BIOGRAPHY
Originally from Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Eden Iris is a songwriter/performer who has been described as “...an artist in tune with the roaming troubadour wordsmiths of old" (Tom Hilton, Aldora Britain Records). Eden pushes the boundaries of indie-folk/americana music by combining infectious pop melodies, confessional lyrics, and the grit of alt-country stringed instruments to create a unique and compelling experience for her listeners.
Moving to Los Angeles at twenty years-old with just a suitcase and a guitar, Eden’s music has taken her to cities such as Nashville, Austin, and New Orleans to write and perform with established songwriters. Commanding a strong live performance with her dynamic rhythm guitar technique, she has supported acts such as Tami Neilson, Troy Kingi, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and co-written with songwriters such as Maia Sharp (Bonnie Raitt, The Chicks), Dean Fields (Garth Brooks) and Cy Winstanley (Tattletail Saints).
Eden spent the early years of her twenties honing her song-craft. Based in the sunny valley of Burbank, she worked the Hollywood singer-songwriter circuit by co-writing and performing at esteemed venues such as The Hotel Café. This paved the way for a premiere and feature with Billboard and American Songwriter Magazine with her single “Worse Things” (co-written with and produced by Maia Sharp). In a city well-known for its vibrant and competitive music scene, she also received extensive radio-play on 88.5 KCSN, with acclaimed DJ Nic Harcourt spinning her music frequently.
After churning out singles for years and steadily building up a loyal fanbase, Eden released her debut album The Fuchsia & the Grey in April, 2021. The album was described by Buzzbands LA as “ethereal-folk-pop”and was warmly received by her listeners, and bloggers around the world. Joe Sumner (Sting’s son) selected several songs off the album to play on his radio show, and covered another single of Eden’s, “Time She is Dancing By”.
In 2020, Eden received a grant from the New Zealand Music Commission to travel and perform at the Folk Alliance International Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana. That same year, she was awarded Folk/Acoustic Act of the Year by UK-based radio-station Radio Wigwam. Eden was also a winner of the International Songwriting Competition, “Inspire Your Songs” category in May, 2021.
In early 2024, Eden moved back to New Zealand. Her experience of leaving the now-familiar metropolis of LA can be heard in the lyrics of her single “Sunshine Motel"— a brooding country ballad with shades of Elliot Smith and Mazzy Star. But it didn’t take Eden long to plug into a new musical community in the Tāmaki Makaurau live music scene. Within months, she was performing in the ‘Past and Present’ concert organized by the Charlotte Museum Te Whare Takatāpui-Wāhine o Aotearoa. Here she would form her new band, Eden Iris Trio, with musicians Kim Halliday and Sarah Charlie Rose. The Eden Iris Trio will be touring New Zealand in April 2025.
Eden is currently working on her next record, which promises the same authenticity and tenderness that her listeners have grown accustomed to.