THE
CREATIVE
NUCLEUS
OF
LONDON
ETAN
Etan has always felt a sense of foreignness wherever she went. Yet, she always made a conscious decision to belong, no matter where she may be, making her music universally relatable. Born in London to an artistic and musical family, she started her musical training early and later moved to Tel Aviv. The result - a globally inspired sound that led her to build a strong presence in the Tel-Aviv indie scene. ‘’Duck Down’’, ETAN’s debut single, is an energetic, feminist Synth-Pop anthem, that was written about the almost immediate instinct to ‘’Duck Down’’ when you feel someone doesn’t agree with your presence.
Written by Maria Hørup
21.09.2020
IZLAND Talks Piano, People and Pyjamas, With Artist Etan.
When did you start making music?
I come from a musical family, so my training started when I was very young… I started making up songs as soon as I could speak and started to actually compose music when I started to play the piano, at around 5 years old.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Right now I’m listening to Half Waif’s new album while continuing to obsess about Moses Sumney and of course Georgia. I think her album is a masterpiece.
What makes you make music?
I used to think making music is a force stronger than me, that I can’t help it. Well, I think that’s true when your creative fountain is blessing you, but there are other times where you need to help open that chakra, and that’s when it becomes a choice. For me, there is nothing like finding yourself in a song you love, whether it uplifts you, or helps you shed a burden of painful emotions. Also, my best experiences of connecting with people are music-related. So the thought of giving that feeling to someone through my music, and connecting on that level, is what makes me want to do this all day, every day.
What are you most proud of so far in your journey?
It is challenging to be an independent artist these days, it requires a lot of different skills and stamina. I’m proud that I never give up, I think I have a pretty solid point of view and I don’t expect anyone to do the work for me.
A lot is going on in the world right now, what is your next step from here?
I released “Duck Down” amid lockdown. Needless to say that when the song was finished I imagined myself playing it in sweaty London clubs, but instead I sat in my pyjamas in front of my laptop and hit the refresh button every 10 minutes. It was weird, and it obviously made me rethink my steps because I have an EP to release, and things might not happen as I planned. I think the music industry will adapt to any change, as it always has. I’m trying to take it day by day. My friends from the live industry, however, don’t have that privilege, as they are still not working and don’t have any work in the foreseeable future. I’m very worried about this. Behind the “industry” and the numbers, there are people that are just trying to survive
ETAN has always felt a sense of foreignness wherever she went. Yet, she always made a conscious decision to belong, no matter where she may be, making her music universally relatable. Born in London to an artistic and musical family, she starting her musical training early and later moved to Tel Aviv. The result - a globally inspired sound which led her to build a strong presence in the Tel-Aviv indie scene. “Duck Down”, ETAN’s debut single, is an energetic, feminist Synth-Pop anthem, that was written about the almost immediate instinct to “Duck Down” when you feel someone doesn’t agree with your presence.