In September 2017, Elina boarded a plane in YYZ with nothing but a dream and her guitar. She landed in Dublin, Ireland, where she didnt know a soul, but had a funny feeling she was on the right path. A few days later, she was starting her studies in Songwriting at BIMM Dublin, where she quickly met and banded with the Kicks, a collective of songwriters and multi-instrumentalists. The songs were written by Elina; the songs came to life through the Kicks.
The fun, playful dynamic of the group shines through the music. These are songs you’re gonna want to blast through your waterproof portable speaker at that impromptu beach party, or blare as you’re driving home on a Friday. They will make you think about every single one of your exes while still sipping your margarita in the sunshine and having a good time. Catchy, sing-a-long-able, and melodically strong, while audibly jazz and blues influenced, they are the soundtrack to a summer day. So sunshiney you’ll even forget that the songs were conceived in the capital of the “land of eternal winter,” Ireland!
The EP takes off with the rhythmically infectious tune “Stone Fortress.” Originally titled “Stone Cold Bitch,” Elina decided to go for a slightly more ambiguous title. Her emotional and sometimes dark lyrics are juxtaposed with catchy melodies and singable hooks. Elina takes it down a notch with “Believe,” a sweet, sunny tune featuring contagious horns and harmonies. The EP culminates with the bluesy and driving, “Funny Feeling.” Having moved around a lot growing up, Elina’s music and lyrics tend to portray a sense of longing and adventure, while highlighting different geographical locations and sensations. This song came into Elina’s head within her first few hours in Dublin. She remembers standing outside her hostel looking out at a busy street, sun peeking through the clouds, bikes and busses and horses going by and thinking, oh god, what did I just do! A Funny Feeling indeed!