Eli Smart On Growing Up In Hawaii, Musical Inspirations, And Defining Aloha Soul

Posted On July 26, 2023

Samantha Colleran, July 2023

It’s about 4:15 on Friday afternoon. The city sun is sweltering. I’m standing outside of Webster Hall with one of my best friends, Matt, and we’re patiently waiting for Eli Smart to arrive. About five minutes later, he pulls up with his touring crew and begins unloading his instruments and equipment necessary to put on a stellar performance a few short hours later. Eli’s demeanor radiates coolness; he’s sporting light wash jeans, a Pacific Beach Hotel shirt, flip flops, and green sunglasses. 

Eli’s touring crew is a close knit group of friends and family. Jordan Paul, Hamster, and Eli’s grandmother, Denise Kaufman (Ace of Cups), are set to join him on stage as he opens for Declan McKenna. Matt and I watch the hustle and bustle of unloading instruments, soundcheck, and behind the scenes of tour life. Maia, a close family friend of Eli’s, shows us around and ensures everything runs smoothly.

Prior to speaking with Eli, I had the chance to talk with Denise about what it’s like to watch her grandson perform and to play a part in bringing his music to life in a live setting. Denise is beyond proud of Eli, she shares little tidbits of how intricate his instrumentals are and what it’s like to watch him work for his dream. Watching him graduate from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, a dream he had since he was young, was a proud moment for her. Seeing the two take the stage together is magical, it’s rare to see two generations of music come together so seamlessly, but Eli and Denise make it look so effortless. 

When chatting with Eli, it’s evident just how much he loves making music, and just how deep music is ingrained in his life. From growing up listening to stories of Denise playing with Ace of Cups and touring with Jimi Hendrix during the summer of love, to hearing how his grandfather opened for Duke Ellington, and his parents opening a record shop and music venue on Kauai, the island he was raised on in Hawaii, it’s evident music is Eli’s heart and soul. Seeing his family work to make music an integral part of life inspired Eli to pursue it full time. His parents played a lot of motown, but the biggest inspiration for Eli growing up was The Beatles. Attending Liverpool for university was a dream, and being in a new evocative environment where some of the great Northern English rockers got their start allowed Eli to further his musical craft and create his own sound, which has been dubbed “aloha soul”. The genre “aloha soul” pays homage to Kauai and the time he spent growing up on the island experiencing the synergy of music and community throughout his life. 

The beach plays a key factor in shaping Eli as a person, something not many people can understand unless they live near a beach. As someone who lives on the beach, being able to relate to Eli’s anecdotes about swimming in the ocean to reset his mind after a long day and turning to the ocean for inspiration struck a chord in me and allowed me to connect with his music on a deeper level. Living in Hawaii gave Eli the opportunity to be close to nature and shaped his love for being outdoors. Although many people associate island weather with sunshine, it’s the stormy days where the ocean is a deep blue and the sky is hazy that bring him the most inspiration and comfort. One of Eli’s most recent releases, a track called “Silence”, reminds him of swimming in the ocean on a stormy evening before it got too dark. He shares that being so involved in the creation process then breaking out of it to spend some time in the water put the song into context and gave it a deeper meaning. 

Although short, Eli’s set is electric and full of so much energy. He knows how to command a stage and captivate an audience in a few seconds. Prior to taking the stage, Matt and I were in the venue listening to Declan and Eli soundcheck, and about five seconds into Eli’s first song Matt and I were up on our feet, completely lost in his sound. With a crowded house, the feeling is much different. You could feel just how excited everyone was to listen to the incredible music Eli was playing. The awesome thing about Declan McKenna fans is how excited they were to watch Eli and the band; most people at the barricade knew all the words to his songs and at the end of his set some lovely fans handed him a bouquet of flowers. 

Highlights from the set include slow jam “AM to PM”, the track Eli shared he was most excited to perform, and my favorite track “Highschool Steady”. Towards the end of Declan’s set, he invited Eli and Jordan back out on stage to perform a cover of a track by Connan Mockasin called “I’m The Man, That Will Find You”. It was absolutely mind blowing, the two sound incredible together and the crowd went wild the entire time. 

So, what can we expect from Eli Smart in the future? A full length record is in the works, which Eli hopes will be out at some point next year. He’ll be on the road for a few more shows this year, so be sure to keep an eye on his Instagram to see if he’ll be playing any shows near you!