Interview with Donner Social!!!

Band: Donner Social

Genre: Electronica/Synthpop/Acoustotronic/Experimental

Hometown: Astoria, Queens NY

Here are the members of the band:

Josh Ellis

Elanna White

Below are their group responses to my questions:


1. What inspired you guys to play music?

It was kind of an obvious thing for us after we met each other. We both have always been writers and growing up we would have our notebooks in our bags with us at all times (and still do!). Once we met, it was actually funny that it took a little while to begin writing music together because the pieces ended up fitting so perfectly. With both of our loves for writing, our respective talents and our knowledge of music, it was plain that we would be a perfect match. Since then, we have sort of been an unstoppable team and are near done finishing our first full-length album which will be available to purchase on our website soon.

2. How has music changed your life?

For the both of us, music serves as an appendage of our emotions.  It's a manifestation of our gut reactions, just raw emotion. This was a crucial part of our development as people. Music has really shaped who we are and how we view life now. Also, one of the things that we think is so cool is that our music has inspired other artists to create their own works of art. Currently, there is a short film that is in pre-production that the screenwriter wrote while listening to our stuff. When your art helps to create more art, there is nothing greater.

 3. What bands do you guys listen to and how have they shaped your music?

We both have a pretty broad spectrum of music we listen to. Our combined favorites include bands and artists such as: Death Cab For Cutie, David Bowie, Ben Folds Five,  Björk , Bright Eyes, The Blood Brothers, Duncan Sheik, The Good Life, Imogen Heap, M83, Patrick Wolf, Sufjan Stevens, Talking Heads, We Are Scientists, The Velvet Underground, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Killers.

Bands like this have taught us never to settle for the ordinary and to always strive to achieve our own original sound.

4. What advice do you guys have for others that want to pursue in music as their career?

Always follow what you feel is right and never let other people's limitations impede you or what you want to do.

5. Where did you guys get the idea for the name of your band?

Cannibalism on The Oregon Trail during Manifest Destiny.

6. What do you guys want your fans to know about you that they might not know already?

Well, Josh has an indie record label that he runs out of his home studio and Elanna is a working actress. Musical theater was actually originally her game (and still is if you can believe it!). She is also a certified chili light aficionado and really sucks at cooking. We both like cats…combined we have more cats than Josh has people in his immediate family. We also could live off of Pocky and/or green tea mochi ice cream…so you should totally buy us some in the near future.  

7. What are you thinking when you guys are on stage?

Josh: When I am on stage I am really just trying to give an exciting performance and give the audience the opportunity to feel as enveloped in the music as I do when I am playing it. I think that an on-stage performance should not just be a band playing some songs for an audience, but rather a group experience that can be taken home with you when you leave.

Elanna: I don't think I would really be able to tell you honestly. When I am on stage, everything happens so fast, it is just a giant blur really. I suppose that I am focused on the music, emoting how during that particular song in that very moment. It is more of an expression than a solid thought.