Some bands aren’t afraid to address the elephant in the room. For Montreal quartet What If Elephants, it’s fundamental. Since coming together in early 2014 with the creation of their first true collaborative effort “Candles,” the band has striven to strike a delicate balance with their elegant and rousing indie pop-folk sound: Between accessible pop and deeper, introspective lyrics that lie just below the surface. On their melodious and poised debut EP, 2015’s Getaway, listeners have the option to simply enjoy it at their own pace, or they can listen more closely to the message and reflect upon singer Joey Langlois’ heartfelt, relatable words. “In life, we experience so many challenges and the only thing we can control is ourselves,” explains Langlois. “The lyrical focus is on ‘what can I do to deal with my situation?’ It’s a positive perspective on personal growth in the face of the adversities we all face.” The reason why Langlois and his bandmates – Alanna Martin, Justin Wiley, and Eric Létourneau – do what they do is also where their diverse musical backgrounds intersect: To experience the impact music can have on people. They’re driven by the simplest things, like seeing an unexpected crowd reaction, but also by the opportunity to make lasting, positive connections. Says Langlois: “We want to give people the freedom to experience their emotions.” So far, Montreal music fans have responded: What If Elephants reached the top ten in the Montreal region of CBC Searchlight in 2015, 2016, and 2017. They opened for another rising Montreal band, Motel Raphaël, at their album launch for Cable TV in 2014. At Petit Campus in October 2015, they launched Getaway. The band is also hard at work on future projects beyond Getaway. There’s an album in development, and they’ve had the opportunity to work with legendary recording engineer and inventor George Massenburg (Earth, Wind & Fire, Billy Joel) at McGill University. Says Wiley: “There’s something magical about music. Regardless of what language you speak or culture you come from, music is universal. It can inspire, bring comfort, joy and memories lost to time, and to be able to see this effect on people while listening to music is what inspires us most to continue performing and creating art.” What If Elephants are: Joey Langlois - Guitar, Lead Vocals Alanna Martin - Keys, Cello, Vocals Justin Wiley - Drums, Percussion Eric Létourneau - Bass, Mandolin, Vocals Releases: 2017: Edge - single 2015: Getaway – EP 2014: Candles – single