WORDS RACHEL EDWARDS - PHOTOGRAPHY KAYLA GILLY
Izzy MacArthur's latest single 'Landmines', out today, takes us on a journey of nostalgia as the LA based artist shows us her more vulnerable side. With lyrics such as “I know I can’t be the driver through the landmines you got in your head," we hear Izzy address feelings of isolation and disconnection when going through a difficult experience with somebody who is also struggling. There is a real stripped back feel to the single compared with her previous, more energetic indie-pop tracks, and it feels like there's a sad acceptance of the situation which feels like a form of catharsis.
Although 'Landmines' was written in a time of detachment, it is Izzy's vulnerability and sentimentality that has lead her to connecting so deeply with fans. Rather than solely engaging through social media, the artist also uses her platform to connect in a physical realm by hand making merchandise to send out in the post to fans, and creating a scavenger hunt prior to the release. On speaking with her, it's obvious that human connection is the driving force behind what she does. Having been compared to the likes of Bon Iver and Lorde, and with dreams of touring in the near future, we're excited to see what the future holds!
Rachel Edwards: Morning Izzy! What does a typical day look like at the moment for you?
Izzy MacArthur: Right now I'm still a student at university. I'm part time right now because I'm in my last year so I'm finishing up. Usually I’ll wake up and try to work on the business related side of my music to get it out of the way and then I'll usually have class.
R.E: What are you studying?
I.M: I study music business so it's all helpful! I feel like I'm learning things.
R.E: Yeah, it's not like you're splitting your time between being a musician and learning biology at least.
I.M: Yeah, exactly. I'm not doing anything crazy. Usually I go to class or I'll try and get schoolwork done and then I'll try to do stuff with fans, like going live on TikTok or trying to check social media and staying on top of that whole thing. In the evening I usually try to write and work on making demos.
R.E: It's a lot! Are you one of those ‘wake up at 5am’ types?
I.M: Oh no, I was for a little bit. I have to get into the habit of being an early riser and I prefer waking up earlier in the morning because I feel like I get more done when I do, but it's hard to get into that habit. Usually I try and get up at eight in the morning and have my day structured.
R.E: Can you tell me more about the scavenger hunt that's happening for ‘Blame It on a Bad Dream’?
I.M: Yeah it was really fun. I made a pre-save form for 'Landmines' and at the end of it I had it redirected to a link where fans could put their mailing address in and consent to being sent or winning things. For the last four releases I've handmade matchbooks and sent them out. For this one I then sent people Scrabble letters in the post with a Polaroid from the behind the scenes for the ‘Landmines’ video. Fans would then use Discord and tag me on Twitter or Instagram when they got a letter, and they'd guess where the pieces fell on my scrabble board until they eventually guessed the name!
R.E: It's such a fun idea! I feel like these fans will remember this forever, because you're getting bigger and bigger so they're really going to remember being there from the start.
I.M: Yeah it was also just fun seeing how everyone was invested in guessing it, it was fun for me to watch them get really excited about it.
RE: It connects fans to each other as well which is so nice, it's this physical, real thing where fans can actually get in touch with each other!
I.M: 100% and also because I've done the matchbook thing so they have it for all the singles - the people with the ‘Misery Missing Company’ one which is the first thing that I ever released, I literally keep saying it's like proof that you were here because it’s physical evidence that you were here early! They have a group chat on Instagram and it’s really fun to watch people become friends with each other - now they have their own friend groups and jokes and it’s a community of people who met through liking my music. The connection they have to one another is so important.
R.E: It’s something quite rare I think, there's often a distance between the artist and the fan in a way. So the EP has a kind of coming of age feel about it which I love. Would you describe it as a kind of coming of age story?
I.M: Yeah definitely! I wrote a lot of it about growing up in New York. I went to high school on the East Coast and I wrote it during my transition period of moving to LA around three and a half years ago. I was summarising that time of my life and just a big life change. I went to a boarding school so technically I moved out of my house full-time at fourteen which is really young, but I think moving across the country and just being very distant from my friends was what I wrote about which I feel like is a coming of age story.
R.E: And did you feel like moving from New York to LA changed you creatively?
I.M: I think 100%. I'm really lucky because I go to school with a bunch of other musicians. When I was at school back home I felt like music wasn't seen as a career potential or path. It was one of those things that I always really wanted to do but it didn't seem like an option. Moving to LA and being around friends who are also musicians and who also want to work in the music business gave me that creative mindset that allowed me to see it as a possibility. It also led me to want to be more collaborative.
R.E: LA is the place to make it feel possible, or give you that push! Am I right in thinking it's going to be your birthday soon?
I.M: Yes!
R.E: So you’re a scorpio! Do you identify with the Scorpio personality?
I.M: I would say yes - my sister and I have our birthdays three days apart and I think we're both manifestations of different traits in Scorpios, but I do think I am [a typical Scorpio]. I didn’t think I was for a while until my friend was like ‘dude, you are so Scorpio’.
R.E: (Laughs) Do you have any birthday rituals?
I.M: Since I've moved to LA, I have two close friends who also have birthdays in the same week as me so it’s a lot. I usually try to just get dinner or spend time with my friends, that’s the biggest birthday ritual. And for the past three years I've tried to go to a show the week of my birthday but it always depends on who's on tour and if I want to see any artists in the area.
R.E: What do you think the biggest lesson that growing older has taught you?
I.M: Oh that's a really good question. I feel like everything happens at the right time. I was very much was a person who was like ‘I want to do this now’. But now, especially with this EP release, I want to take the time to do everything properly instead of just rushing it all. Everything happens at the right time, so I feel like if I'm taking time to do something it’s for a reason. I just need to trust that that's what's happening. For example, if I put out the EP any sooner, I wouldn't have the skills or knowledge or the means to be able to properly go about it.
R.E: Yeah that's a really good point, I do think in hindsight you look back and those moments that you're feeling impatient or like things aren't going to work out you look back and you realise everything needed to happen in that way. I really like your track ‘Light Sleeper’. Are you a light sleeper yourself?
I.M: No. I will sleep through everything which is really funny.
R.E: The irony!
I.M: Yeah, my dad showed me a reel yesterday and it was someone with a million alarm clocks and he’s like 'this is so you'. I’ve slept through an earthquake! I do think that one's one of my favourite songs too, although my favourite changes every time we release a song!
R.E: Yeah, I bet - they're all your babies. I love that one. What inspired you to write it?
I.M: ‘Landmines’ and ‘Light Sleeper’ are like two different perspectives. I wrote ‘Landmines’ about going through something with a friend and ‘Light Sleeper’ is sort of my experience going through that event if that makes sense. I wrote it partially about being uncomfortable and claustrophobic and feeling like I was very restless. I feel like it's hard when you don't feel completely comfortable in a situation to fully relax. I feel like that's what came out of ‘Light Sleeper’ - it was a lot about feeling uncomfortable and feeling like I was in a weird transition period and not really knowing what I wanted to do.
R.E: I think most people would relate to this. What would you say to someone who is in this transition period now or feeling uncomfortable or restless?
I.M: Something my mom always said growing up was ‘it's about the marathon and not the mile’. That’s a piece of advice that I have kept with me for a very long time because anytime there's a weird rough patch or a sense of uncertainty, I'm like, ‘okay, it's just one small part out of the rest of my life’. It’s advice I've given to friends and I’ve repeated multiple times.
R.E: Yeah and if you zoom out you'll see how far you've actually come as well and you know that you're going to bounce back from it. It feels like you also live with your heart on your sleeve. Would you say this is true?
I.M: Yeah, definitely. I turned to writing when I was growing up because I didn't talk about how I was feeling. I really believe that you can't just keep everything inside your head. Write it down - you don't have to tell anyone how you're feeling if you don't want to but just get it outside of your head and somewhere else, whether it's talking about it or journaling about it. As I've grown older I've also become way more comfortable talking to my friends or my family about how I feel and letting out those emotions. I feel like that's really translated to my writing.
R.E: I think listening to your music it feels very real, it doesn't feel like a character. What do you want people to take away from listening to you?
I.M: I always say I've never lived in a unique experience, no one's ever had a completely unique experience. I feel like understanding that other people feel the same way or have been in that situation before really helps. There were periods of my life, especially when I was nineteen or twenty, I felt like the world was ending. Thing could feel terrible but in the end it's like all going to be okay.
R.E: This is something that people at that age need to be reminded of I think. Thinking about dreams, what is your next big career dream that you have in mind?
I.M: I have a little notebook where I just write down everything I want to do at some point in my career. I'm really itching to go on tour. I don't mind not headlining either - I would love the opportunity to support an artist that I look up to and being able to connect with a new set of people. Also the physical aspect of touring - being able to meet people who like my music face-to-face on a larger scale would be really great.
R.E: I feel like it is just a matter of time. Are there any particular artists that you would like to support?
I.M: There are so many! I think right now an artist that I'm really excited about is Nieve Ella! I feel like she's just killing the game and I'm a big fan of her music. And she's going on tour... but you never know how things will work out! That would be like an artist that I would love to open for and then on a grand grand scale like I'm a huge fan of Harry Styles so that's like that's a future goal. It's kind of a pipe dream but it's going to happen!
R.E: Yeah you just need to have a picture of it on the wall to manifest it! I have one last question. What is your favourite "F" word?
I.M: I say 'fuck' a lot! I feel like that's a big cop-out but I think as of now it's probably 'fuck'!
