Born in Milano, singer-songwriter and drummer Eleonora Claps has made her mark on both the Italian and London music scenes, blending jazz, pop, and original songwriting with effortless style. Since moving to London in 2007, Eleonora has released two acclaimed albums—her latest, “10pm,” reflecting on the pace and nostalgia of modern life. This October 9th, she’ll be performing live at the private viewing of The Art of PR exhibition. We caught up with Eleonora to discuss her love for music and the journey that inspires her work.
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Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, ahead of your performance at the Art of PR exhibition private viewing. Can you share a defining moment from your early years in Milano that set you on the path toward a life in music. How did your first experiences as a drummer shape your identity as an artist?
I remember my first-ever gig – I was the drummer of an all-girls band, and we played at a school party. I must have been 15 or 16, and I recall the feeling of being part of a group, as well as the excitement and energy of sharing the stage. And there was this band of boys who were going to play after us – and one of them was cheering me on from side stage…and I felt ecstatic!! A mix of hormones and inspiration, I guess! But I came off stage from that and I thought: I want more of this!
Who have been the most significant mentors or inspirations in your artistic journey—either in Italy or the UK, and what lasting lessons have they imparted to you?
Definitely my first ever drum teacher in Milano – Andrea Rainoldi: an incredibly talented musician who taught me how to appreciate musical skills in every genre. I remember saying to him I want to play like the guy in The Clash! But he opened my eyes for the first time to so much more than just rock..
Afterward, in my 20s, I used to rehearse in this basement in via Lombroso in Milano. I spent hours and hours there, practicing, listening to music, and trying to play after tunes, and watching other bands rehearse. I remember being inspired by many on that scene – and drumming-wise, definitely by Alessandro Deidda, who then became quite famous with this Italian band called Le Vibrazioni. Thanks to Alessandro, I first started listening and “copying” the greats – people like John Bonham, Keith Moon, Mitch Mitchell…That’s when I really started understanding more about drumming…
In the UK, meeting singer Esther Bennett was a true defining moment: she heard me sing at an open mic in London, and encouraged me, gave me many opportunities….I always tell her I would not be doing any of this right now if I had not met her back in the day!
For a couple of years, here in London, I joined this incredible 60s garage rock band called The Lysergics – we rehearsed a lot, played live and recorded an album that is an absolute gem: all songs written by guitarist Fabio Mongelli and keyboard player Sarah Gonputh…they sound amazing and there is so much raw power there – including my first ever recorded drum solo! They supported my growth as a drummer so much – guys, if you are reading this, I think we should get back together!!
Moving from Milano to London is a bold step. How did the city’s music scene challenge or transform your approach to songwriting, performance, and self-expression?
I moved to London because of job opportunities – unrelated to my side hustle as a singer/drummer – but I also took that step at a critical personal moment, when the band I had been drumming with for 10 years – which was always “about to make it” – finally broke up. I needed something new, a new environment, as I was really heartbroken. I had always provided backing vocals, so I decided to try something different and enrolled in a jazz singing course. It opened my eyes to so much – and the improvisational side of it was really attractive. I also started going to open mics in London and feeling really inspired by all the amazing musicians and singers I met…I loved the fact that you could just turn up and sing a song in front of an audience, backed by an amazing band! It made me feel really free.
Overall, moving here has freed me up. There is so much support and curiosity on the music scene– I feel empowered enough to scat during my gigs! I would have never done anything like this back home in Milano!
You’ve experienced both the thrill of live performance and the solitude of studio work. What have been some of your highest highs and lowest lows as a musician, and how have they shaped your outlook?
I can’t say I am a full-time musician, as I have always had day jobs to support myself. But despite that, I have definitely experienced the highs and lows of a performing career….A low was definitely travelling all the way to Berlin to play in front of 3 people – literally 3. That was so depressing, as in my head I had hyped the opportunity so much…then here we go…there is no one in the room!! I felt like giving up – and I must have actually given up for a little bit, but I enjoy playing music too much, so here we are again!
A highest high was being in the studio, and listening to two incredible musicians record my own songs, with my own arrangements, making them come to life. That is the highest high in my mature life, if we don’t count supporting the Stereophonics back in the noughties, on their Italian tour! That was pretty epic…and very much a one-off!!! As all musicians say, resilience is the key!
The music industry is notoriously tough, especially for independent artists. What strategies or mindsets have helped you overcome adversity and stay resilient through setbacks or self-doubt?
The fact that I do not actually have to depend on music to make a living really helps: I can live with gigs that do not pay so well, I can survive the age of Spotify, where no one buys my album as they all stream it for free, and I always have my day job to support my family. I am in awe of full-time musicians as that takes a lot of guts: there is so much competition out there, and you have to always be available, take the gigs, put yourself out there constantly…it is so hard.
One thing I think about all the time is age: I am not a spring chicken anymore, and at times I wonder if my music can be relevant at all – in a culture that idolizes youth. But chatting to other musicians, I have realized that self-expression is the most important thing: everyone has their own unique voice, and if you believe in that voice and work hard to refine it, then people will listen. That is what I tell myself!
How do you balance the demands of creating, performing, and maintaining your well-being, especially when the pace of modern life feels relentless?
Well, modern life really is manic! I have a day job, am a mother of two girls aged 9 and 6, and try and cultivate this creative interest…at times it is exhausting. I can’t really say I have found a balance, but life is short, so you have to grab all opportunities; that is my motto. I have a bucket list of things I want to do before I die (sorry to be morbid, but that is the truth,) and I am proud to say I am achieving some of them…it takes a lot of effort (and time stolen from sleep!), but I fear I can’t find another approach.
It is great to cherish some moments of peace – to restore the mind: cycling in the park, having a quiet breakfast with my cats, reading books to my girls….I would say cherishing these kinds of moments keeps me sane…
Looking back, have there been pivotal moments where you had to make difficult choices about your career path or creative direction? What guided your decisions in those moments?
Definitely, the moment I chose to leave Milano was a turning point in my life as a whole. I took a bit of a gamble there, as I was not sure where the move would lead me. As I mentioned before, I was heartbroken because of the end of my band. And I stopped playing drums for a while because that experience had caused so much pain. It was a difficult and long process, making peace with the drum kit again, and in the meanwhile, approaching jazz singing provided so much inspiration. The singing dragged me out of the crisis at that point.
And then, years later, after my first album “Stars” came out, I had my first daughter – and that was also such a life changing moment, I really thought I would never make music again…..life was manic, priorities had shifted….but the experience of motherhood ended up being the perfect inspiration for a new album, so in the end music always wins!
As both a drummer and a singer-songwriter, how do you decide which projects or collaborations are right for you, and what do you look for in your musical partners?
These days, life is so relentless, I have to prioritise…there was a time when I could spend afternoons recording backing vocals for an online collaboration with some random producer met via Facebook….now I do not have that time anymore, so I focus on things that inspire me and bring me joy.
Last spring, I launched a series of jazz nights at Aces and Eights – a little basement club in Tuffnell Park, North London. We had a very successful debut, and I am hosting the second night on Friday, 12/09: it is an opportunity to present my songs to audiences regularly, while sharing the stage with artists I love. We have Esther Bennet (one of my singing mentors) joining us this week, as well as Deborah Carew, another amazing singer on the scene. I can’t wait to see them perform!
In terms of musical collaborators, I look for people I can learn from. Master Latin jazz pianist John Crawford is a steady presence on my albums and in my band: he is a constant inspiration (and my partner in crime in life as well, as he is my husband and father of my kids!). John definitely influenced my attitude to music: his love for Latin rhythms is something I have picked up on and now try and replicate. Bassist Andy Hamill – who is also on both my albums – is another inspiration: his warmth, generosity, and the fact that he is always up for a challenge….I will always be grateful to him.
Your debut album “Stars” blends originals with fresh takes on pop classics. What drew you to those particular songs, and how did you approach reimagining them through your jazz lens?
Those pop songs are mostly songs from my childhood – tunes that were on the radio when I was little in Milano, and that my father liked and I enjoyed too. It was easy to pick them, as they are personal favourites and are attached to early memories. I worked on the arrangements with pianist John Crawford, and when he suggested Elis Regina’s “E Com Esse Que Eu Vou”, I listened to the tune. I could not stop singing it, so we decided to include it. Equally, the version of Dear Prudence on the album is a little miracle, which was arranged during some evening experiment on guitar and vocals….and Nini…that song has a story of its own: John had wanted to do a jazz version of Dvořák’s Savonic Dance No. 2 for a while, and he recorded it and sent it to me to add lyrics. Not sure why, but the sad story of one of my uncles, who lived a very lonely life in Southern Italy, provided the perfect words for it…
With “10pm,” you’ve shifted to an album of all original material. What inspired this creative leap, and how does the album reflect where you are now, both musically and personally?
Motherhood was the key inspiration for the album. Becoming a mother, having to spend so much time looking after the kids, and then going back to work, and living a life with no time to rest – that experience filled me up with mixed feelings, and they all came out in the songs of the album.
Also, motherhood means I have no time to be self-aware anymore – I just breathe in and do stuff, so that layer of fear disappeared and I was able to present my own songs, with my words, without too much concern…
I feel I am still in a transition moment now, where I am becoming freer to express myself. I think this is one of the perks of growing old!!
Can you share a behind-the-scenes story from the making of “10pm”—perhaps a moment of unexpected inspiration or a challenge that led to creative growth?
My song “At 15” is in 11/8…I did not know about this until one of the musicians on the album – pianist John Crawford – pointed it out to me before going into the studio, as I asked him to help me prepare the charts for my songs. Because of the unusual time signature, everyone believes I spent hours thinking about the structure of that song, but I can reveal it was conceived on a beach in Whitstable, in a rare moment without my kids, singing into my phone while looking at the sea. I had had the melody in my mind for weeks, and had been thinking about it for a while, and then in that moment – there on the beach – it just flowed out…
Because I am not a trained musician and write songs mostly by ear, I always tell people that at times my songs have some quirkiness because of my ignorance….the power of ignorance!
The Art of PR returns to London’s Coningsby Gallery from September 8th to 13th. For more details, visit the Coningsby Gallery and Occhi Contemporary Art Gallery websites. For further information on Eleonora, please visit her official website. Tickets for the Aces & Eights gig on October 12th are available here.
Images: Eleonora Claps (main ) photo by Alex Griffiths
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