Anastasia Elliot On the Making Of ‘La Petite Mort’
How does 'La Petite Mort' reflect your musical journey and growth as an artist?
Making ‘La Petite Mort’ over the last 13 years really has been the entirety of my career as an artist thus far. All of my artistic growth has happened while crafting this visual album. The genre-bending nature of LPM is really the core of who I am as an artist. I am always looking for new ways to play with sound and visuals to create experiences for whoever is listening. Every version of me throughout creating this project and the next one is really just looking for new ways to play and express different parts of my soul.
What has been one of your favorite memories along the path to making 'La Petite Mort?'
I think my favorite memory is the one that is the entire reason ‘La Petite Mort’ exists at all: my Southwest plane crash in 2013. It may sound odd that a plane crash is my favorite memory, but without that freak accident, this entire album and project wouldn’t have ever existed. I think it just makes me relax and trust in the timing of everything in the world because sometimes tragic and dark things can lead to important and beautiful things.
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for 'La Petite Mort?'
Recording this album was one huge memorable moment! We had so many special things go into making all of these different sounds. One of my favorite standout moments centers around London. We brought in a very old harpsichord from the 1800s to play in London. At the time, I had just learned a Bach invention and it was so cool to be able to play it on the harpsichord. It’s one of my favorite sounds we have on the album!
Can you recall a particular moment, artist, or experience that had a significant influence on your music?
The first concert I ever went to was Britney Spears’ Circus tour. I was sitting really close to the front of the stage and I remember the very first moment of the show when the lights went dark and Britney descended from the ceiling in the most magical and theatrical way. That moment was so impactful to me and inspired me to always be committed to making everything as grand as possible and to have my showmanship always turned on. My goal is to get to the point where I can also create the coolest concert entrances ever.
How has your music evolved since you started as a singer-songwriter? What have been some key milestones in your artistic journey?
My music has always been and always will be a direct reflection of my essence. I think as I have grown as a singer-songwriter, my music is just becoming more full of my energy. The new music that I am currently producing steps even farther into the love I have for drama. I think albums are popularly referred to as eras now because they really do reflect who we are as artists when we create them. La Petite Mort is a reflection of who I have been and grown into over the last decade. The new music I am working on is the beginning of the next chapter of evolution and it’s even wilder. I think the more art you make, the more confidence you gain to push into the weirdest parts of yourself. At least that has been true for me!
In 2012, I got to hear my songs for the first time with live musicians and that was when I decided that I was going to be a rock artist instead of a pop artist. I signed with the president of Warner Records shortly after my plane crash and wound up being caught in a regime change and became fully independent again a year or so later. I have had so many milestones in creating the visual world that accompanies this album and DIYing every element with my small team. It has been such a long journey to get this music out into the world and I have to say the biggest milestone so far is the release of this album and everything I have worked so hard for! We are currently in the process of finishing up the final music videos and recording brand-new music.
