REVOLT connected with Elijah Blake over Zoom for an insightful 57-minute conversation, revealing how his journey through the music industry has been as dynamic as his artistry. With a career spanning over a decade, Blake has made significant marks with his pen and voice, contributing to hits for artists like Usher and Beyoncé.
Blake's willingness to push boundaries extends beyond his music into his fashion choices, reflecting his commitment to authentic self-expression. We delved into his approach to genre-blending, where he skillfully merges R&B, electronic, and country elements, creating a sound that's uniquely his own. His latest project, elijah., continues to defy expectations, showcasing his evolution as an artist unafraid to explore new territories.
During the chat, he opened up about the pivotal role Beyoncé played in helping him secure a record deal and the deep bond he shares with Keyshia Cole, a relationship built on mutual respect and genuine friendship.
Read up below on the highlights of the insightful talk.
What is one deeply personal theme on this project that you were initially hesitant to share with the world?
I have a record called “Father Abraham” – when I recorded this record, it happened in real time. I just think I had to deal with a lot of things, and God wasn't letting me run from it because “Father Abraham” is about my relationship with my stepfather versus my relationship with my biological father. My biological father sort of has, like, this entitled approach to fatherhood, which doesn't work for me. He set me off like a Pitbull growing up and was like, don't you ever call another man your father – the only way I can disappoint him is by calling another man my father. When my stepfather came into my life and was just kind of like, “Yo, I don't owe you anything and vice versa but I want you to be great.” He taught me how to shave, sing, write songs – all the tools that I brought into the adulthood he gave me, so now I have to love you, and I want to love you. This is the love that I feel God put on this Earth to lead me into my future.
You recently asked your fans to choose their fighter from your collection of projects. Which project would you choose as your strongest soldier from your catalog, and what makes it stand out to you as your most powerful work?
Bijoux 22 because that’s the one. I remember being that little kid that just wanted to sing so bad. I can recall the time I became signed to Def Jam and there was no release date insight. Rick Ross reaches out to me and puts me on this record, “Presidential,” and then The Game reaches out to me and puts me on his project. I go into Roc Nation and I’m telling JAY-Z I don't want to be like Nate Dogg – I don’t want to be the guy that’s just on hooks because people need to hear me (laughs). It was either one or two weeks I felt like Lauryn Hill at that moment because I’m thinking who's been able to do an album in two weeks? She did The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill in two weeks and Destiny’s Child did Survivor in two weeks, too.
With your new album being released on Aug. 2, 2024, what can fans expect in terms of genre-blending and musical experimentation? How do you keep pushing the boundaries of your sound?
I love when I'm speaking to somebody who is not just a fan of me, but just a fan of music and a fan of the art... I just wanted to be true to myself in those ways, and I wanted to invite those elements, electronic elements, and I do think that's what made Usher’s “Climax” very special. I do feel like that was my contribution to even co-writing “Climax,” which I think... even to this day, I could hear how it permeated in the R&B space, and they're still pulling from it, and it still has influence.
... I [also] wanted country elements on this album because, believe it or not, I work out to gospel music, so, you're gonna hear the arrangements. This was before Cowboy Carter, so I was super nervous. I don't want people to think I'm a country artist, but I love storytelling in the country.
Can I just share with you how your pen game is beautiful — writing one of my favorite records, “DUI” for Ciara on her self-titled album. Was that meant for her or were you going to keep the record?
That was such a good question – it was always meant for Ciara. At that time, I had just got signed and I was in full artist mode which is why it sounds so much like me. The producer on the record, Soundz, was already working on the track when I got to the studio around the time I was working with Tricky Stewart. He was already working on Ciara’s self-titled album – when I arrived at the studio, he asked me my thoughts on the beat and if it would work for Ciara. [He] asked me if I could please take this and I went upstairs and got to it. She got to the studio before I finished it – when I came back downstairs to play what I did for sounds, she was down there and had just come from the gym, gorgeous as ever. She’s definitely top three beautiful women to me with the other two being Keyshia Cole and Rihanna. But, anyway, it was a vibe and I’m glad people enjoyed the record.
Are there any songs that you wrote that were meant for you and you gave it away, or meant for someone else and landed up in another artist's lap?
Yeah, one that I've spoken about, but probably not in as much depth as I'm about to speak right now. The record, “I Choose You” started my career and Beyoncé changed my life without even knowing, probably. We've been in the same rooms, and I've spoken to her, obviously, and I've worked on some projects that didn't necessarily make the cut, but, like, one day when the time allows, I'll be able to tell her, like, do you know that you literally mentioned my name in passing as a kid and I got signed to Sony? At the time when I was in Atlanta, I had signed to Trey Songz and “Jupiter Love” had just come out, so people were kind of knowing me as a songwriter a little bit.
What got back to me, I don't want to put words in anybody's mouth was at one point, Bey was just having a random conversation – my name was Red Stiles at the time -- but, you know, she just was, like, blurting out names and my name or interest in potentially bringing me on [came up after she heard another record I wrote]. Everyone left that meaning at Sony ATV and was like, we need to find this kid and sign him (laughs). I was shopping my publishing deal with “Jupiter Love” already done and that was my only placement. I remember a very powerful executive, a Black executive, told me they offered $30,000 to sign me as a songwriter.
Would you know that I got 20 times what they told me I was worth because Beyoncé just mumbled my name?
... To me, that’s power. I'm pretty protective of Beyoncé in that way because anytime I've heard stories about her, it's been in that light, just changing lives and going about her day.
Your latest album evokes strong old-school ‘60s and ‘70s R&B and funk and disco vibes. What drew you to these specific eras of music for inspiration, and how did you go about incorporating these vintage sounds into your contemporary style?
You see Ty – this is why I told Tasha I made sure to finish up this interview with you because I love so much how you really paid attention to detail. I did it in an incubator state and even now, I'm kind of anxious because I didn't know you had the music so early. I feel like the '60s and the '70s and early ‘80s were when artists were the most free. I do think that there was a revolution happening, and people were just like, be yourself... I watched the whole Donna Summer documentary, like, eight times, and I just loved what Jimi Hendrix represented. I love that Prince was so androgynous, but he was so masculine – I love that he didn't even care to explain. I am what I am.
Looking ahead, how do you see your sound evolving after this album? Are there other musical eras or genres you’re excited to explore and incorporate into your future projects?
I've already started. The next two projects are done and all I can say is I'm leaning again, every project moving forward is going to be more of my DNA, more of my specific identity. I went to the Dominican Republic for my birthday, and I've just been so leaning on my Caribbean roots a lot and just embracing that, because people don't know, but, like, growing up, like, it wasn't cool to not be just African American. If you were from, like, Jamaica or Haiti or anywhere foreign they would kind of make fun of you about it. Now, everybody wants to be foreign, but a lot of kids were bullied, and if you ask anybody from, like, that's a '90s baby that grew up, we got bullied for it, for being foreign. I think that I'm leaning on my Caribbean roots more, and the next project is going to be heavily influenced by those types of sounds, those cadences and those elements.
It takes a lot of courage to defy conventional fashion norms, especially for men. What motivates you to stay authentic and bold in your wardrobe choices, and what message do you hope to convey to your fans through your style?
Can't wait till this interview comes out because this, you're hitting everything on the head. Lenny Kravitz is father to me – I love people who, right or wrong, own it, if that makes sense. For me, I’m wearing a mesh top right now, but tomorrow I may want to wear a jersey. I keep talking about the limitations put on, especially Black men, to be one dimensional. I just love breaking those stereotypes and just challenging those societal norms in my way of expression through clothing.