Elliot Greer

Whether scrawled in a handwritten diary, committed to the pages of a book, or posted online, an authentic story will resonate. From a stark and stripped-down perspective, Elliot Greer delivers unfiltered truth with grizzled, yet warm intonation accompanied by acoustic guitar. For as much as he harks back to an old school troubadour tradition, his appeal transcends eras. As such, he asserts himself as the rare singer-songwriter who can cut through the noise on social media with tens of millions of views or pack a residency gig on a weekly basis. Now, the Scotland-born and New York-based artist forges a lasting connection on a series of 2023 singles for Arista Records and much more to come.

"These are honest and genuine stories," he notes. "I believe people are itching for more organic music. When you hear what I'm doing, it's an alternative to the mainstream. I'm just telling my story with a guitar."

It's quite the story so far…

Hailing from Scotland, Elliot's mother and father both shined on stage. Dad starred in productions such as Les Misérables, while mom excelled as a ballet dancer. They even opened their own performing arts school StageworX. Immersed in music, Elliot gravitated to guitar, listening to the likes of John Mayer, Johnny Cash, Sting, and Bon Jovi, among others. He honed his voice and eventually caught the attention of legendary rock band Deep Purple who invited him to perform with them at the Royal Philharmonic and sponsored his admission into the prestigious Stephenson College of Music. However, the school asked him to leave. "It was for not attending theory class, because I thought I was a rockstar," he admits.

Holding down a gig waiting tables, he opted to audition for the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. Achieving a full scholarship, he relocated to the Big Apple. During this time, he focused on school and later landed a part in Glen Hansard's Once in upstate New York — only for COVID to shut down the production. Armed with a basic $100 microphone purchased by his girlfriend, he wrote, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered his independent debut, Handcrafted, in the bathroom of his apartment. It caught the attention of The Lumineers bassist and vocalist Byron Isaacs, and the band shared and supported Elliot's music online as he began to gain traction.

Simultaneously, he gigged as often as he could, joined Ashley McBryde and John Osborne for a performance on The Tonight Show at Jimmy Fallon, and even supported himself by busking in Central Park.

"I learned a lot about myself by busking," he notes. "It's vulnerable — the gig no one asked me to play. I was out in 95-degree weather and 25-degree weather. It taught me to go to work and get the job done. I draw a lot from my time outside. It also led to other shows and residencies and got the ball rolling."

In 2022, he launched a TikTok account and broke through with the single "Bleed." A video of Elliot with an acoustic guitar singing his soul out caught fire, reeling in 8 million views on Instagram and 5 million on TikTok. The track's rustic riff underlines a soul-stirring vocal punctuated by a resounding refrain, "I'll bleed to be everything she ever needs."

"It's a culmination of the last ten years of my life in many areas — fear, failure, success, bad relationships, and good relationships," he elaborates. "I was thinking of all of these memories as I walked down the street in New York one day. I Frankenstein-ed all of my experiences into one song. The line, 'Had my ass handed to me, but I'm back for more,' stuck with me. It was before I had any success, and I was questioning if chasing this dream was worth it. It's a metaphor like, 'I'll bleed for this career.'"

That's exactly what he's doing, and it's why he's about to leave his own lasting imprint on popular culture.

"I was initially so afraid to put out my songs," he confesses. "I thought, 'No one's going to give a fuck about another guy with a guitar.' However, I'm blown away by the reaction. I'm trying to bring back a little authenticity, so it's very raw and simple. I'm just humbled anytime someone responds to it."

• • •

BOILER

Whether scrawled in a handwritten diary, committed to the pages of a book, or posted online, an authentic story will resonate. From a stark and stripped-down perspective, Elliot Greer delivers unfiltered truth with grizzled, yet warm intonation accompanied by acoustic guitar. For as much as he harks back to an old school troubadour tradition, his appeal transcends eras. As such, he asserts himself as the rare singer-songwriter who can cut through the noise on social media with tens of millions of views or pack a residency gig on a weekly basis. Growing up in Scotland, he attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York city and later landed a part in Glen Hansard's Once in upstate New York — only for COVID to shut down the production. Armed with a basic $100 microphone purchased by his girlfriend, he wrote, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered his independent debut, Handcrafted, in the bathroom of his apartment. Simultaneously, he gigged as often as he could, joined Ashley McBryde and John Osborne for a performance on The Tonight Show at Jimmy Fallon, and even supported himself by busking in Central Park. In 2022, he launched a TikTok account and broke through with the single "Bleed." A video of Elliot with an acoustic guitar singing his soul out caught fire, reeling in 8 million views on Instagram and 5 million on TikTok. Now, the Scotland-born and New York-based artist forges a lasting connection on a series of 2023 singles for Arista Records and much more to come.