Meet Elie Kirkland | Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elie Kirkland and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elie, how do you define success?
Success to me is when you go after a goal, work as hard and smart as you possibly can and never give up unless letting it go becomes necessary. Some of our goals are “bigger” than others but as long as you challenge yourself and find purpose in and throughout the process, you’ve found success.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When my wife and I moved to LA from Atlanta, I was looking for a place where I could find genuine singers/musicians and creatives who still love the craft and have similar interests. I would soon notice a pattern that I did not particularly care for; when I met new people here in LA, they would instantly list off their accolades (I would later find out that most of these people exaggerated their accomplishments) and it seemed like they memorized this script in their head of everything they wanted me to know about them and how I could be of benefit to them by the end of the conversation. I got tired of that and started to believe that genuine singers/musicians and creatives who just love the craft did not exist here in LA. It seemed they were only interested in more money and opportunity. I wanted that too but I also wanted relationship and a community where I could sharpen my crafts and in the process give each other opportunities where we could make more money. I then started to think of talented individuals I had met along the way that were looking for the same thing I was and I was always taught to create the spaces we want that don’t exists so I called those I thought of and started Jam Shed Sessions. Jam Shed Sessions is a gathering once a month where we can come together and sharpen our skills with other creatives but in a fun way. We create games that are so fun you don’t even realize you’re tapping into your song writing abilities and improving tone, breathing and musicianship. We perform for one another and offer feedback if requested. Above all, we have created a safe space for singers/musicians and creatives to be themselves, make mistakes and become better creatives. We’re still in our baby stage but I am excited to see where we will go from here.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shout out to my wife, Keyana and my family for always supporting me and making me believe I can go after anything under the sun find success.

Instagram: @jamshessessionsla & @eliekirkland