Hey everyone!
I’m a 20-year-old guy from Brazil, and I’m a massive fan of Electric Light Orchestra.
ELO sparks something in me that I’m sure many of you feel too. I love Queen, The Beatles, Supertramp, and so many other legendary artists. I've literally gotten emotional listening to Goodbye Stranger and Now And Then. But honestly? No other band or song brings me the exact same feeling that ELO does. It’s wonderful and almost strange how deeply it hits me.
I first discovered them when I was 14, just tumbling down a YouTube rabbit hole. Like most people, the first track I stumbled upon was Mr. Blue Sky, and it sounded completely unlike anything I had ever heard before.
As time went on, I dove deeper into their discography, exploring new songs and albums. In the meantime, I grew up: finished school, fell in love, had my heart broken, studied, grieved losses, changed jobs, and navigated the good and tough seasons of life. Through every single phase, ELO was there.
I remember vividly crying over a breakup while listening to Telephone Line, or taking the bus to college with Above the Clouds blasting in my headphones. The more I learn about this band, the more I fall in love with them. Whenever I have some free time, I go back to the tracks I used to play on repeat years ago. Those songs are like time capsules, they bring back the exact emotions I felt back then. I can recall the exact moment I discovered a song and played it ten times in a row. No matter how many times I listen, hearing ELO always feels like the very first time.
Even though I’m a huge music lover overall, ELO will always be the greatest of all time for me. It evokes nostalgia, sadness, joy, and pure excitement like nothing else can.
To the older fans here: I genuinely envy those of you who got to see them live in their prime. Unfortunately, between living in South America and Jeff’s age, I won't get the chance to experience Jeff Lynne live. But man, am I grateful for the music he gave us.
Thanks for reading.