Elke Schon has returned with Still Hurts, a candid indie-pop cut that digs into the emotional weight of fractured relationships.
After stepping back following her 2021 debut, Elke Schon has come back with a clearer sense of sound and purpose, leaning into raw lyrics and understated production shaped by influences like Billie Eilish, Jeff Buckley and Phoebe Bridgers.
In conversation, Schon reflects on growing up between the beach and Brisbane’s music scene, the lessons learned during her three-year hiatus, and the challenge of revisiting old emotions to finish a song that once felt too close to release.
With a new band behind her and more music on the way, Still Hurts marks a steady beginning to this next phase.
HAPPY: What’d you get up to today?
ELKE SCHON: Today’s been a mix of music and life. I spent some time rehearsing with my band, we’re really focusing on tightening up our live set.
Then I had a bit of downtime at home, which is always nice to reset.
HAPPY: ell us a little about where you’re from, and what you love about it!
ELKE SCHON: I grew up on the Gold Coast, which was a great place to spend my childhood. I’ve always loved being near the beach.
These days I’m based between the Coast and Brisbane, and I really enjoy the creative energy and music community in Brisbane, I have a really perfect balance of both worlds.
HAPPY: You started performing very young. How did those early experiences shape the artist you are today?
ELKE SCHON: Ever since I was little, I dreamed of performing. I used to record myself on my mum’s laptop and pretend I was singing in front of an audience.
Being on stage has always felt natural to me, I love the energy of it, and there’s nothing like hearing the applause after a performance.
Those early experiences gave me so much confidence and made me realise how much I love connecting with people through music.
Even now, whenever I’m on stage, it feels like I’m connecting with my younger self, and that passion is something I know I’ll always carry with me.
HAPPY: After your debut in 2021, you took a three-year hiatus. What did you learn about yourself and your sound during that time away?
ELKE SCHON: That break taught me to be patient and not force creativity.
I spent time experimenting with different sounds and becoming comfortable with lyric vulnerability, which has made my music more honest.
I was able to solidify my sound and surround myself with producers and songwriters who truly understand my vision.
HAPPY: Artists like Billie Eilish, Jeff Buckley, and Phoebe Bridgers are mentioned as influences. What is it about their music that resonates with you so deeply?
ELKE SCHON: All three of them make music that’s raw and full of emotion.
I love how Billie balances quiet, personal vocals with big, layered sounds, that’s influenced the way I approach production a lot.
Jeff Buckley’s voice is so unique, and that originality inspires the depth I try to bring to my own songs.
And Phoebe’s honesty and storytelling really speak to me, I admire the vulnerability in her writing.
HAPPY: ‘Still Hurts’ was originally written back in 2022. Why was now the right time to release it?
ELKE SCHON: Back in 2022, the song felt unfinished and needed more time.
Over the past few years, I’ve grown a lot personally and musically, and now I can hear it as something completely different.
Working on it with my band and producer gave it the energy and dynamics it was missing, and it finally feels like the version I was always aiming for.
HAPPY: The track explores the breakdown of both romantic and platonic relationships. Was it inspired by a specific personal experience?
ELKE SCHON: Yes, it was inspired by a personal relationship with someone close to me.
I felt like I couldn’t make them happy no matter how hard I tried, their emotions were overwhelming, and it became a really difficult situation.
That said, I want listeners to interpret the song however they like, if someone relates to it in a completely different way than I experienced, that’s perfect.
That’s exactly what I hope my music does: connect with people.
HAPPY: Lyrically, it captures the feeling of trying to hold on. Was it difficult to revisit those emotions from 2022 during the recording process?
ELKE SCHON: Definitely. When we started reworking it, I was nervous about sharing it because the lyrics are so personal.
But the process ended up feeling really healing. I wasn’t in the same emotional place anymore, so it shifted from discomfort to closure.
I’ve grown to connect with the feelings I had when I first wrote it, and with the song itself, which made me fall in love with it even more.
HAPPY: With ‘Still Hurts’ out in the world, what’s next for you and your new band? Can we expect more new music soon?
ELKE SCHON: Yes! We’re already working on more tracks and really enjoying experimenting with our sound as a band.
“Still Hurts” feels like the first step into this new chapter, and we definitely don’t want to stop here.
You can expect more releases and some live shows in the near future!
HAPPY: Lastly, what makes you happy?
ELKE SCHON: What makes me happiest is friends, connections, and community.
I love being around people who support and love me, it’s really what brings me the most joy.
