Stockholm-born singer-songwriter Elias has dropped long-awaited new album Holy, Endlessly Sad, Love, out now via his imprint Haale Records through the AntiFragile Music label.

Brave, honest and open, Holy, Endlessly Sad, Love is to all intents and purposes a classic soul record, heralding a new approach that stands in stark contrast to the trademark ‘big sound’ that has characterised Elias’ career to date. The album’s first single, the gentle and reflective ‘My Kind of Fire’, suggests that the Swedish artist has stepped back to take control of a creative situation that perhaps threatened to get out of hand. Further singles come in the form of ‘My Hope’, which pairs Elias’ impassioned vocals with sparse instrumentation before making way for a powerful crescendo, ‘Hold It Out’, a heart-on-sleeve ballad punctuated by glorious piano stabs and ‘Let Me Be The One’ captures the underlying spirit of the album perfectly. Meanwhile Elias’ most recent single ‘I’ve Been Waiting’ provides the album’s most angelic moments, an energy that is further accentuated by the accompanying official video, where he writhes and dances in front of a pure white background.

Vulnerable this music may be, but that’s often the price to pay for being brutally honest in art. It’s also Elias’ guiding creative spirit: the music he makes has to have some basis in his life. Otherwise, it’s not worth singing about. Referencing artists such as Nick Cave, Jan Johannson and Tom Waits, Elias has been striving to channel raw and honest emotion into something poignant and sincere.

“I write about what's inside and around me at the moment,” he says of the new record. This honesty is driven by a stark choice. From an early age Elias has seen what he doesn't want to become. And to him, there really is no other option. It’s this, or cleaning floors.

Elias sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

I guess it’s always been with me in one way Or another. But I strongly remember being totally amazed by hearing voices of old classic artists like Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye and different Swedish sing and songwriters. it was something about Music and especially the vocals that touched me very deep.

2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?

Hmm… there’s a lot of artists and music out there that I love. Like James Blake, bon iver, Tyler The Creater, blood orange, Leon Bridges, to name a few. I would be up for working with any of them.

3. What are some of the problems you have faced making and releasing the music during the corona virus pandemic?

Of course the biggest issue has been that the live Scene’s been totally shut down.
But In a way that had some positive affects on me, I really had a lot of time to write new songs, so I did!

4. How would you describe your sound?

It’s always hard haha…. But someone described it as “hopefully, sad melodies” I think that gives an image of what it is. Quite distinct melodies with a lot of focus on the vocals, in some kind of pop/soul vibe with both electronic and organic influences.

5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?

I guess the fact that i’m still doing this, after a lot of things happening.
Im also super happy about some of my songs being featured in movies and series and that it seems like it reached out to people.

6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

It’s hard giving advice since it’s soo different from artist to artist… but if I could say one thing is that, Stay in the studio for longer then you think, really focus on the songs and what you wanna say with it. Get yourself a great manager that respects what you do. And try to keep that mindset in every new collaboration you make.

7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?

I’m listening a lot to Agnes obel atm, always Jeff Buckley and off course Nicole Sabouné.

8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?

Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen
Just as I am By Bill withers
Love and hate by Michael Kiwanuka
Assume form James Blake
Or any song by Kate bush or Nina Simone

9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?

I like doing stuff so I’m either out somewhere with my girlfriend or some friends. Or sitting at home painting with oil and charcoal (that I do a lot).

10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?

Swedish tobacco called “snus”
A piano
A great synth