As a community, Norwich School recognises the talent that is widespread throughout pupils and staff alike. To celebrate this we have introduced a new blog segment, Who Knew, in which we find out about staff members hobbies, passions and talents.
To kickstart this segment is Senior School Receptionist, Eliza Delf, who tells us about her passion for music and her band Eliza Delf & The Wilderness Collective.
How long have you been playing music? What is your musical history?
"Since I was little, I’ve been someone who soundtracks their own life by singing constantly. In primary school I began classical singing lessons. I did this up to Grade 8, but by sixth form I’d started to take writing my own music seriously. I recorded a couple of singles, but I realised how important writing music was to me when I started working on Into the Wilderness (my first album, out now on all streaming platforms). Lockdown had a big impact on my mental health, as many people found, and writing was incredibly cathartic. I went into my first proper gig assuming there was a good chance I would hate it, but I came off stage with the realisation that this was what I was meant to be doing. The next day I decided to take a few years out of education to focus on doing music, rather than doing a Masters."
What is the name of your band and how did it come about?
"My band’s name is Eliza Delf & The Wilderness Collective, a reference to my first album, Into the Wilderness. I met my cellist at university – she was conveniently in the room next door. I hadn’t decided I wanted to form a band at that point, however. The album actually came first, and I worked alongside Jon Loomes, who was creative producer. In 2021, I realised I did want to be able to perform live, so I signed up to some ‘find a band’ websites, and found a pianist, bassist, guitarist and drummer. The line-up has changed since, and currently the band is comprised of me on vocals, Eva on cello, Tim on drums, Paul on guitar, Jacob on bass, and Leah on keys. Performing has changed the sound of the songs to an extent, and we’re releasing a Live album on the 4th of November. This will coincide with our gig at the Norwich Puppet Theatre on the same day, tickets are available at www.elizadelf.com!"
What kind of music does your band perform? Is there any way we can listen to it?
"The music is quite hard to define, with one reviewer describing it as ‘genre-defying’. Personally, I think there’s a hint of folk, rock and you can definitely hear the classical influences in my voice. The studio album is available on all streaming platforms, and the live album will be out November 4th. I’m also on Facebook and Instagram, and my website is www.elizadelf.com"
How often do you rehearse? How does this work with your work schedule at the school?
"We rehearse pretty much weekly, although at the moment we’ve been doing a couple of extra rehearsals to work on my new songs. One of the reasons my job at the school is great is because it gives me a lot of flexibility. I work Wed-Fri, which gives me four days to work on the music, arrange gigs (there’s a lot of admin!) and have a weekend. Everyone at the school has been very supportive about the music, which is lovely." #
Who do you think has been your greatest musical influence? Why?
"When I was writing Into the Wilderness, I read The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter, and that had a big impact on how I write lyrics. The richness of her imagery, and the darkness in her stories, really resonated with me. I listen to a lot of Florence + The Machine, Kate Bush, Sam Lee, Radiohead (and lots more) and I think they all have an influence on how I write. I also think that playing the songs to my parents had a big impact on me when I was starting out. They helped me avoid some of the common mistakes you can make as a young singer-songwriter, and I’m very grateful for their honest feedback."
What are your hopes and aspirations?
"I would love to be a full-time musician, but I’d also be happy to have a day job that allows me to keep playing and recording. The second album is almost written, and soon I'll need to start thinking about how to fund recording and releasing it. I think as long as I can keep performing, I’ll be happy; it brings me a lot of joy."
