Name: Eve Selis
Birthplace: Deming, NM
Current Residence: Franklin, TN
Music Style: Pop, Rock, Americana
Website/Social Media Links: https://www.eveselis.com

Please introduce yourself:

I have been a singer for as long as I can remember. It’s really all I know. But my love of singing has become even more meaningful to me over the years as I experience the two-way, healing power of music. I feel it every time I support a cause that is important to me or see someone in the audience experience the comfort of a lyric or the joy of a guitar solo. But the connection we share transcends even the songs themselves. More and more I’m learning that hardship, grief, and tragedy make music not just an occupation or a diversion – but a necessity. Sharing music is as essential as food and water to me.

(Throughout her career, Eve has earned her fair share of honors—she’s won 7 San Diego Music Awards; the Jim Croce Award for Excellence in Music, and in 2019 she was inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame.)

Tell us about your newest project. What was the inspiration behind it and where can we check it out? 

I have a new CD, Dark Sky Blue. It was released on April 12th, 2024, and is available on all streaming platforms. I also have other CDs available for purchase via the music link on my website. These songs were written while walking through one of the hardest seasons of my life. I want to share them with a grateful, hopeful, broken heart and experience the extraordinary healing power of connection and seeing one another in our pain, knowing we are not alone.

How would you describe your music?

When I moved to Nashville and met my producer, Alex Wong, I told him if U2, Jeff Buckley, and Sara Bareilles had a baby, that’s what I wanted my music to sound like on this new record!

How did you get started?

I started singing in the crib and never looked back! I told everyone I met that I was a singer and after I graduated high school I joined my first band. I started playing 4-hour gigs at clubs singing covers. The way you find your own voice is by replicating others and discovering what you can do with your sound to create something unique and special. I started writing songs in my 20s and recorded my first album at age 30. From there it was touring, writing, and recording on repeat for many years. 13 albums later, here I am with a new sound and purpose in music.

Who are your biggest musical influences?

I was influenced by U2, Emmy Lou Harris, Steve Earle, and Barbara Streisand. I love Jeff Buckley’s voice and Eva Cassidy’s too. Sara Bareilles speaks to the musical theater fan inside of me. I was the only member of my family to pursue music as a career but one of my kids and 2 of my nieces are making music their careers as well. 

If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?

More support for artists! A network of like-minded musicians with funding (grants, government subsidies, and patronage) to tour and record as well as incentives to mentor, teach, and share their journey with others. Art defines decades and in my opinion, music is the closest thing to the divine. It helps us to heal and grow and to transform the world and should be valued more!

What sets you apart from other artists in your genre?

I have a story to tell and years of experience to share with an audience. I know that every gig is all about the audience. The thing I hear the most from fans is how much fun and joy I exude when I’m singing live. I want to love an audience with every song I sing!

What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?

Music allows us to feel our feelings. It’s why we listen to sad songs on repeat when we are sad. Once we cry through it, we feel better. Music heals. Writing songs provides us another way to express our feelings and keeps us grounded and healthy, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.

What’s next for you?

I’d like to put a band together here in Nashville and tour this new record around the world! I want to share my story of healing from the darkest dark back into the light and hug as many people as possible. I’d also like to have a choir join me as often as possible!

What are your career goals in the next five years?

More singing, writing, recording, and loving people with my songs anywhere my music takes me! I want to continue to make a difference through the power of my music…one song at a time!