Eric Lewis

Eric Lewis, known professionally as ELEW, is a concert pianist, DJ and film composer whose work fuses jazz with rock and pop; he delivered a talk and performance at TEDNext 2025 about his journey from jazz pianist to DJ.

Agency Lies in Choosing the Next Track

Musician ELEW argues that life resembles DJing in “Club Reality”: disruptions cannot be prevented, but people remain responsible for choosing what comes next. Drawing on his move from jazz piano to DJing, he says the work is less about technical virtuosity than preparation, empathy and reading the room rather than imposing a preselected plan. He extends the metaphor to mental health, arguing that choices shape the atmosphere of one’s mind even when circumstances do not cooperate.

TEDJul 18, 20264 min read