Eleonora Zaripova began with music at the age of five having piano lessons in a small classical music school in Russia. At the age of 15, she came down with double leukemia, for which reason she had to move to Berlin for the last hope of survival. Under the sad circumstances, however, she realized her only goal: music is life and faith is obligatory.
Photo Credit: Tommaso Revelant
After a successful recovery, she immediately moved forward to catch her dreams. Besides several jazz projects, Eleonora mainly found herself in trip-hop & experimental indie-electro music. Her courage to play with sound and her own vocals makes her music extraordinary and positively surprising for every ear.
EG caught up with the rising Elonora to learn more about the release of her ‘Not Here’ EP on Recovery Collective, her creative process, views on the state of the scene, and more.
EG: Hi Eleonora and welcome to EG. Where are you right now?
Eleonora: Hello! Now, with one foot in Berlin, finishing tracks in my home studio, and with the other one in an ocean heading to my one-month vacation!
EG: Congratulations on your latest release on Recovery Collective! Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind your track ‘Not Here’?
Eleonora: Thank you! Of course. At some point, I had too many music projects going on and my normal work was too much. I started to feel that I needed a place to escape. To stop the time or at least not feel it passing. So, I just sat at my studio one day, and the song created itself out of nowhere. It became somewhat my speed plane to a dreamy faraway. The place where I could go and be untouchable. No worries, fears, nothing really. I could call it my happy place where I am just a body that feels peace.
EG: ‘Not Here’ was originally featured on the Elegance compilation a couple of years ago. What made you decide to bring it back to the spotlight and release it as a standalone track with bonus content?
Eleonora: The idea actually came from Recovery Collective, for which I am very thankful. They believed in me and in the track. So they organized a remix pack to open new realms of possibilities for the original. Which it did. I cannot believe I have four remixes from such great artists and friends. And this makes me very happy! 🙂 As for the additional song, ‘Picture’ – this one is there to tell another side of the story, an opposite one from ‘Not Here’. The one that was there before. It is about being trapped in a space, in your own mind. Running from it and coming back. Not seeing the way out. Not being able to let go. Basically, the ‘Picture’ is a pre-state of ‘Not Here’. With this addition – my story is complete.
EG: The remix package features a diverse range of interpretations from artists like Man Power, Boy Oh Boy, Bongani, and JYDN. How do you feel about hearing your own work reimagined by others, and how does it influence your creative journey?
Eleonora: Honestly, there is nothing more satisfying for me than hearing various versions from such music masters. Each of these remixes is so different and so beautiful. It is super interesting to see how many ideas these people have I could not even think of. Man Power, for example, already did a remix for one of my tracks in the past, which was a great piece. This remix is completely different, underground, and crazy insane really! Then, I am hearing Boy Oh Boy’s version and like – where this comes from? We collaborated so many times I thought I knew the sound inside out. Yet that beauty they created surprised me and literally put a smile on my face. Then Bongani sends his version together with the video of him playing it in a club. People screaming, I am screaming – like how hot can it get!? Boom, JYDN comes with his breakbeat version as a surprise remixer and knocks me out completely! Pure happiness, pure satisfaction, love love love…! The influence it has is huge – I cannot even describe it. But the one thing I can say – await news songs. Many new songs! And please, follow these guys, they are the future!
EG: We’re intrigued by your unique blend of live performance and electronic music. How do you navigate and merge these two elements in your original productions?
Eleonora: Thank you! Merging those is an endless journey and I know that I am not at the end yet. While thinking about what and how you want to perform live with an existing material – you always have to make sacrifices. While I maybe want to have all my gear on stage, I would need 16 hands to play it. So, limited stage instruments, VST simulation, midi keyboards, and sample-&-FX mapping are solutions for now. Since I started performing more, the production became different of course. I always think of an element that I will be playing live at a later stage (apart from vocals). Also thinking about what are the most visible/hearable elements that will make live performance exciting for me and for the audience. Never ending process but it is fun!
EG: Your vocals have been featured on numerous tracks, captivating listeners across different corners of the electronic music scene. Can you share any memorable experiences or collaborations that stand out to you?
Eleonora: Oh, difficult one! I would say every collaboration was unique in its own creation and communication. Each track is different and each producer is different. Techno maybe needs a very short line, or even a speech, where organic house tracks are open to a full story. What I enjoyed the most is the freedom that was given to me. An absolute trust – “Do what you feel, and we see then”. Sometimes I would just abandon any rules of genres and go with the flow. This is very nice and, I would be honest, works in 99% of the cases.
“So, I just sat at my studio one day, and the song created itself out of nowhere. It became somewhat my speed plane to a dreamy faraway. The place where I could go and be untouchable”
EG: As a woman in the music industry, what challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them? Have you noticed any positive changes or shifts in the industry’s attitude toward women in recent years?
Eleonora: I think the most challenging is the fact that the electronic dance music industry is male-dominated. While I would not start a debate about why – for me personally, it was just difficult to find a starting point. I was feeling very lonely in my journey, and was very scared to make a mistake, to ask a technical question, to ask for feedback for my tracks. I was scared of the thought that somebody would think I am stupid. That I should not even be here. Especially since the field already has its prejudices. However, it also comes down to the point that I am a very shy person in general. Not the best character trait for the industry. On the positive side, collaborations brought me further, and many music friends motivated me, pushed me, and gave me advice after I found the courage to ask for one. There I understood, it was just a bubble of fear that stopped me. I should care less. Good people, male and female, sharing one passion are always there for each other. This was my personal positive change. In general, more and more women are getting visibility and aren’t judged (as fast as in the past) based on their beauty, richness, or EDM boyfriends. So, the hope is there : )
EG: Social media has become a significant aspect of an artist’s presence and promotion. How do you personally navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by social media platforms?
Eleonora: SM is tricky. On one side, it is nice to have a tool that allows you to promote your music in whatever way you like without actually paying for it. On the other side, people that like your videos are not necessarily ready to buy tickets to your concerts or buy your merch. SM has its own world. I would say, it is nice to socialize with fans. Nice to read appreciation messages. It personally motivates me a lot. But SM alone (in a sense of promotion) is nothing without a passion for actual art.
EG: Recovery Collective aims to showcase emerging artists and undiscovered sounds. How did you get involved with the label, and what do you appreciate most about their approach and vision?
Eleonora: The first contact was made via SM. They just wrote me asking if I would love to participate in a VA explaining the whole concept of the label. You pointed – “emerging artists and undiscovered sounds“. And this is exactly what made me join them immediately. How cool and rare is that?! The guys are not running for mainstream or financial gain or trends. People are passionate about good music and good artists no matter the current fame or trending genre. I was completely free in my creation. I did not have to make a dance floor banger or techno-only sound. Every artist that participated in the VA had its own sound and there is nothing more appealing to me than this. Also, as the label name suggests – they are a collective. There are many labels where you release once and the story just ends there. You might have a second release but there is no real relationship, where in Recovery Collective I feel so much support and love for music and for each other. So much passion and belief in one’s talent. They will do many great things. Loving the people! Life for music and love.
EG: The electronic music scene is constantly evolving. In your opinion, what are some current trends or developments that excite you the most?
Eleonora: I like that live performances are winning importance. Coming from a band background, it was my dream to perform with instruments in a club. Also, visual aspects are something that I like and see more of. DJ-ing and club performances becoming an interesting merge of arts. Let us see how AI changes the industry as well. Guessing some changes we cannot even grasp now – terrifying and thrilling at the same time.
EG: Your music defies genres and boundaries, offering a unique blend of flavors and essence. How do you approach the creative process to maintain this originality in your productions?
Eleonora: Oh, thanks for these words! Hmm, I did not really think about it much. I mostly just sit and write. Maybe what is helping is that I did many other things before electronic music. First classical piano education, then jazz bands and rock bands, and only then electronic music. Also now, it is the first time I can actually afford analog synths. And while I am having my first jams I can certainly say that it helps to be more creative and unique as more happy accidents are likely to happen. Problem is, you may just jam forever or tweak one sound and finish nothing 😀 but I am slowly getting there.
EG: Can you share any guilty pleasures when it comes to music? Are there any unexpected or surprising genres or artists that you find yourself enjoying?
Eleonora: Oh. I already see people unsubscribing after this one! No genres as such, but more like childhood music, which is still making me emotional. Guilty of Britney Spears, Boney M. (this is more my parents’ fault), Backsteet’s Boys, lots of Balkan and East pop music, Madonna, a massive amount of tracks from ‘Need For Speed Underground 2’… and many many more… just want to be gentle here to have at least 2 subscribes left.
“Collaborations brought me further, and many music friends motivated me, pushed me, and gave me advice after I found the courage to ask for one. There I understood, it was just a bubble of fear that stopped me”
EG: In addition to your musical pursuits, what other activities or hobbies bring you joy and inspiration outside of the studio?
Eleonora: I love nature. Most joy is to pack my bag and walk somewhere far where there is only nature around. Ocean, lake, sea, forest, mountains. It is the moment when my mind stops. Only peace. Not sure it brings inspiration as such, but it clears one’s body making space for new visions for sure. Otherwise, ice skating and recently, playing chess.
EG: Looking ahead, what can we expect from Eleonora in terms of future releases or collaborations? Are there any upcoming projects that you’re particularly excited about?
Eleonora: For sure! In June, I have a lovely release with Ceaus, a very talented young producer from Turkey. Then a truly amazing album and book release from Boy Oh Boy, where I participated in two tracks. Must listen and read! Then in July, my own production with a remix of Yost Koen comes out via Natura Viva. Many features and joint tracks as well however with an undecided release date yet but revealing some names – with Citizen Kain, Nicolas Rada, Gam3, Peter Makto, and Rowee.
EG: Thank you so much for your time and all the best!
Eleonora: Thank you too! Wishing you all the happiness of the world!
Eleonora’s ‘Not Here’ is out now via Recovery Collective. Purchase your copy here.
Follow Eleonora: Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram | Facebook
