281 fans
Eli Derby has already proven himself to be a powerful talent with a one-of-a-kind vision.
Growing up in PG County, Maryland, the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist
started playing drums at the young age of two and immediately discovered a natural
musicality that transcends both time and genre. Hailing from a musical family, Eli got
his start playing drums and singing in the church choir. At just eight years old, he
picked up the piano and not long after the guitar which helped him hone in on his
songwriting skills. Always a self-starter, Eli learned to perform busking in the streets of
D.C. and at local bars that his father would sneak him into to perform with the featured
band. This naturally lent Eli to be able to perform in any environment with the purest of
emotion and rawness. Inspired by the classic 90s R&B sounds, Eli’s take on the ever
progressing genre is one that is fresh and addictive. The young polymath signed to
LVRN/Interscope Records (home to breakout stars like 6LACK and Summer Walker) in
2020 and released his debut single “Gaslight” which was praised by the likes of
Billboard (“impressive”, R&B Fresh Picks), Okayplayer (“a bop”), and who Hot New Hip
Hop went on to say “sparks intrigue about his potential star power.” On his forthcoming
debut EP, Eli brings his multi-layered artistry to a soul-baring and spellbinding
collection of songs, merging the intimacy of bedroom pop with the sonic ingenuity of
left-of-center hip-hop and alt-R&B.
