Elena Chavez Shares Her Journey from Being in a Christian Rock Band to Her New EP "Shelter"

Nashville, Tennessee-based vocalist Elena Chavez has just released her new EP Shelter.  Chavez relocated to Nashville from her hometown of Roswell, New Mexico, when she was 19 to work with veteran music industry executive and producer Otto Price on a new Christian rock band. After a series of life events, including the death of a dear friend, the band dissolved and Chavez took a job working with breast cancer survivors.

She released her debut project titled "More Than Getting By." When she was 21, she moved to Malaysia to develop worship teams in local international churches. While in Asia, she released her sophomore EP, titled "Push and Pull." It was during a trip from Malaysia to Singapore that she met Luy.

Q:  Elena, thank you so much for your time.  Prior to the release of your own solo projects, you were involved in a Christian rock band.  What's the name of the band? Did you release any albums together?

Well hello and thank you for your questions! Long ago I was in a Christian rock band called Empire Run (Formerly known as The Wager). We had a short career together that involved one EP and a handful of shows. I was 18 when I auditioned for the lead vocalist position in the band, Otto and the team selected me to sing. I dropped out of my freshman year at University of New Mexico to move to Nashville and pursue the door the Lord had opened before me. 

Q:  What happened to the band?  And what prompted you to pursue a solo career?

When I moved to Nashville I was pretty blessed to have met the Robert and Mary Green. They were an awesome couple that opened up their spare room to me so I could make my move before I found an apartment. We were in the developing stages of Empire Run when my world was shaken. Robert collapsed one morning and I remember Mary yelling for me to call 911. I ended up doing CPR on my friend for about 20 minutes. He was later pronounced dead due to a brain aneurysm. As a 19 year old I don't think I had the tools to process that experience in a healthy way and I just powered through. There were differences  in interest within the band and at the time I wasn't capable of being the one to spearhead what needed to be done and the band dissolved. I have seen God's plan unfold over the years in the lives of Empire Run's old members and we know that Empire Run was a stop along the way but not the final destination for us. 

Q:  Congratulations on the release of your new EP "Shelter."  How would you describe your sound on this EP?

Thank you! Oh my, this EP. Positive would be the first word I would say. Because of the difficult nature of some of the trials God has walked me through in my life, my solo writing and previous EPs all contain a hint of pain or anguish, the listener can usually hear me wrestle with God through my words and melodies. For an example, "Not Afraid" from my first EP "More Than Getting By" was the prayer I prayed hours after Robert passed away. The making of Shelter was the first time I had ever teamed up with another writer, classical pianist and song writer Jayne Luy. That woman is a happy, bubbly, JOYFUL Lady. The words she wrote swing together like a hymn, point to God and feel hopeful.       

Q:  This album finds you teaming with pianist and writer Jayne Luy.  And both of you met in Asia.  Tell us the story of how the two of you started working together.

I was living in Malaysia as a missionary while I volunteered as head over the worship and media departments at a local international church. One week I packed a backpack and took the bus over the bridge to Singapore. I was there to sing for a funeral and assist our sister church for a few services. I remember being in the music office of that church building when Jayne walked in to speak to the music director about her the need for a vocalist. At the end of their conversation, Jayne asked if he knew anyone who could help, and that music director turned towards me with a smile on his face and said "Well. I can think of one person..." The rest is history.   

Q:  Did you approach the making of this EP any different from your other releases? 

Oh Yes. This was my first time recording songs that weren't ones I had written myself. It wasn't intended to be an EP when we began working together but slowly the purpose for it became clear to Jayne and we worked together to see it come through fruition.  

Q:  From the EP, you have released a new single "Shepherd (Morning Song)."  What's the song about?  And what does it mean to you personally? 

Me personally, I have a memory that pops into my head every time I sing the chorus. During the week I had spent in Indonesia, my traveling buddies and fellow volunteers in the church had convinced me to trek Mount Merapi. Merapi is well known for being a pretty temperamental volcano. We were ill prepared when my friend, our travel guide and myself started up the base of Merapi at 12AM.

Our goal was to see the sunrise from the summit. It was pitch black and I didn't have a headlamp so I carried a flash light in one hand and pulled myself up the wooded terrain with my other. I am not usually easily frightened, but fear started to set in when the ground beneath me got so steep I could only travel forward on all fours while holding the flashlight between my teeth. Then I realized we were moving up along a drop off. We moved in silence, but the prayers began. "Alrighty. Okay. Jesus. What did I get myself into here..." I struck up a conversation with our travel guide through gasps and puffs for air. His English was better than most of the people I had encountered that day so our conversation was able to last until he revealed that... "You won't see others up here. No one climbs Merapi in these seasons. Too active. Very Active."

To make a long story short, we were not able to summit because of volcanic activity and instead stayed in a cave on the safe side of the mountain until the morning came. A lot of my time over that trek was spent in prayer for God's peace and protection as I willed my body to keep moving and my mind to not be anxious. I remember when morning broke on that night. The first pieces of light slithered across the sky and the valley beneath us. Proverbs and psalms and promises of peace whirled in my head as I watched in awe as God directed His morning song before me. Going down the mountain, with the light on all the path before me, I was not in fear because I could see things for what they really were. He is the Light of The World. When I sing Shepard (Morning Song), I feel him proclaiming over his Church that he is near and that we no longer walk blindly for he calls us friend and directs our paths. We are not to forget this, He reminds us over and over in his word to not be anxious but to abide in his peace, joyfully, in ALL situations.              

Q:  What's next for you?  Are you currently touring in support of your new music?  If so, where can our readers find out about your tour dates and venues?

I am currently gearing up to spend a good portion of this summer in South East Asia, in areas I haven't been before to continue work similar to what I did while living in Malaysia. At the moment I have no tour dates in the States, but keep an eye on www.elenachavez.co for any events that are to come! 

For more information about Chavez, visit elenachavez.co or like on Facebookand Twitter. The EP is available for purchase at iTunes. 

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