Elaiza

Elaiza is a German folk-pop band known for their distinctive neo-folk sound, which blends modern pop elements with traditional Eastern European folk. The band was formed in 2013 and originally consisted of three members: Elżbieta Steinmetz, Yvonne Grünwald, and Natalie Plöger.

Elżbieta Steinmetz, who goes by the stage name “Ela,” is a singer and songwriter with Polish roots, a factor that heavily influences the band’s sound. Yvonne Grünwald plays the accordion, and Natalie Plöger is the contrabassist. Later on, Steinmetz and Grünwald continued as a duo, with Plöger departing the band.

Elaiza’s breakthrough came in 2014 when they won the German national finals for the Eurovision Song Contest. Their song “Is It Right” represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest held in Copenhagen that year. The band’s performance in the international music event significantly increased their profile in Germany and Europe more broadly, leading to a successful debut album, “Gallery,” which was released the same year.

Elaiza is recognized for their vibrant and energetic performances, coupled with soulful lyrics and a unique musical style that blends modern pop with traditional influences. The band’s music often explores themes of love, life, and identity, and their work is characterized by Steinmetz’s powerful vocals, Grünwald’s expert accordion work, and a strong folk-pop sound.

Elaiza had released two albums, “Gallery” in 2014 and “Restless” in 2016. The 2nd album was followed by a tour through Germany. At the same time, the band released two new singles, “Hurricane” and “Real”. However, before the band went on tour, Yvonne left the band. She was replaced by Laura Zimmermann.

The band kept on touring through Germany in 2017. In November of that year they won a German Songwriting Award. In 2018, they did an acoustic tour. They even performed at the German embassy in Kenya and Ethiopia. The acoustic tour continued in 2019.

Although the band did not officially split up, they didn’t perform anymore since March 2019.