Izzy Spring is an up and coming singer from Los Angeles, California. She debuted last year with a hit. Her first single “Nobody Knows” has over 580K spins on Spotify, so far. She followed that release with the EP “Nostalgia” and her fan base continues to grow exponentially.
She is an eclectic artist with boundless energy. In addition to her soulful, jazz infused singing skills, Izzy Spring is a harpist, trapeze performer (aerialist) and a visual effects designer. This year for the Holiday Season she offers up a Christmas song for the rest of us. “Home for the Holidays” takes a look at the reality of the holiday not as a joyous occasion but instead an event of forced fun and family feuds. You can hear “Home for the Holidays” on the Deep Indie Holidays playlist. We had a virtual sit down with Izzy Spring to talk about the song, the season and the future.
8 Questions With Izzy Spring
The Static Dive: Where are you from?
Izzy Spring: Los Angeles California! Born and raised!
SD: How long have you been making music?
IS: Since I was young enough that it was socially acceptable (and even adorable) for me to be singing Journey songs in public restrooms while I took a sh*t. Or so I’ve heard from my incredibly embarrassed mom.
SD: Who are the musicians involved in your project?
IS: It’s really just me and an insanely talented musician and composer named Ethan Algazi, who’s on production! I have to give props to this guy, because he really takes my voice and my thought process into account and works with me to mold and create my sound.
The level of respect he gives me as an artist means the world. Plus he’s mad good at what he does. He’s mainly a film composer (which you can really hear in the new sound and direction I’ve gone towards lately). If you’re interested in any of his other work I recommend looking at his company (It’s called Atemporal Productions). Also (not to forget a really important player) there’s my dad who helped me record a few of these tracks. He’s the best!
SD: Who are your biggest musical influences?
IS: My parents of course (because I grew up listening to them sing) but Hailey Williams of paramore is absolutely iconic, and it would be a S I N if I didn’t mention Heart. The Wilson sisters will forever rule a part of my mind.
SD: What is your greatest non-musical influence?
IS: I’m a huge fan of fantasy novels and manga. I love Neil Gaiman. I also love Brandon Sanderson. I also highly recommend this web serial called Worm (it doesn’t start off great but if you can get passed the first part it’s AMAZING). Basically I’m a simp for escapism, and most of what rules my mind is exploring worlds I want to be a part of. I also love the cynicism authors can have in their voicing of specific characters. It kind of makes me feel like… “gee I can relate to that”. Which is something I want to capture in my music, because while I’m a romantic, I’m also a bit of a cynic.
SD: What inspired you to create this project?
IS: 2020 being the absolute mess it is. That and seeing a lot of my lgbtqia+ friends dreading the holidays since their families have disowned them. Honestly I’ve never really liked the holidays for my own personal reasons, so when I was basically told by my label I need to release a holiday track to stay relevant, I found– for the life of me– I couldn’t write anything like what they wanted (which was something happy and fun). They even asked if I could make the lyrics more hopeful. No offense to a lot of the older generation, but they might’ve killed whatever hope my generation has for the future.
SD: What are your plans for the future (musically)?
IS: I do have a BUNCH of songs in the works and a few that are already ready! The first of which is scheduled to be released next year is a song called Monsters in the Closet! Super proud of that one, and I’m so anxious to release more. Aside from that, I’ve never exactly had a plan. I think music is more of an impulse and an addiction. I want to explore this sound I’m in more, but I’m also dying to work with some musicians I love and get out of the musical bubble I sit in.
SD: Is there anything else you would like to say?
Izzy Spring: I know a lot of my prior music sounds really really different. My production has changed a lot and I’m also progressing really rapidly as a songwriter. I just hope that if you get a chance to listen to Home for the Holidays and you relate, that you can remember you aren’t alone during this season. It’s a miserable year and I’m not going to pretend it’s going to get better, but if I think there’s hope in anything it’s that there’s an empathetic group of people out there who probably feel how you do.