Written by: Ng Qian Yu, Inti Amberyn, Rafael See Toh
“I love you 24/7, 3-6-5.”
Sound familiar? These lyrics came from a track that blew up in TikTok in 2023, from the album Bright Orange Everglow, written by Canadian singer-songwriter Elijah Woods.
Standing at nearly six feet tall, Elijah appeared intimidating at first glance – if not for the effortless charisma and friendliness he exuded. Despite being the interviewee, he took the initiative to get to know everyone on the set with an amicable smile and a polite handshake. Elijah had a natural gift for sprinkling humour into conversation, quickly transforming the formal atmosphere of the interview into a lively and engaging conversation. His genuine and easygoing charm, along with his down-to-earth nature in responding to our compliments with humility, made it easy for us to grasp why his fans would gravitate towards him.
In 2017, he released his first single titled, “My World”, which won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip Hop Video a year later. Throughout his musical career, he has achieved many feats that helped him expand his fan base outside of North America to Asia, such as performing at the Seoul Jazz Festival and opening for well-known artists like Niall Horan.
Currently, he is an independent artist with over three million monthly listeners on Spotify, and an inspiration to many young listeners from the Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore.
For Elijah, passion has been his driving force to keep making music since he first discovered his interest. Many factors have enabled him to become the accomplished individual he is today, taking on world tours and performing for fans, but passion is what sparked his musical journey.
The factor behind Elijah Wood’s passion
Surprisingly, Elijah was not interested in music when young despite growing up in a musically inclined family. He was taught how to play the guitar at a young age by his father, but what got him into making music wasn’t the instrument. It was a little DJ controller he received when he was 14. During parties, he would remix songs together and got the epiphany that he could make a living out of doing this. Since then, he began to pour his heart out into composing music and his studies. While studying music production, his love for songwriting deepened and led him to embark on a career as an independent singer-songwriter.
Stepping into the music industry, while exhilarating, did come with a few challenges that Elijah had to manage to sustain his well-being. One of these considerations was to balance the demands of fame with his journey, which he makes sure to prioritise.
“I make sure that, no matter what, I have a little bit of balance in my life.” Elijah shares, reinforcing that his well-being remains a priority even in the face of industry pressures. “I think mental health is something that’s really overlooked in this industry.”
Elijah intentionally starts each day by keeping his phone aside for the first hour of the day and engages in physical activities such as a workout or a cold plunge. These steps are essential to sustaining his well-being and creativity.
How his passion and authenticity help overcome challenges
The music industry is demanding, but Elijah’s passion for his craft provides him with the strength and patience to push on.
From the pressures of constant touring to the mental and physical strain of performing, his sheer passion and dedication keep him pushing forward. One of the toughest obstacles he faces is vocal exhaustion, which can significantly impact his performances.
“Losing your voice is pretty scary. It’s pretty tough because there’s not much you can do,” he admits. “But it’s funny. It’s like, normally not singing that does it too. It’s talking. It’s talking because talking is, like, a very hefty thing on your vocal cords.”
Despite these challenges, Elijah remains resilient by focusing on his health and keeping a positive social circle. He elaborated on the importance of having a supportive inner circle and how they fueled his passions. He has credited his management team, his wife and his pet corgi as pillars of his success.
As stated by him, “You’re just a reflection of the people that you keep”, emphasising the need for a positive support system to thrive in the industry.
Commitment to genuine expression and being true to oneself are key driving factors in Elijah’s passion for his work.
“I’ve been really fortunate to find a lane and a stride that really works for me, and I really enjoy doing it,” he admitted. In an industry where artists are often pressured to conform to trends or public expectations, staying authentic allows him to maintain confidence and avoid burnout.
Authenticity is more than just an artistic choice for Elijah, but is a necessity for longevity. In an industry that often prioritises commercial success over personal expression, he recognizes the risk of burnout and disillusionment when artists stray from what truly inspires them.
“You can’t fool anybody anymore. There’s no like, Oh yeah, I’m having fun and I’m having a great time. It’s like, No, we can see you’re not, you’re not enjoying this,” he said, demonstrating how forced enthusiasm is easy to spot.
The essentiality of passion in Elijah Wood’s journey
Ultimately, the impetus behind Elijah’s success is his passion, propelling him forward through the unpredictability of the music industry. For individuals who aspire to follow in his footsteps, he stressed the importance of ownership and purpose in their careers.
More importantly, he warned against going into the music industry for external validation.
“I think it’s really easy to do this for the wrong reasons and to do it for money or fame, but do it because it makes you happy. And I think people can see that,” he asserted.
Last but not least, he noted the importance of patience when faced with adversity.
Elijah shared: “There are highs and lows, and you just gotta keep riding it out. And the people who win generally are the people who just stick around.”
Stand a chance to witness Elijah Woods live
With his unwavering passion demonstrated throughout his inspirational journey as a singer-songwriter, fans in Singapore won’t have to wait three years and six whole months – as the first line of his hit song “24/7, 365” suggests – to witness it firsthand.
Elijah has officially announced an exciting performance at the Theater at Mediacorp on 10 August 2025 as part of his “Give Me the Sunlight” tour. His chart-topping hits and brand-new tracks will come to life on stage for a night of heartfelt acoustic performances and a soulful connection with the audience.
Elijah’s musical journey is a testament to the power of passion; staying true to what you love despite the highs and lows. Now, he presents an open invitation for fans to experience that live. Tickets will be available to the public starting 26 February. Be sure to grab yours for an unforgettable evening of music, emotion, and electrifying energy!
