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Women in Entertainment

Artist/Activist ellee ven is starting a groovalution

Once a constant on the Los Angeles music scene, ellee ven has moved east to spread her Groovalution and encourage people to participate in Give Into the Groove, a non-profit that raises awareness of local charities and encourages everyone to become involved in philanthropy.

Ellee ven calls her music “groovetonic,” which she explains is non-genre specific music that makes you move.   But what is a “Groovalution?”  Read on and you will discover the answer within the interview we had with this amazing artist and activist.

ev-groove

IVB:  How long have you been performing?

EV:  About 12 years.  I was a school teacher, married and divorced and moved into Apartment 1111.  I felt that the numbers 11-11 were a sign from the universe that I needed to do something different, and my heart kept coming back to music.  My first gig was a group of Prince dancers that wanted a voice to add to their music.  From that point on, I was hooked.  I didn’t know if I could write my own songs, but I kept receiving music from friends and friends of friends that I would then remix and add my creative insights.

IVB:   Who are your influences?

EV:  Sade is my #1 favorite because she is so unique and her arrangements are very special.  I think that she is loyal to her band members and works with them to create heartfelt authentic music.  She is a true lady who doesn’t grind but dances elegantly.  I also like Nine Inch Nails, Portishead and Cher – my tastes are all over the board.

IVB:  So, what is a groovalution?

EV:  A Groovalution is a creative revolution, composed of a group of groovalutionaries, which are the individual people engaged in creative revolution.  There is a groovalutionary within us all.   I think you will see that all of my projects are truly connected.   I want to demonstrate that it’s not just music but all parts of our lives that provide balance.  Everybody has a talent and needs an outlet that allows them to contribute to the overall balance.   I specifically want to thank my parents for being the role models that enabled me to take my talent and share it with the world.

IVB:   What made you decide to DIY?

EV:  A couple of reasons.  First off, I didn’t know I could get someone else to do it for me or would pay me to do it.  My family was always a creative force for me, and believed that it was a personal choice to visualize your own artistic endeavor.  Who better to do it than the one with the vision?  As I moved along my career, I realized that this is the way to do it.  I can do it my own way with full artistic freedom.  Very grateful that I can redo my entire catalog if I want to and am responsible for creating content that moves my fans.  I’ve gotten better at marketing but wouldn’t mind getting the machine behind me to further my reach.

IVB:   Are you seeking to be a mainstream artist?

EV:  Not really.  I don’t care enough about being mainstream that I would sacrifice my own artistic vision.  I don’t want to have to dress a certain way, or have a certain look to fit in.  I understand their reasons for wanted to package artists in a certain way, but I want mine to be unique.  There is too much music today that seems to be copies of what’s already there so that they sound the same.  I don’t believe that music can be authentic that way.

IVB:  What are your future plans?

EV:  I recently spent some time in Southeast Asia and want to continue that.  I want to make my music available to more and more people and have spent a lot of time improving my YouTube channel.  Love my new video for Underwater.

I am planning to do a webcast at Kulak’s Woodshed in Los Angeles on November 9, which will be part of my annual 11-11 party.  I have a large collection of fans from around the world who will be able to tune in and see me perform.  Since I can’t take my whole band to places like Bali, this is a way for me to meet my fans digitally.

Give into the Groove in Lexington is another event that I have been involved with, but am taking this year off for personal reasons.  We have so much going on with my band right now that has taken priority and besides, I need a breather!

IVB:   Any good stories from touring/recording/performing?

EV:  I recently did a show in LA that brought together some of the people I worked with a decade ago.  Getting the chance to talk to you (IVB) today is also special since it has been a while since we connected.  I really love the community that this music has grown, and that’s the reason why I can’t stop doing what I’m doing.

IVB:  What social media platforms do  you use?

EV:  My website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube.