ELENI MANDELL "Tailspin" breaks seven-year hiatus defined by isolation and profound personal transformation

After a seven-year hiatus defined by global isolation and profound personal transformation, the noir-pop siren ELENI MANDELL returns with Tailspin. Releasing on May 29th via Schoolkids Records, this album feels less like a comeback and more like a survival kit lullaby. A collection of 14 poignant songs emerging from the fog of grief, divorce, and the sometimes painfully quiet heroism of single motherhood. To support the release, Mandell will embark on a summer tour running from June 14th to August 7th.

For a while, it seemed the music might never come back to her. Like so many female artists navigating the precarious balance of career and family, Mandell faced challenges during the pandemic years. She stepped away from the stage to teach high school English, supporting her two children, one on the autism spectrum, through the uncertainty of lockdown. She navigated the loss of her father and her longtime mentor, Los Angeles music legend, Chuck E. Weiss, alongside a breakup and an inevitable transition to suburban life. But silence, for an artist of Mandell’s caliber, is rarely permanent. Tailspin is the sound of the engine restarting. A low, insistent hum that signals an artist finding her frequency after a long, static-filled silence.

Standout tracks like “Life is Sometimes”, “Lemon Tree,” and “Flirtatious Friend” showcase Mandell’s signature blend of raw emotion and sharp storytelling. “Life is Sometimes” confronts the unpredictable duality of life, moving between moments of pure joy and the gut-punch of hardship, leaving listeners to nod along in recognition.”Lemon Tree” offers a quieter, more sentimental reflection. Inspired by her daughter, Della, and their move to a new home, the song is a tender ode to motherhood and the transient beauty of a child’s wonder. “Flirtatious Friend,” on the other hand, sizzles with the sultry tension and unspoken chemistry that can only exist between two people who know each other almost too well. These songs prove her mastery of turning vulnerability into melodies that stick with you.

“I didn’t know if I’d ever make another record,” Mandell shares. And yet, the songs emerged, as if from a dream, steeped in the same smoky blend of noir-pop, folk, and jazz that has long established her as an “L.A. treasure” (LA Weekly). What emerges is an album that almost abandons the stage in favor of an intimate, late-night confession. It honors the beauty and burden of showing up for real life, stripping away any facade to reveal the grit required to maintain hope. This is a record for anyone who has had to reinvent themselves when the world stopped turning.

Mandell’s impact on the indie music scene is undeniable. Her songs have been covered by renowned artists like Jackson Browne, Inara George, and Irma Thomas, showcasing her far-reaching influence. A cherished member of harmony group,The Living Sisters, Mandell continues to captivate audiences with her genre-defying talent. NPR aptly described her as “a singer-songwriter who doesn’t belong to any one genre,” and her album Tailspin is a testament to her ability to capture the truth of the moment. Artists like Lera Lynn and Benji Hughes have also honored her work through powerful covers, further solidifying her place as a music icon.

Tailspin pre-order: https://schoolkidsrecords.com/UPC/634457240599

1. How Will I Know

2. Music and Motion

3. Teardrop Ghost

4. Lemon Tree

5. Life Is Sometimes

6. Mama Loves You

7. Better Than Love

8. White Car

9. Hard to Be Lonely

10. Earthly Home

11. Flirtatious Friend

12. Go Look at the Sky

13. Trying to Remember How to Save You

14. Old Man, Old Dog

see ELENI MANDELL live:

06/02 Los Angeles CA @ 2220 Arts & Archives

06/14 Portland OR @ Music Millenium

06/15 Pendleton OR @ Pendleton Center for the Arts

06/17 Seattle WA @ The Triple Door

06/19 Portland OR @ Polaris Hall

07/15 San Francisco CA @ The Chapel

07/18 Minneapolis MN @ The Hook and Ladder

07/22 Philadelphia PA @ 48 Record Bar

07/23 New York NY @ Barbès

07/25 Beacon NY @ Lucky Dog/Beacon Music Factory

07/27 Cambridge MA @ Club Passim

07/29 Carrboro NC @ Cat’s Cradle

ELENI MANDELL is a Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter known for her smoky vocals, sharp lyrical storytelling, and genre-blending style that spans jazz, folk, pop, and indie rock. A longtime favorite of discerning music fans, she’s been compared to artists like Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, and Lucinda Williams — but her voice and sensibility are uniquely her own as she focuses on small stories and intricacies of everyday life, romance, heartbreak and family in the vast landscape of Los Angeles.

With over a dozen albums to her name, including Miracle of Five and I Can See the Future, Mandell’s songs explore love, motherhood, loneliness, and longing with elegance and wit. She’s also a founding member of the acclaimed harmony quartet, The Living Sisters, alongside Inara George, Alex Lilly, and Becky Stark.

Whether solo or in collaboration, Mandell’s music evokes a cinematic world full of charm, ache, and quiet power — the kind of songs that feel like secrets set to melody.