Izzy Thomas
English singer/songwriter Izzy Thomas revealed her brand new single “Trouble” on March 1st. Written by Izzy Thomas, Barry McLean, and produced by Max Honsinger, the new single is an explosive alternative pop/rock single showcasing Thomas’ soulful and powerful vocals.
“This track is a message now as an experienced artist, saying whatever doesn't kill me, better run! Although it came from that particular place for me, I would say it is an anthem for anyone with a message to sing”.
Thomas has performed in iconic music venues such as the Birmingham Barclay card Arena supporting Placebo, the Genting Arena supporting Bryan Adams, the original Hard Rock Cafe, LA's Hotel Cafe and many more.
“Trouble” is now available everywhere.
Introduce yourself - where are you from?
I'm Izzy Thomas, from Hull East Yorkshire!
What’s your story?
I come from a mixed background. My mother is Iranian, and my father is British. A lot of people think I’m Italian for some reason! There are no musicians in my family, no relatives etc that are big session players, I didn't go to Brit school or Berkley, I just got in to music very organically on my own.
I started writing poems as a child, these slowly turned in to songs, then I started getting guitar lessons and singing. I sang in a few bands, then realised I wanted to be solo, and kinda went from there.
Do you remember your early musical memories? How old were you?
It was basically my dad coming home from work and playing his records after tea. He was a big rock fan, as was I. I'd mime to the music on my own, when I'd see my mother was watching all along I'd get real embarassed and cry ha!
Could you tell us about your first experience in the music industry? What lessons did you learn as an artist?
In my home city, when I was younger I’d do these cover gigs for a bit of extra money, some of them were in really rough parts of the city so my dad would come with me. Sometimes I'd also sing at boxing games during the intervals.. in the ring! You'd get a lot of these drunk dudes heckling and shouting out sexist/inappropriate stuff, I was so young and so nervous to begin with, then all that just kinda toughened me up over time.
I don't do these kind of gigs anymore, but that was really in the deep end!
At what point did you decide to pursue music as a career? What did your family and friends think of it?
My parents were worried at first, especially my mum. I went to uni and studied photography which I really enjoyed, but my heart was always in music. At the time of being a student I was living in a Leeds house share with these other girls, I think they saw it as a bit of a joke as they were all extremely academic and doing these uni courses that weren’t artistic at all, so for me being the artist, I always felt like the black sheep. I've learned to embrace that now though.
The truth is you don't really need a plan B, you just need a solid plan A.
How would you define Izzy Thomas, the artist?
Big hair, big voice.
How did your sound evolve over the years?
Working with different producers really helped. I worked with a few hip hop producers as I'd be asked to topline for a few hip hop artists, I really liked the way my voice sat on that kind of beat, and the producers basically liked the contrast of a rock voice on top of that. It was a different sound that just grew from there.
You recently released your new single “Trouble”. What's the story behind this song? Who did you work with?
I co-wrote this with a friend of mine Barry McLean, then Max Honsinger produced it. The song is an anthem for basically anyone that feels suppressed by something.
What did you feel when you wrote that song?
Like I was speaking to all the people who'd ever put me down.
What is your goal for this new single?
Create buzz, release video, tour etc..
What inspires you the most?
Life events, poetry, spoken word, and other music.
What does it mean for you to be an artist?
To create, relate, and inspire others.
As an artist, what are the biggest challenges?
The first challenge for anyone is getting over your own self doubt! Then I guess it’s just affording stuff when you’re independent - music videos, producing merch, graphic design, studio time and websites etc. You really have to see it as an investment, you have to spend money to make money. For me it’s definitely been worth it though. Another one is gigging when you're sick. For some reason I'm one of those people that get sick all the time! Maybe it’s why I have a husky voice hah!
What message would you give to anyone who’d like to pursue music as a career?
Be selective about who you work with, but don't be an arsehole! Leave your ego on stage, have respect, practice/write as much as you can.
Do you have a particular song or album that had a big impact in your life? Why?
Christina Aguilera "Stripped" album. It was amazing! Well written, catchy songs with eclectic styles all in one album.
You campaign for Autism Awareness. What made you want to support this particular cause?
My brother has asperger’s syndrome. I want more people on the spectrum to be understood and treat equally.
How do you want to be remembered?
As an artist who actually had something to say.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
If the world cut out killing, that would be a start! Not just talking murders and war, but animals too. Less air pollution and more recycling.
What biggest lessons have you learnt as a human being and as an artist?
Don't always be watching the clock, worrying kills creativity. Make your intentions clear with the universe, and work smart, not hard.
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