From Canada to the Philippines and beyond, elijah woods is bringing his bedroom pop outside the, well, bedroom.
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elijah woods is on a hot streak. Fresh from announcing the Asian leg of his ilu 24/7, 365 tour, he was also revealed to be the opening act for Niall Horan during his Jakarta, Indonesia stop of his world tour. It was a moment of deserving manifestation for the young artist, who noted that he wrote down in his journal that he wanted to open for Niall one day. “It’s funny, it was kind of a bucket list thing for me,” he tells NYLON Manila from his home in Canada.
For years now, the multi-faceted artist, who can count being a multi-platinum pop artist, singer-songwriter, producer, and recording engineer in his resume, has been captivating listeners from around the world. His music and albums have been reminders of the layers of his artistry, with catchy melodies, vivid lyrics, and a signature crisp, accessible production style accompanying his tunes.
It is this kind of talent that has made elijah one of the most exciting new faces of pop. And in a treat, both for him and his Asian fans, the Gen Z musician is set to travel to the continent this May for a series of shows, which includes a stop in the Philippines at The Podium Hall on Monday, May 20. The excitement was palpable from elijah, with the trip also being a welcome change of setting and escape from the cold weather of Canada. “I’m very excited to come to Manila for some better weather.”
Get to know more about the tour, his plans for the trip, and more in our interview with him below.
First of all, congratulations because you’re going to open up for Niall Horan in Indonesia.
It’s funny, it was kind of a bucket list thing for me. I grew up as a One Direction fan and I’ve become a fan of Niall in the last few years since he’s gone solo and I wrote it down. I wrote down “open for Niall Horan on tour” and it actually happened which is so cool.
And speaking of your Asia tour this May, one of the stops is in the Philippines. So what’s it like getting to perform in the country?
I’m so excited. I mean the reaction to my music and to everything over there has just been absolutely beyond me. I think it’s so cool that I can be in Canada so far away from you and yet feel so close musically. So, I’m so excited to actually experience that in person because all of the love that I’ve experienced over the past six months to year from that area of the world… it’s really changed my life in so many ways.
What can your Filipino fans expect from your concert?
Lots of energy. I think I’m gonna play a lot of new music which I’m very very excited about. Some new stuff that I’ve been working on the last kind of couple months and it’s kind of more built for a live show sort of setting. So lots of screaming and crying and singing and lots of love. I think that’s like the main thing that I really want to take away or that I want to give this tour. It’s just all my appreciation for all the support y’all have given me over the last little while and if I can reciprocate that and create a sense of safety and community and love, I think that’s that’s my goal.
Is there a particular song or a certain set of songs that you’re excited to perform live?
I just did a tour in Canada not too long ago and it was really really fun playing all of the newer music. I really enjoy playing 24/7 365 obviously. Everyone’s singing all the words and it’s always really really fun, but I love performing a song called last girl as well which is a really special one to me. It feels like a really good kind of come together band moment on stage and then to look out and see people singing that is always fun. There are lots of new songs that I’ve tried just practicing at home and in the rehearsal space that are definitely going to make their way into the set for the spring and I’m very excited about those.
Now that you’re bringing your music globally with this world tour, what do you think is the most underrated part of getting to travel the world and to perform for your fans?
I think if I can look forward and imagine what [the Asia tour] is going to be like, I think experiencing just the immediate culture and the immediate vibe of a place. I’m very fortunate I get to experience a lot of maybe the biggest cities in Southeast Asia over a period of a month. So getting kind of like micro doses of a lot of incredible culture that I haven’t experienced here. Also I think maybe I don’t know if it’s underrated but like I’m I could live off of Asian food.
Your career has blown up quite a bit quite recently. Has that changed the way that you approach your music now as say when you first started making music?
Definitely. I think it just progresses no matter what sort of stage you’re at. I think the scariest part of having a bigger reach now and having more people listen is like I don’t want to let anybody down but at the same time it’s like I have to make music for me and then the music is an extension of me so the pressure of like having another hit song or having another moment is obviously there. It definitely changes it in terms of like I tend to overthink things a lot a lot more easily now but at the end of the day, I love making music, I love being in the studio, and I love performing so if I can keep doing that I don’t really care how big it gets. I’m happy that I’m able to do it and it’s just amazing to me that people are listening to the stuff that I’m making in a bedroom.
What does it mean to love someone 24/7 365?
I think for me, I’m actually getting married this year. It’s gonna be shortly after I come back from tour and we’re getting married here in Canada. I wrote that song shortly after I got engaged and it summed up this feeling of I could be with you forever no matter where we are. You are the constant in my life, and I want to give myself to you always. I’ll always do that for you no matter where we are in time. no matter how old we are, no matter where we are in the world. For me it’s just unconditional, it’s just this feeling of I got you and you got me.
As you gear up to travel to Asia for the tour, are there specific changes or things you’re looking to add to your show?
We just did [a tour] in the fall in Canada so we’re changing things up a fair bit from that, adding new songs and a brand new lighting package. We’re just working on all the technical details of all that, but my goal is to kind of create an experience that really kind of flows up and down like my music, very dynamic, involved, and crowd interactive. I want people to come up on stage with me for some of it. I want to go out in the crowd for some of it. I want people to sing certain lyrics in big sing-along moments. There’s lots of little things that I’m really looking forward to showing, but I think it’s going to be one of those things you just have to come and experience yourself because it’s going to be pretty special.
For people who maybe not aren’t too familiar with you yet, which songs of yours would you suggest they listen to first so they can get an understanding of who you are as a musician?
I would say listen to 24/7 365, everything everywhere always, and easier said that’s off an EP I put out last year. That one’s a little bit different but it’s got a really really good feel and I think it encompasses a lot of the other parts of me.
elijah woods : ilu 24/7, 365 tour in Manila at The Podium Hall on Monday, May 20 is courtesy of Live Nation PH. You can get your tickets now at SM Tickets.
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