Check Out Elias Abid’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elias Abid

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
First off, thank you for choosing to cover my story. I moved back to Kansas City several months ago so I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the community of amazing artists, creatives, and business owners here in KC.

I grew up between households in Paris, France, and Kansas City, MO. My mom’s side of the family all grew up in KCK with deep roots in public service. My grandparents on my dad’s side both fled Algeria to Paris where my dad, brother, and I were born.

My introduction to music production was recording and playing guitar in a band here in KC when I was 12. We played out at First Fridays and a bunch of other gallery shows. By 16, I was recording, producing, and performing with artists like Le$ Paul and Dom Chronicles, opening for touring acts like Mac Miller and Kevin Abstract at The Bottleneck and The Grenada.

At 17, I moved to Chicago where I graduated from Columbia College Chicago. It was the perfect environment to get my feet wet in the music industry. I was interning for Grammy nominated producer Stefan Ponce and was fully immersed in the scene, collaborating with rising stars like Smino and Appleby. These collaborations led to several milestones like a label release and first Spotify chart topping song. By then, I was starting to feel validated and wanted to continue pushing ahead.

By 24, I moved to Los Angeles and signed a music publishing deal. Now with a team on my side, I was taking on new writing sessions and TV/film/ad campaigns, including three seasons of Netflix’s Power Rangers series. With the pandemic in full swing, I began working remotely with a then-unknown UK songwriter, Venbee. In 2021, she shared our song “Low Down” on TikTok, where it went viral and made it onto the official UK charts. This was my first time helping an undiscovered artist sign to a major label—Sony/Columbia UK.

In LA, I met and collaborated with so many incredible people that influenced my art, and arguably my generation’s art. I’m proud to have been able to establish friendships with people like Todd Roberts who signed me to my deal – someone who’s embodied “cool as hell” over the span of his career discovering and assisting artists. Vic Wainstein who recorded Mac Miller and still records Tyler The Creator – a true ally who put me in some incredible rooms. Edmund of Glass Animals who helped me fine tune my song with LUCI in my storage closet recording studio,

Most recently, Chris Keating of Yeasayer who toured the world many times over performing his songs that I grew up listening to on 96.5 The Buzz. Chris and I spent a lot of time together, not just as collaborators, but as friends. Between writing session we’d throw sardines into whatever pot of grub we could. We’d roll our eyes into the oppressive LA sun while not so secretly indulging in those same rays for a smoke break, sharing opinions on art, people, and places we might rather be. We also spoke about what it means to build a life for yourself, the battle wounds of the music industry, the relationships along the way, and the inevitably of change that happens as you get older and hopefully wiser…. or maybe jaded… whatever comes first.

That friendship empowered me as an artist, not just producer-writer, giving me a sense of place in myself and my voice literally and figuratively. This year we released a bilingual EP co-produced, written, recorded, and performed by me and Chris called “Polydukes.”

My goal was to be seen as a peer to the people that inspired me to become an artist in the first place and I feel like I reached that goal during my time in LA.

Five years in, I found myself feeling disconnected from myself, my art, my needs and wants, the city, and the people around me. I realized I needed to take a big step in a new direction to regain ownership over my life. My long-term partner and I decided to part ways, and when I was forced to terminate my lease in my apartment I took it as a sign to reconsider my stay in LA. So, I packed my car, sold the rest, and moved home.

In the past few months, I’ve taken time to focus on my overall health and am healing through my art – something I’ve been seeking for years. I’m writing new songs for myself, finishing old ones, envisioning a live show for the first time and am meeting creatives here that I’m excited to be able to work with on whatever is to come next. I’m embracing the beginner mindset all over again, right where it all started, Kansas City.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been everything it needed to be to get me to where I am now and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Im recognized for my work as a music producer, songwriter, and artist. I also enjoy the process of visual storytelling in mediums like photography, graphic design, film, and web design.

I’ve specialized in artist development, helping craft a project from the ground up. I’m most excited to apply what I’ve learned over the years to continue developing myself as an artist and creative leader.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I’ve been enjoying immersing myself in the culinary and bar/ club scene here at the moment. It’s fun popping out and seeing familiar faces around. There’s a built in sense of community that I sometimes struggled to establish elsewhere. I might see a friend who I’ve know since kindergarten while running into someone I met the night before just being out and about. It’s a lot of fun having that “new meets old” dynamic happen so naturally.

I find the economic and cultural growth exciting as it’s providing opportunities for creatives and entrepreneurs to build a foundation. With that, I believe there’s a systemic obligation to continue to empower, protect, and provide resources for underserved communities in the city.

Since moving back to Kansas City, I’ve been working for a non-profit that provides discounted education and business resources for soccer coaches and organizations in underserved communities. Kansas City being the soccer capital of the US, I hope to see these resources utilized locally to amplify the voices of these communities as the city continues to grow.

Pricing:

• I’m not taking on much production work at the moment but I am always looking to discover local music and artists including visual artists. Ideally we make some money together!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eliasabid
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eliasabidmusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@eliasabid
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/eliasabid
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7xcwMpWk8Rdtf4rqof1pFg