In his newly released single, “Gone Glow,” French-Algerian artist and Kansas City native Elias Abid is noticeably more self-assured, polished, and vulnerable than in his previous work. It’s the first song from his debut EP, opticplay, which is set to come out this Fall. Abid will be playing that song, as well as unreleased ones before a watch party for the Switzerland vs. Algeria World Cup match at In The Lowest Ferns on July 2 at 8 p.m.
Abid grew up between France and Kansas City, dreaming of one day playing soccer professionally. His upcoming performance on July 2 is especially serendipitous, as it will commemorate his love for soccer, his heritage, and his music all in one event.
“Gone Glow” is a creative deviation for Abid. The electronic, alternative-pop song features bilingual verses in French and is inspired by indie sleaze, other bands he heard growing up listening to on 96.5 The Buzz, and his collaborators.
“I met Chris Keating, who was formerly in the band Yeasayer, at a writing camp,” Abid says. “We formed a good, creative relationship. I was living in LA at the time.”
The two released Polydukes together in 2024, an EP made up of three songs that mirror the creative influences of “Gone Glow,” which they went on to co-write, record, and perform together. Abid has also collaborated with artists like Aaron Branch, Appleby, Summer Heart, and others.
Abid says that when collaborating with other artists, “you get to become a fan of their work, even though it’s something that you’re contributing to. A lot of my time as a producer and songwriter was really just helping amplify other voices, so I think that I find the collaboration almost a safe space,” he says.
The cover for Elias Abid’s single “Gone Glow” // Photo by Lisa Morel
To Abid, opticplay is “a departure, not just sonically for myself as an artist, but also a personal departure, a shift in identity.”
The name depicts a shift in perspective, something Abid sees playing out all around him, especially during the World Cup.
“I’m thinking about this kind of optical shift that’s happening in Kansas City, the world and Algeria,” Abid says. “How gracious the Lawrence community has been to the Algerian people, and even vice versa, seeing these cultures and countries coming in and having a shift around what it means to interact globally. I think I’m still learning about what this project means to me as I continue to go through this process,” Abid says.
The watch party is 21+ and is free to attend. Abid will perform a little after 9 p.m., with the watch party beginning at 10 p.m.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.thepitchkc.com ’
