The legendary reggae group the Wailers went out last June and got a new family member—and like any proud family, they can't wait to show off what their new kid can do.

Elan Atias—the newest singer to fill the spot once held by Bob Marley—is far from what anyone would expect of a reggae artist. For starters, he isn’t Jamaican. He’s a mix of orthodox Jew, Native American and Moroccan. But when it comes to Elan (who goes by only his first name), looks can be deceiving. This white boy from L.A. can croon Bob Marley’s tunes with an uncanny resemblance. Like velvet brushed against the grain, Elan’s voice is an array of tones and textures. Not to mention, he has that Jamaican accent down pat.

The Wailer’s founder, Aston “Familyman” Barrett, first got a taste of Elan’s skill back in 1997, when 20-year-old Elan first joined the band. He left three years later to spread his own wings. Now, after two solo albums and collaborations with the likes of Gwen Stefani and Eve, Elan is back and can be found on stage with the Wailers this summer. Metromix caught up with the young singer on the Wailers tour bus to ask him what it's like filling reggae's most famous shoes.    

How in the world did an Israeli/Moroccan, Jewish, Native American kid from Los Angeles learn to speak patois?
Just growing up listening to music and traveling to Jamaica a lot. Mainly traveling to Jamaica a lot. I speak patois and I understand, but on stage I’m not speaking to the audience in patois or an accent or whatever. It’s just when I’m singing the Wailer songs... my voice just comes out that way.

You’re the frontman of the Wailers now and you’re being compared to Bob Marley, who I think is the greatest singer of all time...
Yeah me too.

That’s a pretty big title to hold. Are you scared of being compared to such a reputable singer?
No, ‘cause the truth is, I’m not trying to be Bob. I am who I am. I feel like he was my main inspiration in music. It’s a message, a vibe that I feel like he gave me a gift, because of how I was inspired by his music. I admire him so much. Being compared to him is an honor. I don’t see it as being scared or trying to fill someone’s shoes.

How does your style differ from Bob?
I was influenced by Bob and a lot of world artists. Today’s kids have the technology at the click of a button. I have the best of all music, from the blues, jazz, Beatles, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye--I listen to all that as a kid. Then all that Jamaican music: Buju [Banton], Shabba [Ranks], Maxi Priest. I mix in Latin, Arabic and mash it all together.

I would think joining the Wailers is like signing up to be the next guy to host "The Price is Right"—it’s a lifetime commitment. But you left after just three and a half years. Why did you leave?
The truth is I look at it like this. I was like 19 when I first came in, something like that. I didn’t go to college. I look at those years as my college years. And I had the best professors. All the guys in the band, I learned so much from them. I had never performed with another band. Never had a sound check, never had a rehearsal, never been on stage with a band, let alone in front of 6,000 people or whatever. Those were my college years.

But you left?
No, I graduated.

Then why didn’t you go to grad school and get your masters?
I wanted to make own masters. [laughs] Make my own album. I didn’t leave on a sour note. After four years of college, you gotta graduate and not everybody goes to graduate school. I wanted to move forward and I felt I needed to do it for myself. I needed to go and be the guy opening up and not getting paid. I needed to be the guy figuring out where I’m going to sleep that night. I needed to learn to be a true Jamaican at heart with 10 different jobs on the road—the tour manager, the singer, the merch guy, the engineer. I’ve even been the driver. It was a good learning experience.

When’s the next Wailers record going to be out?
God willing, it’ll be out [next] summer and the single in the spring. It’s going to be very conscious and on the green vibe. You know what I mean?
 
Will you debut any of the songs while on tour?
Yeah, we’re thinking about it. There’s this one song called "No More War." Me and Fams [Familyman] have been working on it. We might add "No More War" and a couple of songs from my album.

Do you think in the future we can start to see Bob Marley and the Wailers replaced with Elan and the Wailers?
You can’t replace Bob Marley and the Wailers. We’re not looking to replace that.