Eloi El’s musical journey was predestined, growing up in a household steeped in music in Kigali, Rwanda. His father, a respected guitarist exploring diverse genres like rumba and Afro-Jazz, laid the foundation for El’s musical path. By the age of 13, he was already showcasing his musical prowess, performing live with his siblings and honing his skills in the Rwandan language of Ikinyarwanda.

But El’s musical output and life path changed suddenly in 2018 via an unlikely influence: Kygo. Upon first hearing the superstar producer, El redirected his efforts from hip-hop and afrobeat productions to a style of dance music parallel to the Norwegian powerhouse’s. Despite the genre not yet gaining traction in Rwanda, El refined his craft in tropical house, deep house, and chill house production via YouTube tutorials and quickly became the most streamed Spotify artist in Rwanda after hustling to get 25 of his tracks released via an array of worldwide imprints.

Launching his debut track “Frozen” in 2020, El continued a steady output of successful music, but destiny intervened in 2021 when Kygo’s Palm Tree Records reached out, leading to El’s signing with the label.

Since then, El’s career has flourished. Following the release of the uplifting Stick Together EP in 2022, he unveiled his dreamy debut album, Above Ground, in 2024. With each release, El solidifies his position as a rising star in the music industry, his remarkable journey and undeniable talent marking him as one to watch closely.