IN THE STUDIO WITH EVA THE DIVA

By Vivian Miller ‘26

Eva Millay Evans is a Hamilton College campus enigma. If you’re lucky enough to know Eva, you know that she’s a terrifically talented and warm presence in every room she walks into. I first found out about Eva’s campus micro-celebrity status after she performed one of her own songs at a Soul Foods dinner. Her voice has a clear, swirling quality that mesmerizes her listeners and transports them to lazy afternoons. But how did “The Diva” get her radio start? Eva told me, “I applied to be a DJ because I felt like I had really come into my own as a songwriter and I wanted a way to make friends and meet other musicians on campus.” She met with Jonathan Meade to ask if it was possible for her to play her music live on the radio. Eva decided to be the change she wanted to see and pursued her dream of having her own music broadcast.

The Continental: What inspired you to start writing songs in the first place?

Eva: When I was really young I wanted to be a singer. My mom ran a singing group so I grew up surrounded by music. Around fourth grade, I started writing stories about fairies.

The bottom line is that Eva loved telling, reading, and dreaming up stories. When she realized that she could combine her love of writing with her love of music, all the pieces began to fall into place. Drawing inspiration from the people she loves, literature, and folk/country music, Eva began to grow into the maestro we know today. She also uses music as a way to connect to her father.

The Continental: Where do you draw inspiration from?

Eva: I drew a lot of inspiration from my dad. I lost him when I was ten to leukemia. I really want to live in the moment and soak up joy all the time. He loved music and lived music.

“Eva the Diva” was actually a childhood nickname that she uses as an affectionately referential moniker. Eva’s ability to wear her heart on her sleeve clearly contributes to her abilities as a songwriter. She told me she’s influenced by the lyricism of Sondheim, Taylor Swift, Joni Mitchell, and more. She loves country and folk music as genres because they’re built to tell stories.

The Continental: What is it like being a musician at Hamilton and being perceived as a songwriter?

Eva: It’s honestly so fun and funny. [Laughs] At my old school I felt kind of afraid to be THE songwriter but Hamilton has given me a sense of freedom to do what I love. I kind of by accident became a campus entity. Some of my favorite moments are when someone I don’t know on campus goes, “Oh, I saw you perform!”

Eva wrapped up our discussion by emphasizing how inspiring it is as a musician to work with other musicians. Her innovative spirit is a beautiful reflection of Hamilton’s ability to cultivate talents and promote young artists.

If you haven’t yet listened to Eva’s music, check out Rain, out now on all streaming platforms!