Elia Schreiber Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Elia Schreiber has a single coming soon, "Wishing Well", that you'll want to hear as soon as possible! I was so thrilled that she wanted to visit with us to discuss the single, her musical goals, and more!

So, let's see what happens when Elia Schreiber visits Section 36 Music!

I am incredibly excited about your upcoming single, “Wishing Well”. What can you tell me about it?

My upcoming single Wishing Well has been around for a long time. I wrote it 1st semester of sophomore year. This song is super cool I think because of the lyrics. The lyrics all relate back to the topic of a wishing well. There's a lot of things you'll notice if you pay attention to the lyrics where I use words in a way that can be heard and read differently. For example in the chorus I say "a penny for your thoughts and a penny for your prayers". This has to do with the saying "a penny for your thoughts", but it also relates to the change you throw into a wishing well. 

At the end of the chorus you'll hear "hoping I can find some sense in it later, But for now just wish me well". The sense can be a sense of mind or cents as in money, and wish me well is almost the same as wishing well but I changed the wording to sum up the chorus. This song is about feeling a sense of hopelessness, and the concept that we as people do things to make us feel better about our hopelessness such as wishing on pennies we throw into wells. It was an interesting topic for me to dive into because I noticed a lot about myself and about the things I do to make myself feel temporarily better about a situation. I hope this song resonates with people that are in a similar position, and makes them feel heard about their struggles and that they are not alone. 

What do you enjoy most about performing on stage in front of an audience? 

Performing on stage is one of my absolute favorite things to do. I love the rush of adrenaline it brings, and I love being able to share my music with the world. There’s nothing more beautiful than watching a crowd—friends, strangers, everyone—come together over a song. A couple of years ago, I played a show in my hometown after a tragedy that deeply affected the entire community. I was performing with the band Dead Winter Carpenters, and we all got on stage to sing a simple song that the audience could easily join in on. It was incredibly emotional and powerful when everyone started singing with us—hugging, crying, and holding hands. In that moment, I truly realized how deeply music unites people. That’s why I do what I do: to share my art, to bring smiles, to make someone feel heard.

You’re currently attending Berklee College of Music. What made Berklee the right choice for you?

I knew from a very young age that music would be my career—it’s the one thing I’ve always been deeply passionate about. I was never as driven by anything else. When I toured Berklee and realized I could attend a college where we’re pushed to become the best musicians we can be, I was incredibly excited. The classes looked amazing, the recording studios were state-of-the-art, and the people I saw on campus were inspiring. I knew I wanted to be part of a community of talented artists—to push myself, build meaningful connections, and dedicate myself fully to doing what I love.

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

My biggest musical influences are Noah Kahan, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Lizzy McAlpine, and Fleetwood Mac

What is the most challenging part of your music career?

The most challenging part of my music career right now is learning not to compare myself and my work to others. Being at Berklee, surrounded by so much incredible talent, it’s easy to be overly hard on yourself and feel like you're falling behind. I often catch myself thinking I should be much further along in my career just because others my age already seem to be.

Last semester, I attended an event where Cliff Notez gave a speech that really stuck with me. He said, "Thinking about your 'why' is going to dictate how you move in your career. Right now, your reason might just be ‘I love making music,’ but as you go further, think about the challenges you’ve faced, how you got through them, and why you wanted to." He also said that success is about feeling comfortable in your own skin and being happy with what you’re doing.

That message reminded me that success isn’t just about "making it big"—that will come with time. Learning to trust the process, stay grounded in my purpose, and recognize that we’re still so young is one of the biggest challenges I’m working through.

What are your immediate music goals?

My music goals are to share all of my art with the world. I want to release as much music as I can, and be a performing singer-songwriter. 

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I'm definitely glad she wants to share her music with all of us!

As always, I want to thank Elia for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview.

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram, and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks, Elia, and good luck reaching your goals!