Is this all there is? Wake up, go to work, come home - what am I doing? ” “
Spotlight on Business: Tell us a little about yourself and your ties to Nova Scotia. Elyse Aeryn: I was born and raised on Cape Breton Island. I went to school here, but as soon as I had the chance to leave, I moved to Halifax. I thought I’d never want to come back. I went to university, got a degree in chemical engineering, then quickly moved to New Brunswick. From there, I ended up in Toronto and eventually in the U.S., working in the pulp and paper industry. Some time after that, I figured out who I really was and surprisingly, found myself back where I started - on Cape Breton Island. It’s a place I never thought I’d return to, doing something I never thought I’d do - and here I am! Spotlight on Business: What do you like to do in your spare time when you are not writing music or on stage? EA: That’s a funny question for me because when music was just a hobby, it took up every second of my life outside of work - I was always writing, booking shows, performing, or playing with friends. But now that music is my work, I make time for other things too - life can’t be all about one thing. A few years ago, I got my motorcycle license and bought a Honda Shadow 750, and it’s become my favourite summertime hobby. Living on Cape Breton Island, I only get a few months a year to ride, but my partner and I make the most of it - it’s one of our favourite things to do together. I also love going to live music shows and concerts whenever I can, and when I’m home, I’m a bit of a homebody who loves to read - especially biographies and memoirs about musicians and artists.
Spotlight on Business: When did your passion for music begin? EA: I always loved music. I’ve always felt like I knew I loved it in a way that was different from the average person - it was something I connected with deeply, one of my favourite things. I joined the school band in fourth grade and stayed in it until grade 12. I played the clarinet, but I didn’t get my first guitar until I was 16, after begging my parents for one. When I finally got it, I absolutely fell in love. I wanted to play every single day, every chance I could get. But when I went off to university and had to support myself, music fell by the wayside. It felt like a hobby, something fun, and I think society can lead us to believe that something we enjoy that much can’t possibly be the thing we do all the time. So I pushed it aside, but that didn’t last - music eventually made its way back into my life as it was always there, always a central part of who I am. Spotlight on Business: What made you decide to leave your job as a chemical engineer and head back to Cape Breton to pursue music? EA: When I started off in the engineering world, I knew it was just for now. I didn’t see myself doing it forever, but I didn’t know what I saw myself doing instead. Eventually, I found myself in a place where I was asking, “Is this all there is? Wake up, go to work, come home - what am I doing?” I didn’t feel fulfilled. I didn’t feel lit up. It got to the point where I realized I couldn’t just keep going through the motions of life - I felt like life was passing me by. So, I did a lot of soul- searching. I read books, listened to podcasts and looked for examples of people who had
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