ELI SHANE

Eli Shane is an inventive harpist and songwriter from New York, blending folk, chamber music, and avant-garde influences into a sound that's uniquely his own. His captivating storytelling weaves intricate details with sweeping imagery, drawing inspiration from artists like Fiona Apple and Stevie Wonder. A skilled improviser, Shane's immersion in the world of contemporary music adds an unpredictable, dynamic edge to his songwriting. His second album, All You’ll Be is Song, will be released May 29th, and is available now for pre-order digitally & on self-burned CD-Rs.

Born in Queens, NY into a musical family, Eli grew up constantly surrounded by music. Whether he was exploring the massive iTunes library on his family computer or toying on the out-of-tune upright in the living room, his passion for music was clear from an early age. In his teenage years, he was drawn to the worlds of 90s alternative and avant-garde music, leading him to hone in on songwriting and bounce around local open mics. While pursuing his bachelor's degree in studio composition at SUNY Purchase, Eli wrote and recorded his debut album, therein lies the garden, which was released in March 2022. The seven-track, self-produced collection received critical praise for its distinctive songwriting, with York Calling describing it as “rich with lived detail and emotion [...] you’re completely lost in Eli’s world.” Surrounded by fellow musicians at the conservatory, Eli’s album featured an lengthy list of collaborators to bring the complex arrangements to life. The record spans a variety of sonic landscapes, from the bittersweet Joni-esque folk of "You and Me" and “Greed & Travel”, to the electronic influences on "Another Verse" and the haunting “See You in New York.”

Shane began playing the harp in his first year at SUNY Purchase, after a lifelong fascination with the instrument and dream to play. Immediately after picking it up, he knew it was the instrument he was meant to play. From the moment he began playing, he felt like it truly was the instrument, the vessel, for the creative energy he had built up in his life. Picking up the harp as an adult allowed him both a discipline to commit to learning, and a fearlessness to explore the instrument and its endless sonic capabilities. That exploration has since characterized his playing; Shane is primarily interested in showcasing the expansive sonic profile of the harp and frequently employs extended techniques and unconventional approaches in his writing. His first single on harp, “Liaison”, released in May 2024, is based off of a short story by Lydia Davis, and is about jadedness in domesticity & routine. To sonically reflect that, the track is built around loops, anxious layered vocals, and electroacoustic manipulation of the harp and cello. His follow-up singles, “Handsome” and “Westlands”, expanded upon this psychedelic folk sound, with Glide Magazine commenting on the latter: “In an era where everyone with something to say and an acoustic guitar throws their hat into the folk circuit, ”Westlands" quickly separates Shane from his peers".  

The harp opened new creative paths for Shane, immersing him in the worlds of improvisation and contemporary music. In 2023, he was a performer in acclaimed artist Nao Bustamante's BLOOM at the Neuberger Museum of Art, a project for which Bustamante won the highly-coveted Rome Prize. As part of his undergraduate senior project, Shane enlisted percussionist Diego Zavaleta for a series of improvised sessions; one of which, titled Is There Enough Time in the Day?, was released in 2024. In 2025, Shane and DJ/producer Chaia premiered their collaborative piece “STRUMS”, an improvisational journey exploring connections between dance and Yiddish music, at Silence Please in New York City. He has additionally been a session harpist for various independent artists, including Avangelia, Brigid Hart, and Mel Starr.

Eli is currently pursuing his master's of music in Contemporary Musical Arts at New England Conservatory, where he has studied with renowned composers and improvisers including Hankus Netsky, Mike Block, Carla Kihlstedt, Joe Morris, Farayi Malek, and Anthony Coleman. There, he has performed numerous pieces by contemporary composers such as Raven Chacon's American Ledger No. 1, Terry Riley's In C,  John Zorn's COBRA, and the world premiere of Christian Wolff's What If?. 

Aside from his musical endeavors, Eli loves watching films that make him cry and spending time with his very adorable chocolate lab, Uma (like Thurman).