By MLe McWilliams
“I have to be an artist, it is what my soul lead me to do.” –Eli Prier in their new music video, “Shooting Stars.”
Singer and songwriter Eli Prier sees themself and their music as an instrument of change. “My message is that you can be powerful and change the world,” Prier says. “To do that, you must find the power inside yourself, focus it, and use it to create change. I see music and performance as a platform for change and I try to get my messages across through the songs I write and the performances I give.”
Twenty-five-year-old Prier (who self-identifies as a lesbian and agender person and uses she/them/he pronouns interchangeably) currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina where they work in the entertainment field as a dancer, exotic dancer, musician, and writer. Prier’s college career was turbulent, as they were suspended for political protesting in their final year of coursework. But the time off from school presented them with the chance to focus on themself and the path they wanted to pursue. “My time off was a combination of a terrifying, exciting, and eye-opening experience, because I began to learn about myself and what I wanted to do in the world,” Prier says. “I was drawn back into performance, writing, and music because I was happy doing that as a child. It also helped me to cope with the small, conservative town where I was being harassed and ostracized for my activism. After [returning and] graduating from college this past winter, I decided that I would follow my passion and go into music and entertainment.”
Starting from a young age, Prier always participated in the arts, whether it was writing, performing or entertaining. “My parents would put me into plays and shows as a child and I learned to play the piano by ear, just by messing around on the keys,” they recall. Prier is drawn to artists and musicians who are not only strong writers and can execute their story well, but who can bring that story to life through their music, dance, and performance, with a strong sense of self. Think Lana Del Rey, Florence + The Machine, Aurora, Zella Day, and The Neighborhood, they say. Listening to Prier’s music, their style is a combination of indie, avant-garde, and dark pop. “Lana Del Rey is one of my longtime favorite artists. We share a similar voice range, the same birthday (and sign, Gemini) and have the same name!” Prier exclaims.
This year, Prier has put out three singles—“Valleys,” “Sweet Tooth” and “Shooting Stars”—and just recently released their music video for “Shooting Stars” in July. “Valleys” stems from Prier’s experiences and time spent in the mountains; “Sweet Tooth” is about unrequited love; and “Shooting Stars” serves as a reminder that we are only on this planet for a limited time, so we must make the changes we wish to see in the world.
Prier’s music video for their single “Shooting Stars” is dazzling. “After creating the song and coming up with the story’s narrative, I wanted the video to reflect my message, the performance, and my expressions, so I made the video dark and simple to highlight that,” they share.
In the video, Prier wears a beaded crop top and flowy skirt with ethereal makeup. As they dance, twirl, and leap around the darkly lit stage, the duality between space and Earth becomes more apparent as flowers, vines, and butterflies are introduced. The universe represents the big picture, Prier says, but the flowers and trees are indicative of our presence here on Earth. As Prier describes, the video relays that we need to be attuned to the big picture and to try and create change, but we can’t keep spinning out. We need to remember that we can’t keep our heads in the clouds if we want to stay grounded in our mission for change. Don’t delay, either—we’re only here for a short time. The song and video are dedicated to Prier’s grandmother, who died young, but was a strong and determined woman who continues to inspire them and their work.
Although Prier is still figuring out what messages and stories they want to convey to the world, while also creating an image for themself, the passion to do what they love doesn’t falter. As an innate introvert, they see their power as a quiet one, but one that can still make a difference. “If I can leave your readers with anything from this article, it is this: you can enact change in this world,” Prier says.
You can find Eli Prier on Instagram and Facebook and listen to their three songs, “Valleys,” “Sweet Tooth,” and “Shooting Stars” on Spotify. Be sure to check out their new music video for “Shooting Stars” on YouTube.
