We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Eliana Athayde a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Eliana, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Sometimes I beat myself up for not being an all-or-nothing kind of person; the kind of person who can pick a lane and stay in it. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with horses (bear with me here –) and if I had the same talent for horse training as I do for playing music, I’m certain that horses would be my profession and music would be my hobby. But by the time I got to college, I was enthusiastic about my future as a professional musician, and fully committed to keeping my horse Niko. At one point, my college professor suggested I quit the “horse thing” to make more time for music…and I remember thinking, I’ve only got one life BUDDY, and even if reincarnation is real, this is the only life I’m aware of! And for this entire life, I’ve loved horses. Why the all-or-nothing-ism? Would I have been happier had I sold my horse and spent that time in a practice room in the singular pursuit of *being good at music?” The answer is a chuckling and resounding *absolutely not*.
I am a musician who works extensively as what we call a “side musician” helping other people bring their artistic visions to life. I am also a musician who loves composing and recording and performing their own music. I’m *also* a musician who loves to teach! …and tour, and play big beautiful concert halls and massive outdoor festivals, and stay home and play at my favorite local bar….What I’ve realized, accepted, and embraced in myself is a desire to do so many things. I want to be a world class side musician, touring and recording with artists who I admire deeply….and I want to create my own music and build an audience for it, such that it can sustain itself. Those pursuits may be lopsided, but they can exist in tandem because it’s what I feel compelled to do in this life. There is no box you’ll fit in, but the one you build for yourself.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a bassist, composer, singer, and player of many stringed instruments, living in Los Angeles.. I studied jazz & classical upright bass at the USC Thornton School of Music, and have since carved out a career touring and recording with a wide range of artists including, Waxahatchee, Tim Heidecker, Pomplamoose, Madison Cunningham, Weyes Blood, Jon Batiste, The Hi Fi Honeydrops, Vanessa Paradis, and The Blasting Company.
I write and record my own music with collaborator Maxime Stinnett, under the name Jacaranda, and we’ve recently released a suite of music titled “Music For Brushing Your Teeth”. It was created in the ethos of “anything worth doing is worth doing poorly” (i.e. it’s better to brush your teeth for 30 seconds than not at all). Lately I describe our sound as something between Chamber Pop and Freak Folk…a friend of mine calls it “Fairy Jazz”…it’s lush and lyrical and groovy and inspired by everything from Bach to Brasilian music, to Jeff Buckley.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I’m often asked this question — it usually comes in the form of a direct message on Instagram — “how do I do what you do?” The work I do as a musician doesn’t have a direct path of entry: it’s a strange and elusive way to make a living, and it’s a lucky few of us who get to do it compared to the many talented musicians in the world.
My advice to folks who want to do the work I do, which I’ll broadly define as “professional touring and session musician” is threefold:
First, you have to be good at your craft. You’re probably not gonna get the call if you’re not respected for your craftsmanship, and if you do get the call, you certainly won’t get the callback if your craftsmanship isn’t “on the level”. Take lessons, seek out mentors, study material that inspires you! Practice, and play. (The people I respect most have kept their sense of curiosity and desire for personal growth alive; it’s a never-ending journey if you’re doing it right.)
My second bit of advice is that you have to be present and active in “the scene”. For me, that means going to shows, playing shows, hanging out with other musicians…playing as much as possible. If you’re not out and about, participating in your community, “doing the thing”– people will forget you exist and they won’t think of you for a gig — even if you’re great at your craft.
And the last very important task (which is another a life-long pursuit): you have to be pleasant to be around! It might be the most important quality in my field. In terms of hours spent on the job, there’s way more down time & togetherness than actual music making. So if you’re not “a good hang”, you’re probably not gonna get the call. I know far too many incredibly talented individuals who don’t work because they didn’t learn how to get along with others. It’s not about being “cool”, it’s about not being a drag, Nobody is perfect, it’s just important to practice self-awareness. Lord knows I don’t get it right all the time, but I’m trying! A little goes a long way.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
I am a huge — arguably insufferable fan — of the Tao Te Ching. I’ve had a copy of Stephen Mitchell’s translation with me on the road for the past 8 years….and in my early years of touring I’d try and make a point of getting through it at least once a day. A recurring theme in the Tao Te Ching is “the tao that can be told is not the eternal tao,” so…I find it challenging to talk about. But anything worth doing is worth doing poorly, and talking about the Tao Te Ching is certainly worth doing!
There’s lots of big general (beautiful, awe inspiring) ideas about being present, leading without dominating, acting without doing, doing your work and letting go: realizing the mystery of it all. Good stuff! But a particular passage I often come back to goes something like: “You’re just as shaky going up the ladder as you are coming down. Stay rooted with your feet on the ground.” As a freelancer, as an artist, as a human; I think there’s hardly anything more valuable than this sentiment. I’ve never seen humility get anyone in trouble. And I think we can all recognize from our own experiences that it’s hard to tell in the moment what’s ultimately to our benefit or our detriment.
The Tao is the center piece of my self-reflection practice; I can’t get through those 80-some-odd passages without uncovering something in myself — and I really do believe that self-discovery is the greatest tool we have in our arsenal, no matter the endeavor.
“When you are content to be simply yourself
and don’t compare or compete,
everybody will respect you.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jacaranda.band
- Instagram: @elianabassist
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Jacarandaband
- Other: https://jacarandaband.bandcamp.com
Image Credits
Emilio Herce, Dana Gorab, Evangeline Baross, Joao Ruivo
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