Date: Friday 21st August
Venue: The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
Doors: 7:30 pm
Tickets: https://uncover.seetickets.com/event/eli-this-song-tour/the-sunflower-lounge/3654067
A bold new voice in the UK alternative landscape steps centre stage when ELI headlines The Sunflower Lounge on Friday, 21st August, joined by special guest Gemma Ballam for a night built on honesty, intensity and genre blurring creativity.
ELI’s music sits at the crossroads of pop, RnB and electronic experimentation, weaving nostalgia with forward thinking production. His songs carry a striking emotional weight: vulnerable, self interrogating lyrics delivered through a voice that shifts effortlessly from soft confession to soaring, cathartic release.
It’s a sound shaped by a childhood spent absorbing Prince, Whitney Houston and Radiohead, and one that channels the raw emotional punch of Medium Build with the adventurous spirit of Caroline Polachek.
Early singles ‘Dummy’, ‘15 + Alive’ and ‘Imagination’ introduced his confessional style, while ‘Rough and Slow’ earned BBC Radio 1 support from Jess Iszatt. His recent Mahogany Session marked a milestone, resonating deeply with queer audiences and beyond, and quickly surpassing 150k views. Each release has pushed him further into the spotlight, building momentum ahead of his debut album arriving in 2026.
Opening the night is Birmingham based indie rock artist Gemma Ballam. Originally from the Highlands of Scotland, she crafts powerful, emotionally open songs driven by agile vocals and intoxicating guitar lines. Her work blends vulnerability with strength, making her one of the city’s most compelling emerging artists.
A night of fearless storytelling, genre shifting alt pop and emotionally charged performance from two rising talents. For anyone seeking music that feels raw, resonant and unmistakably human, this show promises to deliver.