Party Nails is the moniker of Los Angeles based musician Elana Belle Carroll. She is a prolific songwriter, producer, singer and guitarist hailing from Chatham, New York. Somewhere between pop, alternative and electronic, with a slight nod to punk, her work has been called “an absolute dream” – Neon Gold, “a fierce bit of pop” – Noisey and “part Charli XCX and part Cyndi Lauper” – Bullett Media. Party Nails is now ready to release her highly anticipated debut album entitled Past Lives and Paychecks, a selection of heartfelt pop songs, front and center vocals and playful production with an avant-garde twist.
‘My 404’ is an eccentric track co-produced by indie rock darlings Coast Modern with Carroll’s exquisite vocal writing and delivery. Originally conceived to be a part of a Coast Modern mixtape, the song’s creative vibrancy, glittering melodies and soaring synths landed it a place within Party Nails upcoming release. The single is a lo-fi masterpiece highlighting the musician’s stunning craft for songwriting. ‘So Broke’ is indisputably infectious, with punchy synth clouds and experimental soundscapes, showcasing the songwriter’s sonic and textural diversity. While ‘With Time (I Will Come 2 U)’ is an 80’s inspired single with quirky instrumentation and a bright anthemic chorus, making it the ultimate feel good summer track.
The journey to Party Nails has been a fascinating one. At the age of 11 the songwriter was performing original Americana, at 15 she was writing country music and by 18 she’d moved to New York City to write and self produce her first solo project, Vernous. After initially cultivating a dark electro sound for Vernous, Carroll found herself in Los Angeles, heading down the opposite path and landing sonically in a celebratory indie-pop land, somewhere between the influences of Haim, Grimes and Robyn.
A common theme throughout Past Lives and Paychecks is previous experiences and the idea that two people could have met before in a past lifetime, or might meet again in a future lifetime. The idea of past lives also refers to reoccurring themes, such as money and power, love and heartbreak, loss or death and a higher power. These are all important aspects of humanity that seem to play a role in our lives regardless of what era we are in. Drawing inspiration in the showmanship, artistry and vulnerability of artists such as Dolly Parton, Sheryl Crow and SZA, Carroll reveals, “On this album, I really tried to achieve a blend of SZA and Robyn, with bittersweet writing, some dance vibes, some sad vibes and a very real and raw anti-diva singing them. I wanted to create an album of memorable songs that landed all across the spectrum of alternative pop. I wanted it to feel fresh, but not too trendy”.
The power house artist has collaborated with such acclaimed electronic acts as Getter and MitiS (among others) and has also found success touring the US with PVRIS, Lights, MitiS and PRXZM. Carroll also teaches music production, most notably with the non-profit Beats By Girlz, which provides free music production education and mentorship for female-identifying youth. Having been heavily involved in LGBTQ activism and feminism, Party Nails hopes to be a figure for youth who are looking for someone to relate to emotionally and physically. Past Lives and Paychecks is set for release fall 2018. Listen to “My 404” here.