Today, indie dream-pop singer and songwriter Beth Elsden releases her debut EP, The Waiting Room; a collection of deeply personal tracks written across a five-year period that explores the evolution from adolescence to adulthood. Featuring five tracks, she traverses some of life’s milestone moments, including heartbreak, healing and self-discovery and ultimately self-acceptance. Having spent a number of years involved in musical theatre and choirs, Beth masterfully blends rich melodies and harmonies to create her own style of confessional songwriting that is reminiscent of the music of Gracie Abrams, Gretta Ray and Taylor Swift. We asked Beth a few rapid-fire questions about her musical background, sources of inspiration and the release of her first collection of songs.

You have a background in choral music and musical theatre; how has that played into your approach to songwriting and performing?

I think it has majorly influenced me in how I tell stories and what I’m drawn to in the studio. My songs all have a lot of vocal stacks in them, because I really love that full choral sound, so it has become a core tenet of my music. I also think musical theatre has encouraged me to really build a strong visual world around my songs. I have leant towards these dramatic old Hollywood type of visuals for this first EP, which ties in to the theme of feeling like you are watching your life pass you by like a movie. I’m so excited to begin performing these tracks. I’m always going to have that musical theatre performer in me, and so I hope singing the tracks live really brings the emotion and story behind it to life!

What/who have been your biggest musical influences?

I’m really drawn to ‘80s pop and am currently exploring more synth pop and Swedish pop aesthetics in the music I’m currently making. As for this first EP, I think I was teetering between folky singer-songwriter and pop artist, so I took a lot of influence from Taylor Swift, Maisie Peters and Lizzy McAlpine during the making of The Waiting Room.

Is there any particular theme/inspiration behind The Waiting Room?

The Waiting Room was inspired by my early twenties, a time where I had a very cosy, enjoyable day-to-day life, but I just felt like something was amiss. I felt this pressure to be succeeding and thriving, but the reality was I had a lot of healing and soul-searching to do, and that comes with its own timeline. Ironically, the song I wrote that the concept was born out of was written because I felt like I was taking too long to release my music. I felt like time was running out and if I wasn’t hustling and achieving at that very moment, then I wasn’t living to my full potential. I think everything happens for a reason and I wouldn’t have this EP that I’m so proud of without that time to just sit with my art and develop my writing and sound.

When is your EP due to be released?

It is out on June 12! It is five tracks, including the three singles I have released so far!

What did you do to celebrate New Zealand Music Month?

I’ve been discovering so much new music through music publications’ social-media accounts, which is great, and I’m also getting a group of artists in Auckland together this week to get to know each other better, some I have met before and some I haven’t! I feel like Auckland can be an isolating place at the best of times, so I’m excited to create more of a community in the Auckland music scene, because the talent is everywhere!

Which musical artists are you enjoying at the moment?

I’m loving Jessica Leigh, Emily Esplin, Sarah Kinsley, Avery Cochrane, Arielwose, Katie-Lee, Erin LeCount and Annabelle Dinda — too many! And Naomi Scott just released a new album called F.I.G, which I love so much.

Do you have any live shows in the pipeline?

Yes! I have my EP Release Party coming up on June 11th at Public Bar. I’ll be playing all the tracks from The Waiting Room as well as some songs that didn’t make it on the EP and some new stuff! Arielwose and Katie-Lee are joining me to support, which I’m so excited for as well. It’s free, and we’ll be celebrating on K Road afterwards, as my EP will officially release at midnight, so there’s really no reason to NOT come along!