“I wanted my music to sound more like the music I listened to ” – An Interview with Eliza Noxon
After an absence of almost nine years, singer-songwriter Eliza Noxon is back with a superbly-crafted collection of songs on her debut album Good Monsters With Bad Habits. Produced by Rilo Kiley bassist Pierre de Reeder, a longtime influence and collaborator, the twelve songs capture a portrait of fractured identity, enduring love, and the long shadow of grief.
She debuted at twelve with her first single, “Hummingbird,” which appeared on Netflix’s Orange is the New Black and has since garnered over eight million streams while in 2017, she released her first EP, Save Your Breath. However, the death of her brother in 2019 turned her world upside down and her songwriting took on a whole different meaning.
Writing these songs saved my life. They allowed me to express the depths of my grief without fear of judgment or worry.
Memories of her brother can be found throughout the album allowing a way for Eliza to process her grief but ultimately the record is about survival and emerging stronger. Lead single “You” encapsulates this as it builds gently over the first few minutes to an expansive outpouring of emotion as Eliza cries “when I’m curled up on the floor, and can’t take any more, I just remember you”. My favorite track is “What Else” which was written in a New York apartment surrounded by her brother’s belongings when she was struggling to process what had happened. There are also some acoustic tracks that are closer to the sound of Eliza’s previous work such as the heartbreaking “Bye For Now”.
We caught up with Eliza as she prepared for the release of the album.
Hi Eliza! How’s everything going right now?
Everything is going well! It’s been amazing seeing people respond to the singles. I’ve been sitting on these songs for so long, and finally getting to share them feels incredibly gratifying.
What classic album cover art is your current mood?
I love the album art for I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning by Bright Eyes — it’s a moody, quilted textile image of a city block. I’ve been really into little embroidery projects lately, so it feels especially fitting.
Congratulations on Good Monsters With Bad Habits – where and when did you write and record it?
Thank you! I wrote the record over about five years, starting my senior year of high school and finishing my senior year of college. Over that period a lot happened in my life – I moved away from my home, I lost my brother, the pandemic hit, I fell in love – and I poured all of it into my songs. After making demos and shopping the project around a bit, I finally got to record it with a dream producer – Pierre de Reeder (the bassist of Rilo Kiley) – and an incredible team of musicians including Jake Reed on the drums, Sean Hurley on bass, Philip Krohnengold on keys, synths, and guitars, and many more who helped fill in the sound. We recorded more than fifteen songs in a couple weeks while I was home for winter break and it was such an incredible whirlwind experience. The songs really came alive through Pierre’s production and I can’t wait until everyone gets to hear it!
While there are still some acoustic songs, you’ve also embraced your indie-rock side on this record (e.g the fabulous “What Else”). Was that a natural evolution of your sound?
Yeah, I think it was a long time coming. I got my start playing ukulele and, while I still love the instrument, I wanted my music to sound more like the music I listened to. I also learned the guitar and started writing songs with a much more organic flow that called for bigger production. I’m excited to see how people respond to this new direction and I can already feel how making this record has impacted my songwriting and production going forward.
If you could only listen to one record, what would it be?
It should be a hard question, but there’s one record I’ve been proselytizing about forever: Typhoon’s White Lighter. This album is such an epic – it’s expansive, ambitious, incredibly skillful, and full of bangers. Typhoon has been my and my dad’s favorite band for a long time – we recently went to Portland to see them play two nights of 20th anniversary shows and it was genuinely a highlight of my life. If you haven’t heard of them, White Lighter is the perfect place to start – straight from the top, no shuffle.
It’s been over 8 years since your last EP (2017’s Save Your Breath) – what have been up to in that time?
I’ve been up to a lot! I went to college, I interned for a puppeteer in New York City, I worked on a dairy farm teaching kids how to milk cows, and I spent a year teaching onboard a tall-ship in the US Virgin Islands and Boston. Now, I’m back in LA where I grew up, playing music and teaching and finding community. I’m also writing my next project and I’m excited to share new songs a little more quickly this time around.
What music did you listen to when you were growing up that made you want to be a musician?
There’s so much – I’m eternally grateful to have grown up being fed a healthy diet of good music. A lot of the musicians I grew up loving I still love today – Laura Marling, Feist, Anais Mitchell, Bon Iver, Hop Along, etc. I love weird, independent music — the kind that oozes passion and care. That’s the kind of music I try to make, and I hope to make more.
Are you planning to do any live shows to promote Good Monsters With Bad Habits?
Yes! I have a show at The Mint in Los Angeles on March 12th and a show in Ojai and the beautiful Ojai Underground on March 27th. More shows are soon to be announced so go ahead and follow me on Instagram (@enoxon1) to stay apprised of my comings and goings.
What would go on your signature pizza and what would it be called?
My signature pizza would be a delicious creamy tomato sauce, as many kinds of cheeses as are allowed and/or possible, little cuppy-style pepperonis, and a drizzle of hot honey over the whole shebang. Call her “The Good Monster.”
What else do you have on the horizon for 2026 (and beyond) that we should know about?
I’m already writing the next batch of songs and playing as many shows as I can this year. 2026 is about building momentum — more music, more live sets, and hopefully a few surprises.
Go here to buy a copy of the new album and you can get tickets for Eliza’s upcoming release show at The Mint here. Follow Eliza on Instagram for all the latest news.
