ELTUS
Paris-based electronic artist ELTUS discusses the inspiration behind “CAN’T OWN ME,” a powerful dance anthem driven by themes of freedom, self-respect, and inner strength, blending infectious club energy with a deeply personal message.
1. “CAN’T OWN ME” was inspired by a powerful real-life experience during your travels. How did witnessing that moment of resistance shape both the song’s message and its musical direction?
During one of my travels, I witnessed a young woman who clearly understood that her actions could lead to serious consequences. But even with that pressure around her, she acted with complete conviction. There was fire in her eyes, strength in her character, and a sense that nobody could really stop her.
That moment stayed with me. It was not just about rebellion — it was about inner freedom. She was not asking for permission to be herself. She was drawing a line around her own soul.
Musically, I wanted “CAN’T OWN ME” to carry that same energy. The track needed to feel fast, confident, and impossible to hold back — with a strong kick, a driving bassline, and a vocal performance that feels bold, feminine, and fearless. I did not want the song to feel sad or passive. I wanted it to feel like movement, resistance, and power.
2. The track blends dancefloor energy with a deeper statement about freedom and self-ownership. How important is it for you to balance entertainment with meaningful storytelling in your music?
For me, it is very important. Most of my tracks carry a certain philosophy of life. I do not want electronic music to be only about rhythm, dancing, or energy. Of course, the track has to work on the dancefloor — the groove, the bass, and the atmosphere must move people physically. But I also want the idea behind the music to stay with them emotionally.
I believe music can reach people in a way that ordinary words sometimes cannot. Through sound, emotion, and movement, you can speak directly to something deeper inside the listener. That is what I try to do with my music: create tracks that people can dance to, but also feel and think about after the music stops.
3. Askella’s vocal performance is a central element of the single. What made her the right collaborator for this project, and how did she help bring the song’s emotional core to life?
I have always been drawn to female vocals, especially when they feel emotional and come from the heart. For this song, I needed a voice that could carry not only the melody, but also the strength, vulnerability, and inner fire behind the message.
Askella became the right vocal identity for this project because her voice carries that feminine energy in a powerful way. I felt that this kind of vocal performance could express my thoughts and emotions more completely than words alone. “CAN’T OWN ME” is about freedom, self-respect, and the courage to stand your ground, and the vocal had to sound alive, confident, and fearless.
For me, Askella helped turn the idea of the song into something human and emotional. She gave the track its heart.
4. You’ve mentioned that “CAN’T OWN ME” was built around the message first and the beat second. Can you take us through the creative process of turning a personal philosophy into a club-ready electronic track?
For me, “CAN’T OWN ME” started with the idea first. I did not begin by thinking only about the beat or the club energy. I began with the message: a person must have the right to belong to themselves, to protect their inner freedom, and to refuse being controlled by someone else.
After that, I started thinking about how this idea should sound musically. I did not want the track to feel soft or dramatic in a sad way. I wanted it to feel like confidence, movement, and resistance. That is why the rhythm had to be strong, the bassline had to push forward, and the vocal had to sound bold and fearless.
The creative process was about turning an inner statement into physical energy. The philosophy became the emotion, the emotion became the vocal, and the vocal led the track into a club direction. In the end, I wanted “CAN’T OWN ME” to work both as a dance track and as a personal declaration of freedom.
5. As ELTUS, you aim to create electronic music that resonates beyond the dancefloor. What themes or stories are you most interested in exploring in future releases?
In my music, I try to reflect the way I see life. Many of my tracks come from my inner world, from the emotions, thoughts, and personal state I am experiencing at the moment when I write the lyrics or build the idea of the track.
I do not want to limit myself to only one mood or one message. Sometimes my music can be deep and philosophical. Sometimes it can be lighter, more positive, and more entertaining. But even then, I want it to feel honest. Each track is different because each one reflects a different state of my soul at that time.
In future releases, I want to continue exploring themes connected with freedom, inner strength, human emotions, personal choices, and the way people fight to remain themselves. For me, electronic music is not only sound and rhythm. It is also a way to express what is happening inside a person.
6. The line, “For me, CAN’T OWN ME is not only a title. It is a line you draw around your own soul,” is particularly striking. What do you hope listeners take away from that message after hearing the song?
I hope listeners feel that they have the right to protect their own inner world. “CAN’T OWN ME” is not only about resisting someone else’s control. It is about remembering who you are, even when the world tries to tell you what role to play.
For me, the line “a line you draw around your own soul” means self-respect. It means there is a place inside every person that should never be owned, broken, or controlled by anyone else.
After hearing the song, I want people to feel stronger. I want them to feel that they can stand their ground, trust themselves, and say: my life, my soul, my choice. You can love me, you can walk beside me, but you cannot own me.