wrote. Never stop dreaming, right?
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
My music is available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and so on. People can also follow my journey on Instagram or Tiktok: @ellydeda
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
My dream is to keep writing from my heart and to reach more people’s hearts, help them feel less lonely, which seems to be one of today’s biggest struggles, and inspire self-healing.
If needed, I’d also love to support people more practically through my coaching. Ultimately, my wish is to help as many people as possible while continuing to heal myself, so we can all experience a more balanced, joyful, and vibrant life.
(https://innerawakeningcoaching.carrd.co/)
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I hope people can connect my music to healing by following my journey, moving from self-sabotage to self-healing and self-love. I want my songs to feel like a companion, reminding listeners that they’re not alone and that growth is possible, anywhere, anytime, and at any age.
Link
https://youtu.be/g4H-dnQDfpo
