A forward-thinker with a natural talent for placing himself at the centre of culture, Flying Lotus is the embodiment of a creative visionary. Steven Ellison has traversed between career titles since 2006. Under the guise of Flying Lotus, the musician, filmmaker, and label founder is referential beyond the LA-scene he came up in. Instead, his globally-recognized capabilities have become a pillar across a number of artistic mediums. Ellison continues to expand the Flying Lotus universe on his new EP BIG MAMA–his first release under his label Brainfeeder.
When Ellison and I chat on the phone in late-January, he is still weeks out from announcing the EP. He spent the last few years slowing down on releasing music to focus on making his directorial debut with Kuso (2017) and Ash (2024). In true jack-of-all-trades fashion, Ellison finds different types of fulfillment across all art forms he pursues. “I think the beauty of working on music is that it’s a spiritual place for me to go to. It shows its face that way, and it’s very fulfilling and gratifying to have music when I’m feeling all types of ways,” he explains. While contrasting the two, Ellison admits that despite film being more challenging for him to explore, it satisfies an alternative portion of his imagination. External forces that play into film are typically what prompts a Flying Lotus return to music.
“[In film] there’s so much to do with other people’s opinions, money, and all that stuff where it makes you wish that you had music. I could do that by myself. I don’t have to convince anyone that I have a good idea because I can pursue it on my own–that’s really the big difference.”
Throughout each Flying Lotus release, the all-around goal has been translating the enjoyment and enthusiasm that Ellison feels in his process to his listeners. Creating from feeling rather than a specific vision has been vital to his practice. Implementing lessons from his peers and inspirations across music or film–such as Thundercat, Terrence Malick, Hiro Murai, and Quentin Dupieux, to develop his process has also contributed greatly to his artistic success. “[Thundercat] has pushed me to be a better musician, grow my musicianship, and increase my understanding of how music works–especially with the rules and how to break them,” he says before pivoting to his film making side, where Hiro Murai’s process specifically made an impact on his own.
“Being the Zen master has gotten him so far. Even when things are chaotic while he’s directing, he keeps it Zen. People vibe off that energy and everything feels like it’s going to be okay because he’s okay. I’ve learned that feeling has a huge ripple effect. It’s something to admire when you see it in real time. It’s really good adopting that and trying to remember people don’t just look to you for direction–they look to you for confidence, leadership, time management, and all those things.”
BIG MAMA is the vehicle that expands Flying Lotus’ experimental abilities further than previous projects. In accepting his self-imposed challenge to create loop-based music without any loops, the EP turned into a “cartoonish-departure from serious or algorithmic music,” striking the BIG imagery of being immersed in a dismantled gaming console. “The sound sparked the image. I was just chasing chaos with this project, trying to make it reflect the chaos of the world in my mind and everything I was feeling,” explains Ellison. Unintentionally, he re-emphasizes the crux of his creative process–producing from emotion rather than a keen image.
The intention behind the layers and intricacies of Flying Lotus’ projects speak from the work itself, in comparison to being placed into the music during production. While nostalgia and nods to electronic, hip hop, and funk can be found within his discography, Ellison’s work positions him as a standalone on the referential timeline of electronic music. “I try to stretch it out, you know. I have a lot of reference points from history, from everything I’ve listened to and everything I’ve loved, whether it be from past or present,” he notes.
Ellison’s motivation to create continues from immersing himself in new challenges, acquiring new knowledge, and taking that knowledge further in any way he can. Being an active music figure since 2006, Flying Lotus has achieved some of the highest-levels of success by industry standards. However, in lieu of the accolades, personal success feels simple for Ellison. “I define my success by being here still. Some of the people I came up with aren’t working right now, or they’re not creating stuff and had to go back to work. I’m very grateful to still be here and people still care about what I’m doing after all this time.”
Izzy Petraglia is a publicist, writer and photographer based in Toronto. Within her work, she loves to tie in her passion for music, fashion, and pop culture. Follow her on Instagram.