“The artist name Little Elements was inspired by my connection to nature, especially the element water and my belief that we are all little elements connected during a strong magnetically field.”
Innsbruck, Austria based Lisa Aumaier alias Little Element blends dreamy pop sound and alternative elements into chill and cozy music. We had a chat with the young producer, songwriter and singer about her new song “Tel Aviv”, on finding the right balance and what home means to her.
I love your latest release „Tel Aviv“. There is a lot of emotion in the song – it´s about meeting your soulmate again after half a year and the decision about giving up daily life to move to the other side of the world for love. I think there are many people who can relate to that topic. Did you chose love at the end? And how do you feel about your decision today?
No I didn’t – it didn´t feel like the right thing to do in that period. I think if it would have felt like “the big love” and both are all in, then there would be no other option as to just risk it. But anyway.. Tel Aviv is a nice playground for artists and caught me a lot!
You quit school when you were 17 – then you headed off to the South of France to write music. Sounds really adventurous. What has this time taught you the most as a person and how did it influence your musical growth?
If you are a fish swimming against the current the struggle to find your own stream is its own unique university. Those years taught me a lot and kind of made me grow up. Following and feeling a strong passion is an alternately “blessing and curse”. I figured out that no waves of success can replace friendship & love. It’s important to take care of that when you are on the run to climb to the top. I am the kind of person who sometimes wants to do ten things at the same time so I needed to learn to priorities, to focus on less projects and safe my energy, otherwise you stand on the top and can’t enjoy the view anymore because you are too tired. When I look back musically, I’ll tell you a little secret. My biggest dream was that I would once get played on my favourite radio channel fm4. Then something much better happened, when I became artist of the month, signed a label contract, played concerts where people sang to my songs. This “present” showed me I am on the right way and all the struggle was worth it. If you spread your seed with love, tasty fruit will come out. Share it surrounded by good vibed people makes them more tasty and is the best feeling ever! Enjoy this ride until you start to swim to catch the next wave.
“I needed to learn to priorities, to focus on less projects and safe my energy, otherwise you stand on the top and can’t enjoy the view anymore because you are too tired.”
How did you initially get into making music?
Maybe, it sounds a little clichè, but I felt like a kind of a lost soul and different from the mainstream society. Creating music felt like isolating myself from troubles and hiding in my own atmosphere. This energy was like a magnet, I wanted to follow this because nothing felt so good and right and I always trusted this feeling because it felt really strong. Here I am – still addicted. Smiles.
You are self-taught and with various part time jobs you created a little home-studio. What part time jobs did you have and was there ever a moment where you almost gave up on your dream? Because reality can be hard especially within the artistic field…
OMG..Laughs. My jobs, okay I list some, snowboard instructor, bartender in clubs, fundraiser at Greenpeace (first job ever and the worst). The best one was where I was able to safe money for my first music equipment and it was being a season worker in a hotel as a housekeeping women. Beside my longest job at the skate shop I also finally managed to gain the A-levels beside working. It was always important for me to have the option to study something if I want to.
About giving up: Yes, there were and sometimes still are moments of downs. Especially at the beginning when everything was sooo far away, even to own my own guitar. Laughs. When I go crazy again from the struggles between music and life balance and speak it out seriously, I always start to cry and it feels so unrealistic to give up. Well, it’s too late anyway to give up, I would feel really depressed and I would lose a part of my identity and my light. It’s all about finding the right balance between time for creative projects and having enough money for paying your rent and stuff.
“About giving up: Yes, there were and sometimes still are moments of downs. Especially at the beginning when everything was sooo far away, even to own my own guitar.”
The name „Little Element“ was inspired by?
My connection to nature, especially the element water and my belief that we are all little elements connected during a strong magnetically field.
What can you reveal about your upcoming album?
My upcoming album is gonna be trippy and beautiful – I can’t wait to share the magic fire piece with you.
You are currently based in Innsbruck right? How is the musical scene there?
Well, actually that’s right. Innsbruck is most of the time my base for working and shaping the creative process to an end result. The artist scene is small, that’s why I travel as much as possible to get enough exchange. I am eyes and heart open for a new place to live for a while, we will see where time leads me.
What means home for you?
1. Doing music and being creative
2. Watching and listening to the waves
3. And at least also with the right people – home can be everywhere for me
“I want to look back at my life thinking I didn’t miss too many chances because of fear and followed all the stuff where I had a strong feeling to do them.”
Seaside or mountains?
Definitely seaside
Love is…
Sharing & flying and landing together
When you are old you want to look back at your life and think…
That I didn’t miss too many chances because of fear and followed all the stuff where I had a strong feeling to do them.
www.facebook.com/thelittleelement
www.instagram.com/littleelement
photography by Katrin Schmirler
