May 28, 2025 • 37 mins
A captivating conversation with Elenee reveals the soul behind the ethereal voice that earned her a Juno nomination in contemporary Christian gospel.
Elenee's perspective on success challenges conventional thinking. She deliberately separates metrics-based definitions from artistic fulfillment, finding joy in creating authentic music while balancing family life and running her family's restaurant.
Drawing wisdom from biblical examples, she emphasizes putting spiritual disciplines first in both personal and professional decisions. Her pastor's advice resonates deeply: "Don't let the light that's on you shine brighter than the light that's in you." This philosophy helps her navigate the music industry while maintaining integrity and finding joy in creative expression across multiple domains.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 2 (00:06):
Welcome to the Leader Impact Podcast.
We are a community of leaderswith a network in over 350
cities around the world,dedicated to optimizing our
personal, professional andspiritual lives to have impact.
This show is where we have achance to listen and engage with
leaders who are living this out.
We love talking with leaders,so if you have any questions,
comments or suggestions to makethis show even better, please
let us know.
(00:26):
The best way to stay connectedin Canada is through our
newsletter at leaderimpactca oron social at Leader Impact.
If you're listening fromoutside of Canada anywhere else
in the world, check out ourwebsite at leaderimpactcom.
I'm your host, lisa Peters, andour guest today is Eleni.
Eleni is a multi-award winning,juno nominated Canadian
Christian gospel artist,songwriter and producer based in
(00:50):
Lloydminster, saskatchewan.
A proud Métis citizen and Greekwith Greek heritage, eleni's
music journey began at the ageof three and her passion for
songwriting blossomed at eight.
With a sound that blendsethereal textures and powerful
emotion, eleni has captivatedaudiences worldwide.
Her 2024 self-titled albumearned multiple nominations and
(01:14):
she has performed for the PrimeMinister at the National Prayer
Breakfast.
Get ready to dive into hermusical journey and what's next
for this rising star.
Welcome to the show, eleni.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Hi Lisa.
Thank you so much for having meSuper happy to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, see, we're filming this a little bit
earlier.
It gets launched later, but Iwas just watching you on the
Junos.
The red dress, Eleni.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Thank you, it takes a village.
Oh my goodness, I felt like Iwas in glam for like four hours
every day.
It was just like brushes andhairspray and I was just like
what is this even for?
Like that?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
is who.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I am, but it was fun.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I bet it was a great experience.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Yes, it was fun.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, good, I want to thank you for joining us.
When I use the word ethereal,that's quite the word that
describes you.
Ethereal textures that's myfirst question Ethereal, so?
Speaker 1 (02:11):
it's funny because I'm kind of going through this
weird phase.
I say weird, it's very cool.
I'm tapping into my youngerself.
So backstory, when I was young.
I was very young when the Lordof the Rings movies were coming
out and I wanted to watch themso bad I wasn't even allowed to
read the books.
But yet I thought like please,maybe mom will let me watch the
(02:33):
movie.
She's like absolutely not overmy dead body.
I was very young, likeunderstandably.
So I am just now, as a 31 yearold woman, now getting into like
Lord of the Rings and so notthat this has anything to do
with like the word ethereal hasjust been used for I mean years
to describe like how I sing.
And now that I've been like inthe elf world, I'm just like, oh
(02:55):
yeah, I feel like that kind ofadds a layer to it.
It's very like, it's very lightand almost like atmospheric the
way that I sing, it's breathyand it kind of lifts you, not in
this real, tangible way, butemotionally, and I feel like I
owe it all to being obsessedwith Zelda as a young kid.
(03:17):
Just listening to all thethings, I'm such a nerd.
This is turning into a nerdcast.
So sorry, but ethereal andtextury, that's just.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I don't know, I can't get away from it, even if I try
.
Well now we know Perfectdefinition.
So for our podcast we'redefinitely looking at a bit of
your professional story, how yougot to where you are in the
professional sense and if youhave any pivotal moments that
sort of got you where you are.
If you can share those.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Wow, so many.
When I think of a pivotalmoment, I think of not so much
what elevated or got me to thenext level, but it was almost
what turned me in a differentlevel of my professional career
in the music industry and justdoing what I do.
But there have been very few,but there have been significant
moments that have completelyshifted how I've perceived
myself as an artist and thenmoved into a totally different
part of my part of my artistry,have tapped into something
different.
So one example, I would say, in2016 and 17.
(04:30):
So, 2016, I was headed down toNashville and I was signing up.
So there's this conferencecalled the Immerse Conference
and it happens at LipscombUniversity.
It had been happening everyyear for so many years and I
feel like they stopped doing it,maybe during COVID, but during
this conference, which isbasically this environment where
(04:53):
you're absolutely surrounded bylabel executives, a&r artists,
all these people that are comingin to just kind of impart and
share specifically in theChristian music genre.
Like Kerry Jobe was there.
It was huge.
I signed up for the competitionthat was in there and so you
could enter into like a stream,and so I signed up for like a
(05:13):
songwriter of the year and thenan artist songwriter, so you
have to also be critiqued foryour singing.
And I made it to top 12 in theartist songwriter stream and I
choked I literally choked.
I was so nervous.
I was like sitting theresinging my song.
I was like, oh my God, I'mgoing to puke.
I was so nervous and I goteliminated and so I told myself
(05:35):
like I am going to go back thenext year.
But what was crazy is that yearI had connected really well
with one of the girls who endedup winning, and so I got to sort
of be with her and watch all ofthe things that took place once
she won this I think she wonartist writer and a female
vocalist and so I got to watchall these opportunities unfold
(05:57):
and so in my brain I was like,man, if I go back next year and
I win, like obviously I'm goingto get these same opportunities
and maybe more.
So I did what I can for thewhole year.
I did what I absolutely couldto just elevate my ability to
sing in front of people and tryto be a stronger pianist and all
the things I got up there and Iended up winning, which was so
(06:20):
cool.
It's almost this beautifulstory of like she like thought
she could, so she did, you know.
And I was standing at the veryend, the top of the stage, and I
was waiting for these label andgroup executives to come up to
me and offer these sameopportunities that they did for
the girl last year.
(06:41):
And I just remember sittingthere waiting and I was looking
around.
Everybody was, like you know,talking amongst themselves.
Not even very many people werecoming up to me, like it was
just I was chilling, I had myhusband and my one-year-old
daughter there, and it was justthe three of us hanging out, and
I was waiting and no one cameup to me.
(07:01):
One of the details from lastyear that I didn't mention was
that at the end of the, thenight, this group that was sort
of like wanting to have thisgirl involved in the group,
which was like the dream groupat the time they came and
invited her out for dinner andshe asked if I could come, and
so that's when I kind of watchedthe whole thing unfold, and so
I was waiting for someone tocome invite me for dinner,
(07:22):
basically, and when and whennobody came, I went and found
someone and I was like, hey, areyou guys going out for dinner?
Like what's the plans?
And she said, no, I think we'rejust going to grab pizza and
head to the Airbnb.
You guys have a good night.
Though I remember being like,oh my God, all of that for
nothing, like, are you serious?
(07:43):
I'm holding this trophy that Iworked so freaking hard for and
I am feeling all the feelings ofrejection and almost failure
too, because it was like thissucks.
And it was then, I think and Isay this is pivotal because I
had to shift the way that I sawmyself as an artist and the way
(08:03):
that I pursued a career in music.
I knew at that very moment thatI was no longer going to chase
people.
I was no longer going to meet acertain standard of whatever
the people want the machine andhope that they come to me.
I'm not going to just do thething, I'm going to
(08:26):
authentically create music.
That is what I like to make,and if they like it and notice
it and want me a part of that,great.
But if they don't, I'm nothinging my whole career on it.
Do you know what I mean?
And so I've been an independentartist this whole process.
I've never signed to any label.
(08:46):
I've had a, I have adistribution deal, but it's not
like they don't control anything, except for they put my music
out, which takes just a load offof an independent artist.
So, um, yeah, I, I feel likethat would be one of the main
pivotal moments, for sure.
I don't know if that answeredyour question or made new ones.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
That is a brilliant story and I think of so many
areas of our life that you knowwe win, we've presented, we are
awesome and we're like waitingfor that.
We're waiting and I tell mykids, don't wait, make it happen
.
You know, don't sit there andjust wait for people to come to
you and go hey, I like you.
Or you know, let's be friends,go out Not the same thing, but
(09:27):
people listening.
You know, we make your story,our story, and how do we do that
?
So that was a great story.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
I had chills just listening to you, oh man
reliving it, in retelling it, Ifeel like I also get chills.
I'm like man that sucked.
I hate.
I hated feeling that way, youknow, but it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Oh, it's in the suck that we learn.
It's so true.
Oh, I hate that.
Yeah, I feel like you.
I feel like I'm going to askyou a question about failures,
but I'm thinking you haveanother one that you can share,
but we'll come back to that one.
I want to talk to you aboutyour principle of success.
What is your best principle ofsuccess?
Speaker 1 (10:15):
And do you have a story that you can share?
My principle of success is notmetrics based.
I think that you have to dividewhen you're doing art
specifically.
So I am also an entrepreneur, Ido own a business, and I think
that success is very concrete inthe business world.
Like you either are paying yourbills or you're not, and if
you're not, then things need tochange in order for you to pay
your bills.
You know whatever that lookslike in whatever brick and
(10:36):
mortar or e-commerce businessyou have.
For myself, and then in the artsector, I feel like there just
has to be a time where you justsplit that up, because there's
something about creating fromthis deep well of creativity and
artistry within each and everyone of us.
We all are creatives.
(10:57):
I don't know if you recognizecreativity within yourself as a
listener, but you are a creative.
You have these beautifulcreative veins in you, and some
people use it for differentthings.
For some people, it's likespreadsheets and numbers.
That's creativity, whether youwant to call it that or not.
For other people, it's likelogic, or even infrastructure
and architecture, engineeringall really beautiful forms of
(11:18):
creativity.
For me, it is art.
So that comes at a cost makingart and putting it out there,
especially music.
So it's not like a tangiblething that people, at a cost,
making art and putting it outthere, especially music.
So it's not like a tangiblething that people can
necessarily purchase, like,maybe, the difference with an
art piece that you paint orcreate people can buy it for
like $4,000 or whatever.
For me it's like I put it outthere, I spent a lot of money to
(11:38):
put it out there and I hope tomake enough revenue in streams
which costs, you know, or whichpays me 0.0064 cents per stream.
I hope to make enough money offof that song to pay off what
I've made and created and thento also, like, put more music
(11:59):
out there.
So it's not a very lucrativebusiness.
And so I had to.
Early on, I had to divide themetrics with the art, and so, to
answer your question morespecifically and to maybe give
you a line or a clip, I wouldsay you have to first separate
the metrics out of successaltogether and you have to
(12:21):
decide what that other sidelooks like.
So for me it's am I making artthat is authentic to who I am as
an artist, as in, I'm notmaking art for a person.
I'm not making it to fit into amold or to corner or pigeonhole
myself.
I'm also not making art for amachine or a label telling me I
have to.
You know, some people can havemonetary success from that, but
(12:43):
I don't find that they'reartistically successful.
Does that make sense?
Like, the metrics line up butthe artistry does not, and so,
um for yeah, for me it's verymuch the simple thing Like do I
still get to be a successful mom?
Do I still get to spend timewith my kids?
Do I still get to do what Ilove, which is my family's
(13:04):
restaurant, my family's business, and do I also still get to
create art that is authentic andtrue to myself?
If the answer is yes, those are, I'm successful.
Oh my gosh, the awards and the,the nods and the Juno stuff
like that's, that's not even inthere.
I can make it happen and notget any of that and still be so
(13:25):
fulfilled in what I do.
The metrics, though, areimportant, I think, when you're
strategically planning the nextstep.
So not to absolutely like getrid of those altogether, you
know, it's just yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
I hope that answered your question.
That's a great answer.
It is inspired me to pick upthe book the Artist's Way or it
has inspired me to pick up thebook the Artist's Way.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Have you ever?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
heard of it.
Oh, I've heard of it.
Yes, it's so good.
I was thinking of doing a studywith our group and just doing
it with someone, because I think, just listening to you, I may
have questions for you and youmay have questions for me.
I think, sharing thatexperience, that's a great
answer, though I've never hadthat answered that way, but,
(14:11):
yeah, good.
So now I'm going to ask youabout we do have a question
about your failures and mistakes, cause we know we learn more
from being in the suck, as wesaid earlier, but we learn more
than the successes.
So I'm wondering, if youhaven't, if you have another one
, cause your first one was sopivotal, um, if you have one, uh
, and share it with us.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
So disregard everything I just said.
This was only a couple yearsago.
I was sitting on the tarmac, Iwas in the airplane leaving
Kitchener, ontario or, I guess,toronto Airport, and I was at
the Covenant Awards, which isthe Gospel Music Association of
Canada.
This is their award show.
I had been nominated for fiveawards.
(14:48):
I was sure I was certain that Iwas going to at least leave
with one, and I don't know why Ithought so highly of myself in
that regard, but anyways, I didnot.
I left completely empty handedand I remember sitting on the
tarmac and this is maybe more anod to the pivotal side of it,
but also in metrics land,definitely a failure for sure.
(15:11):
So I was thinking like man, amI not good enough?
Am I not getting recognized forthe art that I'm creating?
This sucks.
I am sitting on the tarmac andI'm actually talking to the Lord
because I'm just like.
I'm actually talking to theLord, because I'm just like what
am I even doing?
If I can't even earn mycommunity's support in the form
(15:32):
of an award which wasvoter-based, why am I even doing
this?
Again, ignore everything I justsaid about the metrics and
success, because I wasdefinitely very fulfilled in the
other side of success.
I was definitely very fulfilledin the other side of success,
but sometimes it helps also,like self-esteem wise, to get
the odd, you know,acknowledgement of all your hard
(15:52):
work.
So I was sitting on the tarmacand I was talking to the Lord,
having this like introspectivemoment and reflection, deep
reflection, and I told myselfand the Lord okay, I am going to
take a break from music likeartistry, and I'm going to dive
headfirst into production.
I have always wanted to takeproduction more seriously, like
(16:14):
I've produced, but it's likevery like garage band and like
early, like you know, basiclevel knowledge and logic.
And I was like, okay, if I canjust invest the next like six
months into producing, then Ifeel like I could maybe get a
better handle on this wholecareer thing.
Maybe I can produce for otherartists, maybe I could get a
(16:36):
production like a producer,writer deal somewhere, pub deal,
I don't know, let's see whathappens.
So I made this like packed withmyself on the tarmac, I get home
, and I was like, okay, we'resitting in the studio, where do
I even begin?
Okay, how about, instead offeeling the pressure of
producing like my own originalmusic, how about I do covers.
(17:02):
So that way the pressure is offfor like the content of the
music and all I get to focus onis just like the music of the
music.
So I start with these coversand it's very like beginner
level, like I'm just trying tolearn how to do stuff, you know,
and I thought like how muchmore fun would this be if I just
(17:23):
shared the process on socials.
So I did, I started to sharethese covers and they're 100%
self-produced.
I gave credit to the writers andeverything and I started to go
viral and these covers startedto do really, really well and I
was like, okay, and again, thisis kind of where the ethereal
(17:44):
thing started to take place,because I called them sad pop
covers and they were songs likeShout to the Lord and Trading my
Sorrows.
Better Is One Day, these kindof nostalgic.
I even did Dive by StephenCurtis Chapman Like how fun.
And people started to be likeyour voice is insane, very
ethereal, very atmospheric, isinsane, very ethereal, very
(18:10):
atmospheric, very whisper, butlike and beautiful.
And I was just like what?
Because I have music out andyou can listen to it but why are
you?
Speaker 2 (18:15):
why now?
Speaker 1 (18:15):
why are you all coming to me now?
I didn't even win a covenantaward, you know, and the more I
would put out, the more I wouldget viral success and I this was
so weird.
So I got like all these newfollowers, like I think I ended
up getting like 60,000 newfollowers like across my
platforms and doing really wellwith it.
And it was like that momentwhere I had people starting to
(18:39):
ask about my original music andit was almost like the Lord was
telling me okay, you're good,just because you didn't win a
covenant award doesn't mean thatyou're not a good artist.
Awards mean nothing in hiskingdom.
And so I ended up feeling a lotmore empowered as an artist to
(19:00):
actually go and put more effortinto the music I was actually
making like originals.
So it's kind of a failure story, but more pivotal, but also
like it started off with likefailure and just being like I
suck as an artist, like what amI even doing with myself?
You know.
So lots of layers to that one,for sure?
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Yeah, you know, as I listened to you and I think you
mentioned, you said about notbeing good enough, and I think
we can all relate to feelingthat and why we say that to
ourselves.
Those negative comments,they're not coming from us, we
know where they're coming from.
You're not good enough.
Why would you even think youcould?
And whatever you're doingkeeping that broad.
(19:38):
But so it made me laugh at theCovenant Awards and you said
it's a voter base, so it'sselling memberships, isn't it?
It made me laugh at theCovenant Awards and you said
it's a voter base, so it'sselling memberships, isn't it?
Because those are the peoplethat vote, yeah, yeah, so sell
more memberships, eleni, therewe go.
Yeah, that's what it's about,yeah, so now I'm going to go
(20:02):
back to asking, because at theJunos, did you go into the Junos
?
You were, you were nominatedfor contemporary Christian
gospel album of the year.
You didn't win.
I did not win.
How was the experiencedifferent?
Cause it still sucks.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
I, I, I think, yeah, I so I didn't even think I was
going to get a nomination andI'll I'll give you some
backstory.
I didn't even think I was goingto get a nomination and I'll
I'll give you some backstory.
I don't know if we've talkedabout this before, lisa, but
forgive me if you've heard thisstory, but your listeners have
not.
So they threatened this year umback in early fall they
threatened to actually removethat category along with reggae
(20:42):
and children's um altogetherfrom the Junos, with reggae and
children's all together from theJunos.
Of course they worded it likewe're reworking things and I had
just planned an album releasearound the Junos, so like I had
released it in the window.
Of course you can't apply oryou can't submit for the Junos
unless you have an album.
(21:03):
This was my first album, so Iwas like planning for this to be
a thing.
So I find out that they're likethreatening to get rid of it
and my whole community ofartists in Canada in the
Christian gospel sector are alsofeeling this like immense
pressure.
So I don't even know how manysubmissions there would have
been in that category.
My guess, like I knew, I knewabout 12 to 13 that put in
(21:30):
albums that were all like reallygood albums and there would
have been way more because Ijust don't know everybody.
So I already went into thesubmission process being like,
honestly, getting nominatedwould be fire, like that would
be amazing.
So when I got nominated, befire, like that would be amazing
.
So when I got nominated, thatwas like I honestly felt like I
(21:50):
won, like it was just like I,out of all the albums that got
put in and there were so manythis year, like because we
really wanted to show Karis thatour album or our category is
very much alive and thriving Igot selected in like the top
five of those and so I felt sohonored.
And so when I saw the nominees,I had a feeling that Ryan Ofei
(22:14):
would have won and my reasoningis metrics.
They do it on metrics-based.
It is voter and jury, I shouldsay, but it's also based on
metrics.
And I mean Ryan, he's got likeGrammy noms.
He's like worked with MaverickCity, he's doing really well,
like he's collaborated with mydream collaborative artists.
So my thought like, right, whenI saw his name on there, I was
(22:37):
like I feel like it's going tobe Ryan.
So when he did win, I was verymuch at peace with it.
It was the fact that, like Igot to go and I got to be a
nominee and I'm always going tobe a Juno nominated artist, like
that title sticks with meforever.
So maybe one day I'll be awinner.
I don't know if we fought hardenough to keep our category for
next year.
We'll see.
I do have a couple of projectsthat will be that will be able
(23:01):
to submit for next year.
So we'll see.
But to answer your question,like I don't know I call it, I
honestly felt like I won.
I it was such a win for me Idon't know, I didn't.
I don't feel, I don't feeldiscouraged and I thought I
would like, because I am verycompetitive and I I'm very I can
want what I want.
Don't stand in my way, um, butI'm just, I'm happy for Ryan.
(23:23):
I think he's worked really hardand he and just everything is
just aligned for him and that'samazing.
And maybe my time will comeagain, like I don't know, but in
the meantime we just keepworking.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
That's a great answer and I'm, I'm, I'm thankful.
I asked you that just to sharethat experience, because I think
we all go into something thatwe really want to win and when
we see the Ryans of the worldwin, we're like you know what?
He's awesome.
We can't help but be happy forthe Ryans of the world.
So I get it.
Yeah.
So at Leader Impact we want togrow personally, professionally
(24:00):
and spiritually for increasingimpact.
So my question for you is wouldyou be willing to share an
example of how the spiritualmakes a practical difference in
your life as a leader?
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Oh, it's everything.
There are so many examples inthe Bible that talk about
putting God first above all thethings.
One of the things that comes tome especially in this case is,
I think, of Solomon, who had theopportunity to ask God for
(24:26):
anything.
He had it all.
He, of course, sacrificed.
To even get to this point, hehad to sacrifice, and God said
for your sacrifice, I'll giveyou whatever you want.
And he's like I just wantwisdom.
And from that wisdom not onlydid he gain the wisdom, but he
also got so many more things togo with it.
(24:48):
And we learn so much frompeople who put God first and I'm
talking about practical stuff,not to get all hyper spiritual,
but people who pay their tithes.
There is a promise in the Biblefor those who do that, for
(25:11):
people who serve in their localchurch.
I think it's really importantto serve.
It doesn't have to be in thismassive way that you abandon
your family and take on no, no,no, like just serving your
community.
That's huge.
And so, without God being likeat the very center and the head
(25:31):
of everything that I do, I, I'mdoing it for me, and what I do
for me doesn't last.
Maybe there will be a legacythat I leave behind, but what is
it worth if I've lost my family?
What is it worth if I've lostout on opportunities to serve my
local church and the peoplethat are sitting in the pews
(25:53):
beside me every Sunday?
What is it worth if peoplearound me hate me because I'm so
rude and disrespectful?
And so I think the importanceof having really strong
spiritual disciplines in yourlife is vital, and it doesn't
matter if you're doing the musicbusiness, which is very
spiritual, by the way.
(26:14):
The industry is a very, very,very dark place to be, and I
stay as far away from it as Ican.
Just spending the time that Idid at the Junos was more than
enough for me.
For that I met my quota for theyear in March.
But yeah, just being able tosee where you fit in into this
(26:39):
world.
I heard someone recently tellme it was actually my pastor.
He said don't let the lightthat's on you shine brighter
than the light that's in you.
That was huge, because I thinkwe really have to almost do some
reflection or self-reflectionand, like I said, not just music
industry, not just creativespace, I'm talking like in your
work and in your relationshipswith people.
(27:02):
God has to come first and iteven means like, if you're, you
know, a married couple, likepicking a couple to you know, go
through life together andmaking sure that you're aligned
in how you feel about marriageand your spouse.
Like you know, it's the littlethings, the relationships, your
friends, surround yourself withpeople that are also putting God
(27:24):
first, and you literally cannotgo wrong.
You might miss out on reallybig opportunities.
I literally wrote a song calledI Don't Want it, and it's about
saying no to things that God isnot the center of, because there
are so many things out therethat are grabbing for our
attention, they're grabbing forour money, for our involvement
in, but they don't honor theLord, and I just want to
(27:48):
encourage listeners right now ifGod's not in it, if God's not
at the center of it, you don'tneed to be a part of it.
God has so many bigger and moreimportant things for you to be
putting your head down andworking alongside him than any
of the opportunities that cometo you in so many different
areas of the world.
Yeah, how do you reallyroundabout way to say all that.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Yeah, how do you know when God's not leading or God's
not the center of it?
Or do you get a gut feeling?
Do you get a oh I don't know ifthis is right like can you, I
get like a gut feeling and whenI start to question myself,
god's not involved.
You know?
Speaker 1 (28:29):
yeah, okay, I'm on the wrong track yeah, I honestly
think it really goes back tospiritual disciplines like what
does your prayer life look like?
What does your bible readinglook like?
And again, not to be ultraspiritual, but I think if you
have a relationship with God notjust a Sunday and maybe a
midweek Bible study relationshipwith God, I think those things
(28:50):
will be very obvious because youlean into what he has for your
life, because you're constantlytalking to him, you're
constantly reading his word,you're constantly, like the
Bible says, to pray withoutceasing.
It's not this like constantlyin prayer, but it's like
measuring everything in yourlife up beside the word of God
and saying like God, are you inthis, and the more you do that,
(29:11):
the more you practice thisrelationship, the more you are
likely to listen and hear.
It's just like your marriagetruly.
My spouse and I have learnedeach other so well and we have
so much further to go.
I mean, we've only been married10 years this year, but we know
each other so well andintimately that I know exactly
(29:32):
what he's thinking by just alook on his face, for better or
worse.
Sometimes I wish I could undoit on his face, for better or
worse.
Sometimes I wish I could undoit.
I know when he gets hungry.
I know when he's overstimulated.
I know when he is extremelyhappy, even though he's not a
very expressive guy, I couldtell when he's really, really
(29:53):
excited, even though he doesn'tshow it on his face.
It's these little tiny thingsbetween a marriage that reflect,
oops, this relationship thatwe're supposed to have with God
that is mirrored by a marriage.
So just intimately, getting toknow God better is going to help
you understand his voice bettertoo.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Okay, Thank you for answering that other question.
You briefly touched on legacyand one of my final questions is
I mean, at Leader Impact, weare dedicated to leaders leaving
a lasting impact.
So, as you continue throughthis journey that you are on,
what faith legacy do you want toleave when you leave this world
(30:33):
?
A happy question, yeah.
A happy question, yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
I as much as I care so deeply about, about the let
me see, how do I word this in atactful way?
That's always my struggle, likeI just want to say what's on my
brain and it doesn't alwayscome out nicely.
As much as I care about leavinga lasting legacy on everybody
that listens to my music, Iactually care a lot more about
(31:01):
my family, and my kidsespecially, and I want them to
remember me Talking about alegacy here.
So if I croak, what am Ileaving behind?
I want them to remember me asthis mom who advocated for them.
I want them to remember me asthis mom who advocated for them,
(31:24):
who was present, who loved themso much and gave them a
spiritual heritage.
I can leave them with an RRSP.
I can leave them with aninheritance or a trust fund, but
as much as I think that thosethings are also important in
stewarding your finances, I careso much more about what kind of
spiritual inheritance am Ileaving behind for my kids?
(31:46):
Are they going to remember meas a mom who was one person at
home and then another person atchurch?
Are they going to remember meas someone who was never around
because I was always chasingministry stuff or music stuff.
Are they going to remember meas someone who was unfaithful in
any capacity?
I just I can't.
That's that's what I care aboutthe most.
(32:07):
I want them to remember me assomeone who is the opposite of
all of those things and justdeeply cared about those kids
and, as a result, I think thatshapes an entire generation that
comes after me, and I thinkthat's where we can lose sight.
I think of of of what isimportant to us, like there's
(32:28):
just another example people arereally caught up in like leaving
behind money for their kids andlike I mean, my grandmother has
like a whole chest of likejewelry.
She she's like whatever you want, like put your name on it, just
kidding, but I'm like I valueyour belongings.
But even more than that, Ivalue the fact that you prayed
(32:48):
for me every morning when I waslike walking away from God and
was doing drugs, and you prayedJeremiah 29, 11, over my life,
when I definitely did not have ahope and a future on the
outside, you know, and I justwant to be able to offer that
same thing and I want that toextend to those who listen to my
music or those who I get tointeract with, like I hope that
that also becomes an extensionof my interactions with
(33:12):
everybody, but I'm at peace withjust doing that for my kids and
, of course, spouse but my kidsyeah, which leads into our final
question, and I feel you'reheaded there, but what brings
you the greatest joy?
yeah, um.
Well, you know, I say all thatabout my kids and I'll say, like
I'm not like a natural, I'm notlike a naturally maternal
(33:34):
person, I really have to dig tobe, to be like this nurturing
motherly.
I know so many of my momfriends are just so naturally
gifted with these maternalinstincts I still, if I hold a
baby, I'm like I don't know whatto do with this thing.
It's by the mercy of God that mykids yeah, they made it this
(33:54):
far.
I don't know why she is shestill crying?
They're like she hasn't eatenin like six hours.
I'm like, oh, oh, yeah, youknow, but like I think, um, I
think creating brings me themost joy and, and it could look
like anything, it could looklike music.
I'm a creative like through andthrough.
(34:15):
Aka, I'm really bad at adminand scheduling.
I'm like a B-brain person.
I'm not an A.
What is the type A?
I'm type frigging Z.
I'm sure.
I'm just not there.
My house, my studio, my houseis clean.
My studio is just a disaster,because this is my space, and
just being in this space ofcreativity, whether it's with my
(34:40):
kids, whether it's with music,whether it's at the restaurant
taking pictures of food, or likecreating dishes for the
seasonal menus, like any form ofcreativity oh gosh, lisa, it
just brings me an incredibleamount of joy.
I love it so, so much and Ilove getting other people
involved.
So, whether it's collaborating,whether it's my children or my
(35:03):
spouse, like whatever that lookslike in the season I'm in, oh
man, it all just makes me sohappy.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Oh, my cheeks hurt.
You make me happy Justlistening to you.
Thank you for sharing the last35 minutes with us.
Eleni, I know that.
I think I'm pretty sure youprobably just got off a plane
from the Junos.
Yeah, cause I, I I texted yourum, your uh agent and I'm like
(35:29):
is Eleni around?
Cause I know you're both areflying home.
So thank you for taking thistime with us.
Now, if anyone wants to, numberone, just find, find you.
But also, where do we find yourmusic?
Speaker 1 (35:39):
so both sort of yeah, okay, so you can always find me
on social media, all the places, um, I'm not going to name them
, but social media, my handle isthe same.
It's eleni m, young.
Um, I'm assuming you might putthat in the show notes, but I
can spell it for you becauseit's kind of complicated.
So E-L-E-N-E-E-M, youngY-O-U-N-G.
(36:01):
So that's where you can find meon socials.
My music is just my first name,so Eleni E-L-E-N-E-E.
And again, you could find mymusic pretty much anywhere that
you find music, streaming andall the things.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
I'm going right to Spotify right now.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
Yes, Download it, thank you.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
Thank you again, eleni.
I hope one day.
I have family in Lloydminster,so I'm going to look you up when
I'm there.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Yes, girl, come through, come find me.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
What's the restaurant ?
Speaker 1 (36:28):
name, so the restaurant's name is Spiro's
Spiro's.
I've been in business 55 yearsthis year.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
So it's a big year for us.
Yeah, I might need a break.
I'm coming to Spiros.
Yeah, I love it.
Come through All right, Well,thank you again.
Thanks for having me All right.
Well, if you are part of LeaderImpact, you can always discuss
or share this podcast with yourgroup.
And if you are not yet part ofLeader Impact and would like to
find out more and grow yourleadership, find our podcast
page on our website at leaderimpand check out our free
(36:55):
leadership assessment.
You can also check out groupsavailable in Canada at
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(37:16):
Thank you for engaging with usand remember impact starts with
you.
Welcome to the Leader Impact Podcast.
We are a community of leaderswith a network in over 350
cities around the world,dedicated to optimizing our
personal, professional andspiritual lives to have impact.
This show is where we have achance to listen and engage with
leaders who are living this out.
We love talking with leaders,so if you have any questions,
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let us know.
(00:26):
The best way to stay connectedin Canada is through our
newsletter at leaderimpactca oron social at Leader Impact.
If you're listening fromoutside of Canada anywhere else
in the world, check out ourwebsite at leaderimpactcom.
I'm your host, lisa Peters, andour guest today is Eleni.
Eleni is a multi-award winning,juno nominated Canadian
Christian gospel artist,songwriter and producer based in
(00:50):
Lloydminster, saskatchewan.
A proud Métis citizen and Greekwith Greek heritage, eleni's
music journey began at the ageof three and her passion for
songwriting blossomed at eight.
With a sound that blendsethereal textures and powerful
emotion, eleni has captivatedaudiences worldwide.
Her 2024 self-titled albumearned multiple nominations and
(01:14):
she has performed for the PrimeMinister at the National Prayer
Breakfast.
Get ready to dive into hermusical journey and what's next
for this rising star.
Welcome to the show, eleni.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Hi Lisa.
Thank you so much for having meSuper happy to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, see, we're filming this a little bit
earlier.
It gets launched later, but Iwas just watching you on the
Junos.
The red dress, Eleni.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Thank you, it takes a village.
Oh my goodness, I felt like Iwas in glam for like four hours
every day.
It was just like brushes andhairspray and I was just like
what is this even for?
Like that?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
is who.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I am, but it was fun.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I bet it was a great experience.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Yes, it was fun.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, good, I want to thank you for joining us.
When I use the word ethereal,that's quite the word that
describes you.
Ethereal textures that's myfirst question Ethereal, so?
Speaker 1 (02:11):
it's funny because I'm kind of going through this
weird phase.
I say weird, it's very cool.
I'm tapping into my youngerself.
So backstory, when I was young.
I was very young when the Lordof the Rings movies were coming
out and I wanted to watch themso bad I wasn't even allowed to
read the books.
But yet I thought like please,maybe mom will let me watch the
(02:33):
movie.
She's like absolutely not overmy dead body.
I was very young, likeunderstandably.
So I am just now, as a 31 yearold woman, now getting into like
Lord of the Rings and so notthat this has anything to do
with like the word ethereal hasjust been used for I mean years
to describe like how I sing.
And now that I've been like inthe elf world, I'm just like, oh
(02:55):
yeah, I feel like that kind ofadds a layer to it.
It's very like, it's very lightand almost like atmospheric the
way that I sing, it's breathyand it kind of lifts you, not in
this real, tangible way, butemotionally, and I feel like I
owe it all to being obsessedwith Zelda as a young kid.
(03:17):
Just listening to all thethings, I'm such a nerd.
This is turning into a nerdcast.
So sorry, but ethereal andtextury, that's just.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I don't know, I can't get away from it, even if I try
.
Well now we know Perfectdefinition.
So for our podcast we'redefinitely looking at a bit of
your professional story, how yougot to where you are in the
professional sense and if youhave any pivotal moments that
sort of got you where you are.
If you can share those.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Wow, so many.
When I think of a pivotalmoment, I think of not so much
what elevated or got me to thenext level, but it was almost
what turned me in a differentlevel of my professional career
in the music industry and justdoing what I do.
But there have been very few,but there have been significant
moments that have completelyshifted how I've perceived
myself as an artist and thenmoved into a totally different
part of my part of my artistry,have tapped into something
different.
So one example, I would say, in2016 and 17.
(04:30):
So, 2016, I was headed down toNashville and I was signing up.
So there's this conferencecalled the Immerse Conference
and it happens at LipscombUniversity.
It had been happening everyyear for so many years and I
feel like they stopped doing it,maybe during COVID, but during
this conference, which isbasically this environment where
(04:53):
you're absolutely surrounded bylabel executives, a&r artists,
all these people that are comingin to just kind of impart and
share specifically in theChristian music genre.
Like Kerry Jobe was there.
It was huge.
I signed up for the competitionthat was in there and so you
could enter into like a stream,and so I signed up for like a
(05:13):
songwriter of the year and thenan artist songwriter, so you
have to also be critiqued foryour singing.
And I made it to top 12 in theartist songwriter stream and I
choked I literally choked.
I was so nervous.
I was like sitting theresinging my song.
I was like, oh my God, I'mgoing to puke.
I was so nervous and I goteliminated and so I told myself
(05:35):
like I am going to go back thenext year.
But what was crazy is that yearI had connected really well
with one of the girls who endedup winning, and so I got to sort
of be with her and watch all ofthe things that took place once
she won this I think she wonartist writer and a female
vocalist and so I got to watchall these opportunities unfold
(05:57):
and so in my brain I was like,man, if I go back next year and
I win, like obviously I'm goingto get these same opportunities
and maybe more.
So I did what I can for thewhole year.
I did what I absolutely couldto just elevate my ability to
sing in front of people and tryto be a stronger pianist and all
the things I got up there and Iended up winning, which was so
(06:20):
cool.
It's almost this beautifulstory of like she like thought
she could, so she did, you know.
And I was standing at the veryend, the top of the stage, and I
was waiting for these label andgroup executives to come up to
me and offer these sameopportunities that they did for
the girl last year.
(06:41):
And I just remember sittingthere waiting and I was looking
around.
Everybody was, like you know,talking amongst themselves.
Not even very many people werecoming up to me, like it was
just I was chilling, I had myhusband and my one-year-old
daughter there, and it was justthe three of us hanging out, and
I was waiting and no one cameup to me.
(07:01):
One of the details from lastyear that I didn't mention was
that at the end of the, thenight, this group that was sort
of like wanting to have thisgirl involved in the group,
which was like the dream groupat the time they came and
invited her out for dinner andshe asked if I could come, and
so that's when I kind of watchedthe whole thing unfold, and so
I was waiting for someone tocome invite me for dinner,
(07:22):
basically, and when and whennobody came, I went and found
someone and I was like, hey, areyou guys going out for dinner?
Like what's the plans?
And she said, no, I think we'rejust going to grab pizza and
head to the Airbnb.
You guys have a good night.
Though I remember being like,oh my God, all of that for
nothing, like, are you serious?
(07:43):
I'm holding this trophy that Iworked so freaking hard for and
I am feeling all the feelings ofrejection and almost failure
too, because it was like thissucks.
And it was then, I think and Isay this is pivotal because I
had to shift the way that I sawmyself as an artist and the way
(08:03):
that I pursued a career in music.
I knew at that very moment thatI was no longer going to chase
people.
I was no longer going to meet acertain standard of whatever
the people want the machine andhope that they come to me.
I'm not going to just do thething, I'm going to
(08:26):
authentically create music.
That is what I like to make,and if they like it and notice
it and want me a part of that,great.
But if they don't, I'm nothinging my whole career on it.
Do you know what I mean?
And so I've been an independentartist this whole process.
I've never signed to any label.
(08:46):
I've had a, I have adistribution deal, but it's not
like they don't control anything, except for they put my music
out, which takes just a load offof an independent artist.
So, um, yeah, I, I feel likethat would be one of the main
pivotal moments, for sure.
I don't know if that answeredyour question or made new ones.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
That is a brilliant story and I think of so many
areas of our life that you knowwe win, we've presented, we are
awesome and we're like waitingfor that.
We're waiting and I tell mykids, don't wait, make it happen
.
You know, don't sit there andjust wait for people to come to
you and go hey, I like you.
Or you know, let's be friends,go out Not the same thing, but
(09:27):
people listening.
You know, we make your story,our story, and how do we do that
?
So that was a great story.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
I had chills just listening to you, oh man
reliving it, in retelling it, Ifeel like I also get chills.
I'm like man that sucked.
I hate.
I hated feeling that way, youknow, but it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Oh, it's in the suck that we learn.
It's so true.
Oh, I hate that.
Yeah, I feel like you.
I feel like I'm going to askyou a question about failures,
but I'm thinking you haveanother one that you can share,
but we'll come back to that one.
I want to talk to you aboutyour principle of success.
What is your best principle ofsuccess?
Speaker 1 (10:15):
And do you have a story that you can share?
My principle of success is notmetrics based.
I think that you have to dividewhen you're doing art
specifically.
So I am also an entrepreneur, Ido own a business, and I think
that success is very concrete inthe business world.
Like you either are paying yourbills or you're not, and if
you're not, then things need tochange in order for you to pay
your bills.
You know whatever that lookslike in whatever brick and
(10:36):
mortar or e-commerce businessyou have.
For myself, and then in the artsector, I feel like there just
has to be a time where you justsplit that up, because there's
something about creating fromthis deep well of creativity and
artistry within each and everyone of us.
We all are creatives.
(10:57):
I don't know if you recognizecreativity within yourself as a
listener, but you are a creative.
You have these beautifulcreative veins in you, and some
people use it for differentthings.
For some people, it's likespreadsheets and numbers.
That's creativity, whether youwant to call it that or not.
For other people, it's likelogic, or even infrastructure
and architecture, engineeringall really beautiful forms of
(11:18):
creativity.
For me, it is art.
So that comes at a cost makingart and putting it out there,
especially music.
So it's not like a tangiblething that people, at a cost,
making art and putting it outthere, especially music.
So it's not like a tangiblething that people can
necessarily purchase, like,maybe, the difference with an
art piece that you paint orcreate people can buy it for
like $4,000 or whatever.
For me it's like I put it outthere, I spent a lot of money to
(11:38):
put it out there and I hope tomake enough revenue in streams
which costs, you know, or whichpays me 0.0064 cents per stream.
I hope to make enough money offof that song to pay off what
I've made and created and thento also, like, put more music
(11:59):
out there.
So it's not a very lucrativebusiness.
And so I had to.
Early on, I had to divide themetrics with the art, and so, to
answer your question morespecifically and to maybe give
you a line or a clip, I wouldsay you have to first separate
the metrics out of successaltogether and you have to
(12:21):
decide what that other sidelooks like.
So for me it's am I making artthat is authentic to who I am as
an artist, as in, I'm notmaking art for a person.
I'm not making it to fit into amold or to corner or pigeonhole
myself.
I'm also not making art for amachine or a label telling me I
have to.
You know, some people can havemonetary success from that, but
(12:43):
I don't find that they'reartistically successful.
Does that make sense?
Like, the metrics line up butthe artistry does not, and so,
um for yeah, for me it's verymuch the simple thing Like do I
still get to be a successful mom?
Do I still get to spend timewith my kids?
Do I still get to do what Ilove, which is my family's
(13:04):
restaurant, my family's business, and do I also still get to
create art that is authentic andtrue to myself?
If the answer is yes, those are, I'm successful.
Oh my gosh, the awards and the,the nods and the Juno stuff
like that's, that's not even inthere.
I can make it happen and notget any of that and still be so
(13:25):
fulfilled in what I do.
The metrics, though, areimportant, I think, when you're
strategically planning the nextstep.
So not to absolutely like getrid of those altogether, you
know, it's just yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
I hope that answered your question.
That's a great answer.
It is inspired me to pick upthe book the Artist's Way or it
has inspired me to pick up thebook the Artist's Way.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Have you ever?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
heard of it.
Oh, I've heard of it.
Yes, it's so good.
I was thinking of doing a studywith our group and just doing
it with someone, because I think, just listening to you, I may
have questions for you and youmay have questions for me.
I think, sharing thatexperience, that's a great
answer, though I've never hadthat answered that way, but,
(14:11):
yeah, good.
So now I'm going to ask youabout we do have a question
about your failures and mistakes, cause we know we learn more
from being in the suck, as wesaid earlier, but we learn more
than the successes.
So I'm wondering, if youhaven't, if you have another one
, cause your first one was sopivotal, um, if you have one, uh
, and share it with us.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
So disregard everything I just said.
This was only a couple yearsago.
I was sitting on the tarmac, Iwas in the airplane leaving
Kitchener, ontario or, I guess,toronto Airport, and I was at
the Covenant Awards, which isthe Gospel Music Association of
Canada.
This is their award show.
I had been nominated for fiveawards.
(14:48):
I was sure I was certain that Iwas going to at least leave
with one, and I don't know why Ithought so highly of myself in
that regard, but anyways, I didnot.
I left completely empty handedand I remember sitting on the
tarmac and this is maybe more anod to the pivotal side of it,
but also in metrics land,definitely a failure for sure.
(15:11):
So I was thinking like man, amI not good enough?
Am I not getting recognized forthe art that I'm creating?
This sucks.
I am sitting on the tarmac andI'm actually talking to the Lord
because I'm just like.
I'm actually talking to theLord, because I'm just like what
am I even doing?
If I can't even earn mycommunity's support in the form
(15:32):
of an award which wasvoter-based, why am I even doing
this?
Again, ignore everything I justsaid about the metrics and
success, because I wasdefinitely very fulfilled in the
other side of success.
I was definitely very fulfilledin the other side of success,
but sometimes it helps also,like self-esteem wise, to get
the odd, you know,acknowledgement of all your hard
(15:52):
work.
So I was sitting on the tarmacand I was talking to the Lord,
having this like introspectivemoment and reflection, deep
reflection, and I told myselfand the Lord okay, I am going to
take a break from music likeartistry, and I'm going to dive
headfirst into production.
I have always wanted to takeproduction more seriously, like
(16:14):
I've produced, but it's likevery like garage band and like
early, like you know, basiclevel knowledge and logic.
And I was like, okay, if I canjust invest the next like six
months into producing, then Ifeel like I could maybe get a
better handle on this wholecareer thing.
Maybe I can produce for otherartists, maybe I could get a
(16:36):
production like a producer,writer deal somewhere, pub deal,
I don't know, let's see whathappens.
So I made this like packed withmyself on the tarmac, I get home
, and I was like, okay, we'resitting in the studio, where do
I even begin?
Okay, how about, instead offeeling the pressure of
producing like my own originalmusic, how about I do covers.
(17:02):
So that way the pressure is offfor like the content of the
music and all I get to focus onis just like the music of the
music.
So I start with these coversand it's very like beginner
level, like I'm just trying tolearn how to do stuff, you know,
and I thought like how muchmore fun would this be if I just
(17:23):
shared the process on socials.
So I did, I started to sharethese covers and they're 100%
self-produced.
I gave credit to the writers andeverything and I started to go
viral and these covers startedto do really, really well and I
was like, okay, and again, thisis kind of where the ethereal
(17:44):
thing started to take place,because I called them sad pop
covers and they were songs likeShout to the Lord and Trading my
Sorrows.
Better Is One Day, these kindof nostalgic.
I even did Dive by StephenCurtis Chapman Like how fun.
And people started to be likeyour voice is insane, very
ethereal, very atmospheric, isinsane, very ethereal, very
(18:10):
atmospheric, very whisper, butlike and beautiful.
And I was just like what?
Because I have music out andyou can listen to it but why are
you?
Speaker 2 (18:15):
why now?
Speaker 1 (18:15):
why are you all coming to me now?
I didn't even win a covenantaward, you know, and the more I
would put out, the more I wouldget viral success and I this was
so weird.
So I got like all these newfollowers, like I think I ended
up getting like 60,000 newfollowers like across my
platforms and doing really wellwith it.
And it was like that momentwhere I had people starting to
(18:39):
ask about my original music andit was almost like the Lord was
telling me okay, you're good,just because you didn't win a
covenant award doesn't mean thatyou're not a good artist.
Awards mean nothing in hiskingdom.
And so I ended up feeling a lotmore empowered as an artist to
(19:00):
actually go and put more effortinto the music I was actually
making like originals.
So it's kind of a failure story, but more pivotal, but also
like it started off with likefailure and just being like I
suck as an artist, like what amI even doing with myself?
You know.
So lots of layers to that one,for sure?
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Yeah, you know, as I listened to you and I think you
mentioned, you said about notbeing good enough, and I think
we can all relate to feelingthat and why we say that to
ourselves.
Those negative comments,they're not coming from us, we
know where they're coming from.
You're not good enough.
Why would you even think youcould?
And whatever you're doingkeeping that broad.
(19:38):
But so it made me laugh at theCovenant Awards and you said
it's a voter base, so it'sselling memberships, isn't it?
It made me laugh at theCovenant Awards and you said
it's a voter base, so it'sselling memberships, isn't it?
Because those are the peoplethat vote, yeah, yeah, so sell
more memberships, eleni, therewe go.
Yeah, that's what it's about,yeah, so now I'm going to go
(20:02):
back to asking, because at theJunos, did you go into the Junos
?
You were, you were nominatedfor contemporary Christian
gospel album of the year.
You didn't win.
I did not win.
How was the experiencedifferent?
Cause it still sucks.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
I, I, I think, yeah, I so I didn't even think I was
going to get a nomination andI'll I'll give you some
backstory.
I didn't even think I was goingto get a nomination and I'll
I'll give you some backstory.
I don't know if we've talkedabout this before, lisa, but
forgive me if you've heard thisstory, but your listeners have
not.
So they threatened this year umback in early fall they
threatened to actually removethat category along with reggae
(20:42):
and children's um altogetherfrom the Junos, with reggae and
children's all together from theJunos.
Of course they worded it likewe're reworking things and I had
just planned an album releasearound the Junos, so like I had
released it in the window.
Of course you can't apply oryou can't submit for the Junos
unless you have an album.
(21:03):
This was my first album, so Iwas like planning for this to be
a thing.
So I find out that they're likethreatening to get rid of it
and my whole community ofartists in Canada in the
Christian gospel sector are alsofeeling this like immense
pressure.
So I don't even know how manysubmissions there would have
been in that category.
My guess, like I knew, I knewabout 12 to 13 that put in
(21:30):
albums that were all like reallygood albums and there would
have been way more because Ijust don't know everybody.
So I already went into thesubmission process being like,
honestly, getting nominatedwould be fire, like that would
be amazing.
So when I got nominated, befire, like that would be amazing
.
So when I got nominated, thatwas like I honestly felt like I
(21:50):
won, like it was just like I,out of all the albums that got
put in and there were so manythis year, like because we
really wanted to show Karis thatour album or our category is
very much alive and thriving Igot selected in like the top
five of those and so I felt sohonored.
And so when I saw the nominees,I had a feeling that Ryan Ofei
(22:14):
would have won and my reasoningis metrics.
They do it on metrics-based.
It is voter and jury, I shouldsay, but it's also based on
metrics.
And I mean Ryan, he's got likeGrammy noms.
He's like worked with MaverickCity, he's doing really well,
like he's collaborated with mydream collaborative artists.
So my thought like, right, whenI saw his name on there, I was
(22:37):
like I feel like it's going tobe Ryan.
So when he did win, I was verymuch at peace with it.
It was the fact that, like Igot to go and I got to be a
nominee and I'm always going tobe a Juno nominated artist, like
that title sticks with meforever.
So maybe one day I'll be awinner.
I don't know if we fought hardenough to keep our category for
next year.
We'll see.
I do have a couple of projectsthat will be that will be able
(23:01):
to submit for next year.
So we'll see.
But to answer your question,like I don't know I call it, I
honestly felt like I won.
I it was such a win for me Idon't know, I didn't.
I don't feel, I don't feeldiscouraged and I thought I
would like, because I am verycompetitive and I I'm very I can
want what I want.
Don't stand in my way, um, butI'm just, I'm happy for Ryan.
(23:23):
I think he's worked really hardand he and just everything is
just aligned for him and that'samazing.
And maybe my time will comeagain, like I don't know, but in
the meantime we just keepworking.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
That's a great answer and I'm, I'm, I'm thankful.
I asked you that just to sharethat experience, because I think
we all go into something thatwe really want to win and when
we see the Ryans of the worldwin, we're like you know what?
He's awesome.
We can't help but be happy forthe Ryans of the world.
So I get it.
Yeah.
So at Leader Impact we want togrow personally, professionally
(24:00):
and spiritually for increasingimpact.
So my question for you is wouldyou be willing to share an
example of how the spiritualmakes a practical difference in
your life as a leader?
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Oh, it's everything.
There are so many examples inthe Bible that talk about
putting God first above all thethings.
One of the things that comes tome especially in this case is,
I think, of Solomon, who had theopportunity to ask God for
(24:26):
anything.
He had it all.
He, of course, sacrificed.
To even get to this point, hehad to sacrifice, and God said
for your sacrifice, I'll giveyou whatever you want.
And he's like I just wantwisdom.
And from that wisdom not onlydid he gain the wisdom, but he
also got so many more things togo with it.
(24:48):
And we learn so much frompeople who put God first and I'm
talking about practical stuff,not to get all hyper spiritual,
but people who pay their tithes.
There is a promise in the Biblefor those who do that, for
(25:11):
people who serve in their localchurch.
I think it's really importantto serve.
It doesn't have to be in thismassive way that you abandon
your family and take on no, no,no, like just serving your
community.
That's huge.
And so, without God being likeat the very center and the head
(25:31):
of everything that I do, I, I'mdoing it for me, and what I do
for me doesn't last.
Maybe there will be a legacythat I leave behind, but what is
it worth if I've lost my family?
What is it worth if I've lostout on opportunities to serve my
local church and the peoplethat are sitting in the pews
(25:53):
beside me every Sunday?
What is it worth if peoplearound me hate me because I'm so
rude and disrespectful?
And so I think the importanceof having really strong
spiritual disciplines in yourlife is vital, and it doesn't
matter if you're doing the musicbusiness, which is very
spiritual, by the way.
(26:14):
The industry is a very, very,very dark place to be, and I
stay as far away from it as Ican.
Just spending the time that Idid at the Junos was more than
enough for me.
For that I met my quota for theyear in March.
But yeah, just being able tosee where you fit in into this
(26:39):
world.
I heard someone recently tellme it was actually my pastor.
He said don't let the lightthat's on you shine brighter
than the light that's in you.
That was huge, because I thinkwe really have to almost do some
reflection or self-reflectionand, like I said, not just music
industry, not just creativespace, I'm talking like in your
work and in your relationshipswith people.
(27:02):
God has to come first and iteven means like, if you're, you
know, a married couple, likepicking a couple to you know, go
through life together andmaking sure that you're aligned
in how you feel about marriageand your spouse.
Like you know, it's the littlethings, the relationships, your
friends, surround yourself withpeople that are also putting God
(27:24):
first, and you literally cannotgo wrong.
You might miss out on reallybig opportunities.
I literally wrote a song calledI Don't Want it, and it's about
saying no to things that God isnot the center of, because there
are so many things out therethat are grabbing for our
attention, they're grabbing forour money, for our involvement
in, but they don't honor theLord, and I just want to
(27:48):
encourage listeners right now ifGod's not in it, if God's not
at the center of it, you don'tneed to be a part of it.
God has so many bigger and moreimportant things for you to be
putting your head down andworking alongside him than any
of the opportunities that cometo you in so many different
areas of the world.
Yeah, how do you reallyroundabout way to say all that.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Yeah, how do you know when God's not leading or God's
not the center of it?
Or do you get a gut feeling?
Do you get a oh I don't know ifthis is right like can you, I
get like a gut feeling and whenI start to question myself,
god's not involved.
You know?
Speaker 1 (28:29):
yeah, okay, I'm on the wrong track yeah, I honestly
think it really goes back tospiritual disciplines like what
does your prayer life look like?
What does your bible readinglook like?
And again, not to be ultraspiritual, but I think if you
have a relationship with God notjust a Sunday and maybe a
midweek Bible study relationshipwith God, I think those things
(28:50):
will be very obvious because youlean into what he has for your
life, because you're constantlytalking to him, you're
constantly reading his word,you're constantly, like the
Bible says, to pray withoutceasing.
It's not this like constantlyin prayer, but it's like
measuring everything in yourlife up beside the word of God
and saying like God, are you inthis, and the more you do that,
(29:11):
the more you practice thisrelationship, the more you are
likely to listen and hear.
It's just like your marriagetruly.
My spouse and I have learnedeach other so well and we have
so much further to go.
I mean, we've only been married10 years this year, but we know
each other so well andintimately that I know exactly
(29:32):
what he's thinking by just alook on his face, for better or
worse.
Sometimes I wish I could undoit on his face, for better or
worse.
Sometimes I wish I could undoit.
I know when he gets hungry.
I know when he's overstimulated.
I know when he is extremelyhappy, even though he's not a
very expressive guy, I couldtell when he's really, really
(29:53):
excited, even though he doesn'tshow it on his face.
It's these little tiny thingsbetween a marriage that reflect,
oops, this relationship thatwe're supposed to have with God
that is mirrored by a marriage.
So just intimately, getting toknow God better is going to help
you understand his voice bettertoo.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Okay, Thank you for answering that other question.
You briefly touched on legacyand one of my final questions is
I mean, at Leader Impact, weare dedicated to leaders leaving
a lasting impact.
So, as you continue throughthis journey that you are on,
what faith legacy do you want toleave when you leave this world
(30:33):
?
A happy question, yeah.
A happy question, yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
I as much as I care so deeply about, about the let
me see, how do I word this in atactful way?
That's always my struggle, likeI just want to say what's on my
brain and it doesn't alwayscome out nicely.
As much as I care about leavinga lasting legacy on everybody
that listens to my music, Iactually care a lot more about
(31:01):
my family, and my kidsespecially, and I want them to
remember me Talking about alegacy here.
So if I croak, what am Ileaving behind?
I want them to remember me asthis mom who advocated for them.
I want them to remember me asthis mom who advocated for them,
(31:24):
who was present, who loved themso much and gave them a
spiritual heritage.
I can leave them with an RRSP.
I can leave them with aninheritance or a trust fund, but
as much as I think that thosethings are also important in
stewarding your finances, I careso much more about what kind of
spiritual inheritance am Ileaving behind for my kids?
(31:46):
Are they going to remember meas a mom who was one person at
home and then another person atchurch?
Are they going to remember meas someone who was never around
because I was always chasingministry stuff or music stuff.
Are they going to remember meas someone who was unfaithful in
any capacity?
I just I can't.
That's that's what I care aboutthe most.
(32:07):
I want them to remember me assomeone who is the opposite of
all of those things and justdeeply cared about those kids
and, as a result, I think thatshapes an entire generation that
comes after me, and I thinkthat's where we can lose sight.
I think of of of what isimportant to us, like there's
(32:28):
just another example people arereally caught up in like leaving
behind money for their kids andlike I mean, my grandmother has
like a whole chest of likejewelry.
She she's like whatever you want, like put your name on it, just
kidding, but I'm like I valueyour belongings.
But even more than that, Ivalue the fact that you prayed
(32:48):
for me every morning when I waslike walking away from God and
was doing drugs, and you prayedJeremiah 29, 11, over my life,
when I definitely did not have ahope and a future on the
outside, you know, and I justwant to be able to offer that
same thing and I want that toextend to those who listen to my
music or those who I get tointeract with, like I hope that
that also becomes an extensionof my interactions with
(33:12):
everybody, but I'm at peace withjust doing that for my kids and
, of course, spouse but my kidsyeah, which leads into our final
question, and I feel you'reheaded there, but what brings
you the greatest joy?
yeah, um.
Well, you know, I say all thatabout my kids and I'll say, like
I'm not like a natural, I'm notlike a naturally maternal
(33:34):
person, I really have to dig tobe, to be like this nurturing
motherly.
I know so many of my momfriends are just so naturally
gifted with these maternalinstincts I still, if I hold a
baby, I'm like I don't know whatto do with this thing.
It's by the mercy of God that mykids yeah, they made it this
(33:54):
far.
I don't know why she is shestill crying?
They're like she hasn't eatenin like six hours.
I'm like, oh, oh, yeah, youknow, but like I think, um, I
think creating brings me themost joy and, and it could look
like anything, it could looklike music.
I'm a creative like through andthrough.
(34:15):
Aka, I'm really bad at adminand scheduling.
I'm like a B-brain person.
I'm not an A.
What is the type A?
I'm type frigging Z.
I'm sure.
I'm just not there.
My house, my studio, my houseis clean.
My studio is just a disaster,because this is my space, and
just being in this space ofcreativity, whether it's with my
(34:40):
kids, whether it's with music,whether it's at the restaurant
taking pictures of food, or likecreating dishes for the
seasonal menus, like any form ofcreativity oh gosh, lisa, it
just brings me an incredibleamount of joy.
I love it so, so much and Ilove getting other people
involved.
So, whether it's collaborating,whether it's my children or my
(35:03):
spouse, like whatever that lookslike in the season I'm in, oh
man, it all just makes me sohappy.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Oh, my cheeks hurt.
You make me happy Justlistening to you.
Thank you for sharing the last35 minutes with us.
Eleni, I know that.
I think I'm pretty sure youprobably just got off a plane
from the Junos.
Yeah, cause I, I I texted yourum, your uh agent and I'm like
(35:29):
is Eleni around?
Cause I know you're both areflying home.
So thank you for taking thistime with us.
Now, if anyone wants to, numberone, just find, find you.
But also, where do we find yourmusic?
Speaker 1 (35:39):
so both sort of yeah, okay, so you can always find me
on social media, all the places, um, I'm not going to name them
, but social media, my handle isthe same.
It's eleni m, young.
Um, I'm assuming you might putthat in the show notes, but I
can spell it for you becauseit's kind of complicated.
So E-L-E-N-E-E-M, youngY-O-U-N-G.
(36:01):
So that's where you can find meon socials.
My music is just my first name,so Eleni E-L-E-N-E-E.
And again, you could find mymusic pretty much anywhere that
you find music, streaming andall the things.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
I'm going right to Spotify right now.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
Yes, Download it, thank you.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
Thank you again, eleni.
I hope one day.
I have family in Lloydminster,so I'm going to look you up when
I'm there.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Yes, girl, come through, come find me.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
What's the restaurant ?
Speaker 1 (36:28):
name, so the restaurant's name is Spiro's
Spiro's.
I've been in business 55 yearsthis year.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
So it's a big year for us.
Yeah, I might need a break.
I'm coming to Spiros.
Yeah, I love it.
Come through All right, Well,thank you again.
Thanks for having me All right.
Well, if you are part of LeaderImpact, you can always discuss
or share this podcast with yourgroup.
And if you are not yet part ofLeader Impact and would like to
find out more and grow yourleadership, find our podcast
page on our website at leaderimpand check out our free
(36:55):
leadership assessment.
You can also check out groupsavailable in Canada at
leaderimpactca or, if you'relistening from anywhere else in
the world, check outleaderimpactcom or get in touch
with us by email info atleaderimpactca and we will
connect you.
And if you like this podcast,please leave us a comment, give
us a rating or review.
This will help other globalleaders find our podcast.
(37:16):
Thank you for engaging with usand remember impact starts with
you.
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