RTL Today – Electronic music duo: Eli and Fur talk about the development of the music industry

Eli & Fur weave an evocative and mesmerizing story amidst vibrant electronic music. Since their debut in 2013, Eliza Noble and Jennifer Skillman have carved out a niche that defies convention. Their sound is a hypnotic blend of soulful vocals, gorgeous synths, and pulsating basslines, creating an immersive experience that is both intimate and expansive, pushing the boundaries of electronic music through a very personal lens. Their impressive discography includes collaborations with heavyweights like Camelphat, MEDUZA, and Booka Shade, and has garnered support from industry authorities like Boiler Room and BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix. ​

I met the duo backstage just before they were set to perform in Ushuaia, Ibiza. “I still get nervous before a show,” Eli confessed. The duo greeted me warmly and we snapped a few photos. They immediately started to strike playful poses and laugh for the camera. Despite the 12-year journey from college friends to international superstars, I got the feeling that they are still very down-to-earth people.

Alice: Thank you so much Eli and Fur for joining us today on the RTL Today show. It’s been a pleasure speaking to you. Eli, I met you briefly a few years ago when you were a guest speaker at a DJ retreat in Ibiza, and I remember you talking about your origins, how you started out as a pop producer.

Eli: Yeah, it’s really interesting for us because we come from that world so we’re always drawing inspiration from that. We learned a lot because it was a very formulaic way of working. It started out as just a job where we did some songwriting, some engineering, and some vocal sessions. We would stay late at night working and using the studio. What’s interesting is that when we make electronic music now, we definitely have that pop feel in mind. We turn it upside down and make a club track but also have those catchy hooks and moments that we think are important in terms of engaging an audience with our vocals. It’s definitely taught us a lot.

A: To me, your music walks a beautiful line between dancefloor and emotion. It gets you into the feeling but also makes you want to dance, which is cool. What is the ritual behind your music-making? How do you bring it all together?

Fur: ​​We usually start with some chords that we like, and that always inspires the vocal melody. It’s very important for us to play some chords that we think fit our mood, and that will be the starting point for the song. Then we build around it.

E: For us, it starts with having a song, a traditional song, because that’s the hardest thing to do well. It’s really fun to jam in the studio and get a really good beat that you think is going to sound good on the dance floor, but then you’re like, “Okay, so how are we going to write something on top of that?” We have a lot of tracks that we really like, but they haven’t really become anything because we haven’t been able to bridge that gap.

A: How do you two balance your creative efforts? It’s been 11 years since you released your first single, so you must have a rhythm by now!

E: Absolutely! We love working together. We had to work on the whole album completely separately during the pandemic. That was really fun for us because working together in the studio can be less productive sometimes. We have a lot of fun together and we throw a lot of ideas out there and then we don’t really focus on any one thing. It really helps with our process because now we’re sending things back and forth. Fur, you’re more picky about things than I am! Let’s say we have 10 ideas and Fur will like 3, so that cuts it down a little bit and it’s like another filter I guess.

F: I just know what I like and then I do it.

A: You’ve released some really great new material lately. When Insomnia came out, I listened to it on repeat. Your new song, My Reflection, is really cool. How did that song come about?

E: We wrote the vocal melody with Julia Church, she’s the craziest songwriter and I love her melodies. Usually after we’ve made the backing track we’ll bring in another writer and that’s where the whole main melody comes from. It was just an idea that we played back and forth with in terms of production. It feels very emotional but it’s dance floor friendly, which are two things we strive to do. It means so much to us and we’ve been playing it and it’s really working. It’s introspective and we’ve seen people close their eyes and we’re happy to see a track we’ve created have that effect on people. It’s definitely one of our favorite songs on the album and we’re really excited about it.

A: I asked a few different female singers about the challenges they faced in music and how they navigated the industry. What challenges did you face when you were emerging in this field?

E: It’s hard, we did face challenges when we first started. It’s a small world, it’s hard for people to accept you, it’s hard to write about you, it’s hard to play your music. It’s a man’s world, and we do feel isolated in that sense. But we try not to let that get to us, and we keep working at it. There are some men in the industry who are very supportive of us. We also seek advice from other women in the industry. It’s a hard thing when you start doing something you want to do but you haven’t established yourself yet. A lot of people say “no” and a lot of things don’t reach you. There are a lot of times when you want to give up and feel like it’s never going to work out. I think you have to have patience, perseverance, and don’t let anyone make you feel small, just believe in what you’re doing.

A: Do you think working as a duo helps?

F: Of course, it’s much easier with a partner, with a team. The two of you. It makes us stronger.

E: You have someone you can talk to, and you do that with your best friend. Our default approach is that whoever is feeling down, the other one is like, “Okay, I need to be the strong one.” I feel like we’ve encouraged each other and motivated each other over the years. It’s an incredible friendship, and it’s definitely a benefit of being a duo.

A: Are you influenced by the same music?

F: We were a little different. I grew up listening to 80s music, the music my mom played. We started hanging out together when we were 19, going to clubs together. We went to a kink show, and that was the first time we saw someone playing with Ableton, and it was a big inspiration for us.

E: I like acoustic, folk music. Playing guitar, writing songs, but I’m not interested in electronic music at all. Fur was my gang, we liked the same parties. Then I got into pop music. We took all these influences and our music developed that way.

A: You also launched a brand, NYX. How is that going?

F: It’s been great, it took us a while, we were so busy with everything. But this year, we put a lot of energy into it, and we’ve discovered some amazing artists whose work we’ve released and have yet to release. So we’re just going all in and finding music to share with people.

E: For our own products, if it doesn’t fit a label, or we really believe in it but no one else does, then we’ll get the product in front of people through amazing channels.

A: Going back to the insights about women in the music industry, what do you think the future holds for diversity and inclusion in the music industry? Do you think there are more opportunities for women in this field right now?

F: Definitely, things have changed a lot from when we first started. It’s nice to see more inclusion. I’ve definitely noticed that. Especially for kids growing up and having people to look up to, it’s really important to see that. Things are definitely changing.

E: One problem we did have when we first started was that we didn’t have a lot of role models. Of course, some people did have role models, but people would think, “Why the hell aren’t people encouraging more women and girls to get involved?” There’s still a long way to go, but things are getting better, which is a good thing.

A: There are a lot of initiatives for women and girls, aren’t there? Do you have any advice for emerging artists?

F: Stick to your instincts, don’t let anyone hold you back, and keep moving forward. Try not to pay too much attention to what others are doing.

E: That’s really good advice. I guess my advice would be like what Fur said, don’t let anyone pin you down! For the first few years, you might do things that, looking back, don’t feel quite right. But the journey is really important, don’t be afraid, try different things and see what sticks and what feels natural. It’s a process and it’s not going to happen overnight. Just work hard and don’t let anyone tell you “no”! Believe in yourself, stay true to yourself, and you’ll feel better when you get to your destination.

A: What are your plans for this summer?

F: The album will be out in September, and then we will rehearse and play 3 live shows, one in Los Angeles, one in New York, and one in London. We will be singing new and old songs live, live, so this is pretty much what we devote all our time to.

E: We’re playing at Furs Garage basically every day, we’re really excited about it. We’re touring everywhere, playing shows in the US and Europe, just trying to balance everything. Of course, the singles keep coming out before the album comes out! Lots of rehearsals, DJ work, and getting the music out there.

Listen to the audio interview here: