A Quick Chat with Ely Oaks

You are coming to give several shows in Australia and New Zealand this month. Could you tell us what people could expect from you musically during the performances?
I’m so excited! This is my second time in Australia and the last time I already had a special feeling with the Australian crowd, it seems like they align perfectly with my energy. They can expect classic Ely action. It’s going to be Bouncy, Trancy but also with that pop edge where you can scream your heart out.

You are coming hot on the heels of your remix for James Hype and a collaboration with country-pop star Elle King. How did those two releases come together?
Absolutely two of my most fav releases! With James he actually just reached out and asked for a remix - i already knew the song and i loved it so it was a no brainer for me, the remix came together really quickly. With Elle King it was a bit different - i remixed the Song because i knew it from the initial release 10 years ago and this started off as a “club tool” which took off on TikTok, hence we had the honour to re-release her biggest song yet as an Ely Oaks version.

Your musical journey so far has been pretty complex. If you could name three situations that shaped you as an artist, what would they be?
It’s the ups but especially the downs that shaped my career. Rejection is what drives you to work on your craft and the best music you can. But also the ups motivate you - the last time i came here to Australia was my first overseas show which motivated me so much and showed me how far music can travel.

When you were in high school, you listened to bands like Bring Me The Horizon. Do you think being exposed to different kinds of music helps you with producing electronic dance?
It definitely does. I don’t think you necessarily have to force that into your music, it’s something that happens over the years. In the beginning i probably never realized how i was influenced by these genres but now after such a long time i definitely do.

When you were young, your schoolmates kicked you out of the school band. Your previous project ZOOTAH, fell apart because of COVID-19. It took your current label JINX Music 1 year to actually sign your music from the moment you were discovered by them. How important is patience for artists?
There is a very true saying that mostly my grandparents told me while hiking in Austrian mountains and i’m pretty sure that saying exists in English as well. “Der Weg ist das Ziel” or “the journey is the destination”. I don’t feel like that i struggled at any point of my career. The goals changed, and for me it was always chasing the dreams and goals that fulfilled me and i still feel like there is so much more to come.

What are your future plans when it comes to releases and future shows? Is there anything you could reveal right now? You worked with or remixed earlier such artists as Alok, Timmy Trumpet, Nate Dogg, Marshmello, so I’m guessing you are always working on something.
We’ve changed our approach a bit with planning releases, in a way that we don’t really plan a head so much. I actually want to put out music that my fans decide they want, hence i post a lot of the stuff on TikTok and want people to decide if it comes out or not. There are two remixes that have a lot of requests right now, but also it’s not always easy to get the “go” from the original artists, hence i don’t know if and when they come out. Show wise i can say we are pretty slammed for next year, literally starting my Australia run right now, will be back in February and then off to the states.

What will be the first thing you do in 2026 after you wake up on the 1st of January to start it off right?
I’m not really a “new year - new me” person, i think it’s the habits you built throughout a whole year that change you. I think i have built up some very good habits the past 2 years, so for me it’s all about the fine tuning and keeping them up!

Dec 18 - Lucky Thursday - Melbourne, Australia
Dec 19 - Wao - Sydney, Australia
Dec 20 - The Deck - Traralgon, Australia
Dec 24 - The Deck - Bendigo, Australia
Dec 26 - Mango - Melbourne, Australia
Dec 27 - Side Bar - Sydney, Australia
Dec 27 - Bella Live - Sydney, Australia
Dec 30 - Rolling Meadows Festival - Christchurch, New Zealand
Dec 31 - Dangerous Goods New Years Eve - Melbourne, Australia