Watch Eleri Ward’s Three-Song Paste Session

By Matt Irving  |  August 14, 2025 | 1:16pm
Music Features Eleri Ward
Watch Eleri Ward’s Three-Song Paste Session
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On a humid, overcast afternoon in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Paste Studio set up at Ilegal Mezcal for a day filled to the brim with music, laughter, and a loving amount of mezcal. After recording two sessions already, our musical palates had been warmed up quite well, and we were all curious to see how the next artist might captivate us. Our answer came in the form of singer-songwriter Eleri Ward, whom we were lucky enough to capture performing three original songs from her forthcoming album, Internal Rituals, out September 26.

Full Session:

Eleri walked in confidently and full of energy, which was especially admirable considering she was riding on the coattails of her electric performance at Public Records the night before. I didn’t know much about her career before the session, but I was aware of her background in theater and her reputation for delivering show tunes in a folk-inspired style. Naturally, I was curious to see how she would channel that hybrid sensibility into performing her material.

She began the session with a song called “Float,” a meditation on living in the present moment. I had never heard someone apply theatrical vocal technique to original folk writing quite like this, and it was a fascinating first. The control and nuance in her delivery clearly spoke to her background in musical theater, and this contributed to a performance that felt grounded and emotionally authentic.

Next, she moved into “Someone, Something New”, a personal confession about the lingering echoes of past relationships, and how those ghosts can sometimes reappear in new forms. Her delivery was striking and honest, and it’s clear she really meant what she was singing. She closed the set with “Venusian Light,” an atmospheric song that paints a vivid portrait of how it would feel to bask in the glow of Venus. It was a graceful finale, given an ethereal quality mainly due to the raw talent that Eleri possesses in her vocal ability.

In conversation, Eleri described songwriting as a personal, internal ritual–something that begins with an emotional experience, then slowly transforms into something shareable through reflection and processing. She called songwriting a “stamp of approval” for having truly processed something. The throughline of her upcoming record, she explained, centers on the “ups and downs” of self-actualization and the ways that creative expression can aid in providing a newfound understanding of personal trials. Her set took on a whole new meaning to me once she vocalized this, and I think the beauty of songs like hers is that they will take on a different meaning to most people who take time to listen and internalize the words she sings.
Adding to the intimacy of the performance was her beautiful vintage Martin guitar she had inherited from a loved one. Its worn look and rich, warm tone gave it character which did justice to Eleri’s voice. Just as the guitar had been shaped by years of playing, her songwriting reflected the emotional depth and self-awareness that comes from truly facing and processing life’s experiences.

This day of music would not have been possible without our friends at Ilegal Mezcal, please stay tuned for more Paste x Ilegal sessions to come!

 
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