GMA Songwriter of the Year award-winner, Elenee Young talks us through her new single, her journey so far, choking at Nashville, and her battle with loss and grief.
Born and raised in Canada, and being a Greek, and Metis Citizen, Elenee brings such cultural diversity to the ever-growing table of Christian artists. Although she grew up surrounded by music, she didn't start making music until later in life. She recognized the power of songwriting and used it as a medium to share experiences and process emotions during hard times. With a warm sound rooted in the encouragement that gospel music brings, Elenee was awarded the GMA Songwriter of the Year in 2017, and in 2022, she was a GMA Covenant Award Nominee and the Canada West Spiritual Artist of the Year.
Her latest single is for you if you have ever felt weighed down by grief or heartache; if you have ever felt like God is a million miles away and your prayers are hitting the ceiling.
‘consistently’ is an anthem that is firmly rooted in the truth of who Jesus is. Its folk/acoustic twist, and heartfelt melodies wrap around you like a warm hug. It embodies a sense of nostalgia while comforting listeners of the faithfulness of God, even in heartbreak, turmoil, and pain. If there was ever a time to be reminded of the Peace, Hope, and Light we have within us, it’s now, and ‘consistently’ does just that.
She tells us, "I think the beauty of serving God is most evident in our weakest moments because that's when He is strong (2 Cor 12:9-10). In times when the pain is too much for us to bear, we are called to lay our burdens at the feet of Jesus. He calls us to cast our cares and anxieties on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). ‘Consistently’ is a song that was written from a place of grief and loneliness. I just needed a reminder of who Jesus is, and what better way to remind myself than to sing His characteristics over myself in hard times?"
Co-written with gifted songwriter Amanda Kinner, ‘consistently’ was birthed out of scripture and prayer with collective points of view and experiences. Melodically, the song is hopeful with a rising bridge that is sure to encourage listeners who may be facing hardships.
We sat down with Elenee to chat through her sound, the story behind the song, and her future plans.
Stream 'consistently' here
Read the interview…
How are you? What are you up to these days?
I am well, thank you. Currently, I'm in San Francisco. My husband and I are on a little getaway for a week, which is so nice. We did that thing that you've probably done too where you want to do a quick little nap late in the afternoon after a trip and then wake up the next morning. I'm also working on some music, spending time with family and the restaurant. I'm a third-generation restauranteur with my grandparents and my mom. We have a little Greek restaurant in our city so it's pretty fun.
When did you start creating music?
I grew up on Hannah Montana and the likes. I didn't think of music as something I wanted to actively pursue until I got older. Then I had that moment where I thought, "Okay, I could actually do it. It's not some far outlandish dream, it's actually at my fingertips if I just put in the time, money, and investment." It's been seven/eight years on the other side of that decision and although it has been costly, it has been worth it. Plus it's a ministry so even when I feel tired, I'm not exhausted.
Apart from Hannah Montana, what were your early music influences?
The Integrity Music artists like Darlene Zschech, Chris Tomlin; all the CCM; DC Talk, and Thousand Foot Krutch. Mixed with RnB, 90s HipHop, and Rap; it was a lot.
With all these inspirations, how would you define your current sound? Who do you make music for?
That's such a good question because my sound changes depending on the type of song and messaging, but overall I would say my sound is warm and inviting. I want my music to feel like a hug; when people listen, I want them to feel like I'm right there beside them walking through it with them. A lot of my audience is female, from pre-teens to adulthood. I'm trying to broaden my horizons by collaborating with more male artists. So some songs coming would sound different
Talking about releases, what's the story behind 'consistently'? How did it come to be?
So, I had some friends who were praying to God for a child. I find that people who would make incredible parents sometimes find it hard to have children, I don't know why. They had been praying for a child, and then they finally got pregnant only to lose the baby. I had been praying with them, so I felt the loss with them. I had so many questions, I would shake my fists and ask God "Why? You knew how badly they wanted this baby, you know what they desire, you've heard their prayers." To process that grief, I had to write it down; 'In the heartbreak in the hurting, I'll trust you in the waiting. You're always who you said you'll be consistently.' So I got together with a friend Amanda Kinner and we ended up writing the whole song together just to remind ourselves of the characteristics of God. We also had to flip it in that second verse to say even in the breakthrough and blessing, He's also there. It came out as I wanted it to, simple and peaceful. The team decided that it would be released on Father's Day weekend, and coincidentally my father passed away three years ago on Father's Day and I found that the song helped me grieve in this weird way that I didn't know I needed. It's been a little over two weeks, but since I released the song I've received several messages about how the song is helping people through loss. God has perfect timing, you see.
Thank you for sharing that. It's been 8 years since you started making music; what has been your biggest moment so far?
This journey has been a bunch of tiny moments. I mean, I had gone to the GMA Immerse Conference in 2016 and went through all the steps to perform my song in the songwriting competition. When it came time to perform, I choked! It was Nashville with all the professionals and of course, I got eliminated. I wasn't sure I wanted to do it the next year but I don't give up, so I did it. A friend Charity Gayle had watched me fail the previous year, so she held my hands and prayed with me for fear to leave me. I didn't feel much different but this time I didn't choke. I made it to the top five and somehow eventually won. That was a defining moment for me because it was then I understood that God's strength is made perfect in my weakness
Amazing! You never know all that happens behind the scenes before that one big moment. What are some songs that have been on repeat currently?
Don't judge me because it's old, but I've been loving 'Center of My Joy' by Ruben Studdard, and the new 'Songbook 1' by Gaither House Music. There are about five songs on there that I'm loving.
If you could collaborate with one artist, who would you pick?
That is such a big and loaded question. I think I would pick Carrington Gaines. He has such an amazing sound and anointing, and everything he touches is gold! That would be cool. I would also love to do a rap feature, not sure yet where I fit in in that world, but it's something I would love to do.
Your sound is evolving, so you can fit in anywhere! Congrats again on the single. What's next for you, Elenee? What should we expect?
I have another single coming out called, 'No Place Here' and it's all the attitude and sass I could muster up into a song. I got to write this with Bailey Hager and she produced the sound so it's so good. It's different from anything I've put out before so that should be interesting. It's about that story I told you about GMAs, and fear leaving my body. "Fear you have no place here."
Follow Elenee for updates on future releases!