Photo by Casey Curry
There’s always something delightfully askew in the world of Elle Belle—where big feelings meet analog synths, and where heartbreak sounds a lot like transcendence. Today, the shape-shifting indie rock project led by Los Angeles-based artist Christopher Pappas drops its newest single, “Figure 8,” on Little Record Company, and it’s exactly the kind of beautifully off-center song we’ve come to expect from one of alt-pop’s most unpredictable auteurs.
Pappas describes the track as “a sweet love song despite the brooding melody and dark chords,” and that contradiction is the magic trick. “Figure 8” isn’t begging to be understood—it’s more of a soft spiral, a looping meditation on love that refuses to resolve, echoing the way real relationships twist in on themselves. “I don’t know if there is a place where we could love each other forever,” Pappas croons, “but if there is, let’s go there.” It’s longing dressed up in melodic deception—sweet on the surface, but unraveling with every listen.
Elle Belle isn’t new to sonic sleight-of-hand. Over the years, Pappas has veered from synth-laden glitter rock to brash garage anthems to cinematic indie ballads, drawing comparisons to everyone from The National to Stars to Jack’s Mannequin. With “Figure 8,” he walks a tightrope between intimate piano balladry and lush, maximalist production, never quite letting the listener settle. Buzzbands LA called it: this is what The National might sound like if they time-traveled to the neon-drenched ’80s and let themselves feel a little too much.
The single follows a string of releases including “Boom Bam I’m Your Man,” “Train to Kyoto,” and the deliciously titled “Mozart Was Buried in a Pauper’s Grave.” Each track pulls from different corners of Elle Belle’s ever-expanding sonic universe, and yet all are stitched together by Pappas’ lyrical precision and irreverent sincerity. This is a guy who’s written music for NASA, scored musicals for off-Broadway, and assembled a 27-piece orchestra just for the hell of it—he’s not trying to be trendy. He’s trying to tell the truth, weird and warped as it may be.
It’s hard to pin Elle Belle down, but maybe that’s the point. There’s no algorithm here—just a restless artist bending genres to fit whatever mess of emotions needs expression. The latest album How Do I Feel? (released in 2023) posed the question; “Figure 8” might be an attempt at an answer, or at least a beautifully tangled detour.
If you’re in L.A., catch Elle Belle’s monthly residency at The Fable in Eagle Rock, where songs like “Figure 8” take on new lives in the glow of dim lights and clinking glasses. Or better yet, tap into Elle Belle’s Patreon for exclusive sessions and early music previews—because if there is a place where you can love a band forever, that just might be it.
“Figure 8” is such a unique track, blending brooding melodies with a sweet love story. Could you walk us through the inspiration behind the song and how you approached blending these contrasting elements?
Sometimes you’re lucky enough to not remember how a song came to be and this is one of those songs. Everything sort of fell out of me so I don’t really remember a clear process. I had this line in my head: Loving you is my life’s mission :: I keep telling everyone and it felt very simple and sweet.
You’ve described “Figure 8” as a love song that feels different. Can you elaborate on what makes this love feel different, and how that emotion shaped the song’s production and lyrics?
This is a tough question to answer. I’ve been sitting here trying to put into words what I’m feeling. I think about this quote a lot: The first half of life is about collecting beautiful things and the second half of life is about learning how to gracefully let them go. This is a love I won’t gracefully let go of.
Your music has often been described as genre-blending, ranging from synth-driven dance tunes to garage rock and pop anthems. How do you approach crafting songs that traverse these different styles, and what influences you along the way?
I get super fixated on new obsessions and I worry that I’m too inconsistent. Sometimes genre can be an aesthetic, but it can also be culture, so I always try and remember that I am a tourist in these musical traditions and to learn as much as I can.
You’ve been compared to a wide range of artists, including Jack’s Mannequin, Stars, Rilo Kiley, and even The National as an ’80s pop band. Do you find these comparisons accurate? How do you balance drawing from different musical influences while still maintaining your own unique voice?
I have no idea what I sound like. I’m not saying that in a way like “Oh NO ONE sounds like me, I’m SOOOO groundbreaking…” I mean it in the way that I have no idea what my music sounds like to people. Sort of like how we don’t REALLY know how we look to others. I think all those bands are great so I take it as a compliment. Especially Rilo Kiley, they have a super hot bassist.
Your career spans multiple projects, from writing for NASA to creating an off-Broadway musical and even working with a 27-piece orchestra. How do those diverse experiences inform your work as Elle Belle?
I used to be very compartmentalized with my writing but now I see that the lines are make believe. The difference between an Elle Belle song like Figure 8 and an orchestra piece I wrote exists only in my head.
“How Do I Feel?” was your most recent album, and it received a lot of attention. How does “Figure 8” fit into the overall arc of Elle Belle’s journey, and what direction do you see the project heading in next?
Did it? That’s good to know. I think I’m slowly losing my mind, so my main focus forward is to document that descent into madness. I asked Chatgpt the other day if “inadvertently rhyming too much was a sign of early dementia”. That’s 100% true and not a joke. I felt like I was rhyming by accident in conversations too much so I asked GPT if I had dementia. So those are my future plans.
You’ve spent a significant amount of time in different music scenes, from New Hampshire to Boston and now Los Angeles. How have these different environments shaped your approach to songwriting and performance?
That’s a really cool question. In NH/Boston I was in the indie/folk scene and damn, those motherfuckers could play. Boston focused me on the craft of what I was doing. Everyone was so insane at their instruments. That was their vocabulary. I wasn’t talented enough at guitar, mandolin, or piano, but I could bring my songs. So I dug into that and wrote and wrote and wrote. LA and the scene here strengthened my point of view as an artist. At least in the crowds I travel in you either have something to say with your art, or you can GTFO.
You’ve said in the past that you love creating vocal harmonies and catchy melodies. How do you find the balance between complexity and accessibility in your songwriting?
I don’t. Hahaha. Accessibility is not something I think about. I don’t know what people want so I feel unequipped on how to give it to them. I don’t get why things get popular. I used to be angry about it, but now I’m not so arrogant. Not everything is for me and I can’t make something for everyone. I should just write stuff for me, so the “other me’s” out there have someone to listen to. Ya know?
You have a strong presence on Patreon, offering exclusive content and behind-the-scenes access to fans. How important is community to you, and how do you connect with fans in a more personal way through platforms like this?
I have 7 people registered on my patreon. I want to build it up but I’m not a good salesman. Maybe this article can get me some new subscribers. I have my soul for rent up there for $666 a month. No takers as of yet.
Lastly, your live shows seem like an important part of the Elle Belle experience. What can fans expect when they catch the band live at The Fable, and what makes those monthly shows so special for you?
I love playing live. It’s kinda hard to explain the vibe of the residency and what makes it so magical. There’s something very raw and beautiful about the show and the people that come. I’d love to take all the credit but Thom and the rest of the staff at the Fable are the absolute best and they’ve really built a place unlike any other. I’m glad to be a part of it.
