EQUATE MEETS: iyla

Since bursting onto the scene with her debut EP, “War + Raindrops”, iyla has captured the hearts of music lovers with her unique blend of R&B, soul, and pop. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Destiny’s Child, Brandy, Aaliyah, SZA, Kehlani, and H.E.R, the Los Angeles-born artist has cemented her place as a rising star - her talent has certainly not gone unnoticed, as YouTube Music appointed her as one of their Foundry Artists, a program that has previously supported artists like ROSALÍA and Dua Lipa.

With three EPs under her belt, iyla has consistently received critical acclaim. Her latest release, “APPETITE FOR DISASTER“, marks the conclusion of her EP trilogy and a new chapter in her musical journey. This project beautifully showcases iyla’s growth as an artist, with a powerful and soulful sound that draws listeners in from the start.

With her incredible voice, effortless pen game and overall undeniable talent, iyla has become one of the most exciting artists in the industry. As she continues to grow and evolve as an artist, we can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next. One thing is for sure: the artist is a force to be reckoned with, and she is here to stay.

EQ: Your EP “APPETITE FOR DISASTER” came out very recently, congratulations! Can you talk me through the recording and creative overall process for the project?

Thank you! So basically right before the pandemic happened, I had done my very first tour. And it was at the time I had only the first two EP’s out. And then when we came back, obviously the whole world shifted. And my producer and I got into the studio as soon as we could, safely, and started working on what this project would be. What would be ‘Appetite for Disaster’. The music making process for me sometimes takes longer than others. But it’s super important to me that it feels right with whatever I’m going through at the time. It’s just telling my story and being myself. And so honestly, it took probably a year before we felt really good about what we were creating again. So this EP was a couple years in the making. And just really grinding, being in the studio every day, finding that sound. I just could not put something out that didn’t feel at least a little bit innovative and new for me and also refreshing. And so I’m so proud of it. I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of a project. Just because it’s been a tough couple of years. I can’t believe it’s out.

EQ: Yeah, the pandemic really pro-longed everything but it’s super exciting that you were able to get it out there finally. So you say that sometimes it takes you quite a while to record something. When you’re writing a new song, are you a perfectionist or do you know when to stop.

I’m definitely a perfectionist. I’m definitely most picky about my vocals. So I re-record my vocals a lot until it feels right and someone has to physically pull me up and make me stop recording. But yeah, it’s definitely a process. It has to feel right.

EQ: I love how the songs explore different topics like feminism, love, confidence - which we all need in our lives to be honest. So do you take inspiration from your own life or is it just everyday life when you’re writing lyrics?

That’s a good question. I think most of it comes from what I want it to be. Not to reference the EP but if the sad bitch in me is going through it, I know that bad bitch is at the other side of the door, saying you got it. I also pull from people around me and their experiences. I feel like we all became a lot more empathetic and kind of connected in a way during the pandemic. And so I think it’s both.

EQ: Your songs on the EP are very relatable I think, I mean everybody is a sad bitch once in a while. So what do you want your listeners to take away from the project?

I think as a woman in the music industry, a lot of times, it’ll be crazy glam and hair and makeup and more jobs. And it’s such a fun way to express myself, but I think it’s important to acknowledge what’s inside is the most important. And finding that creativity, finding that passion within yourself, whoever you are, whatever you do, and knowing that who you are is just good enough, whatever you’re going through, who you love, you know, all of it. That’s what I really want them to take away from this EP, but also just the music in general, for sure.

EQ: Do you have a song on the project that means a lot to you in particular?

It definitely changes every day. Right now, I feel Mona Lisa the most because I really wanted Mona Lisa to be the first song on the project because I think it kind of takes pieces from the other songs. It has some strong jazzy elements, but it’s super confident. It just feels really empowering and kind of badass. And so I feel like I’m on that right now. But I love every song. I feel connected to every song in different ways, depending on what I’m feeling.

EQ: It’s safe to say that you’ve had quite a few eventful years. I remember meeting you at a YouTube Music showcase five years ago, since then how have your experiences and personal growth influenced your music and songwriting?

I think last year’s been the hardest year of my life, just personally and professionally, desperately wanting to get this music out, wanting to grow as an artist, definitely growing as a person. I’ve just had things in my personal life in the last year and a half or so that really changed my perspective on life and the appreciation of just every day, living every day, breathing every day, soaking in what life is, you know, and so much of that I’ve put into the creative, which is a great outlet. I wanted to be an artist at 18 and I am in my late 20s now. And so I feel as a woman, I’ve grown so much, even in the last three years, so it’s super exciting to have this out because I think it tells my story in a different way. And I feel like I can look at my 20s and see that in a different way too, and kind of appreciate the growth, the mistakes, the ups and downs, you know, I hope that kind of answers that. I feel more like myself in a lot of ways.

EQ: As someone in my late 20s as well I can totally resonate with that.

I love how your music videos also show such creativity. So how involved are you with the creative process for your music videos?

I feel like the videos are always a really special part of telling the story of a song. Usually the videos will start with a mood board or either a random color scheme or really specific ideas. It kind of depends on what it is. I’ve worked with amazing directors. I’m super lucky with the team I have around me because I can kind of be like, oh, I want to tell this story or I want to do this and they can really bring it to life in a different way. So it’s kind of a mix of both, but I definitely know what I want. And it’s important because I feel like some people connect to visuals more than they can connect to sound. And so the visual really tells its own story in a lot of ways and I hope it amplifies the records. So yeah, it’s a different process per video, but it always starts with some crazy idea that I have.

EQ: The EP also features Benny The Butcher and Symba, how did those collaborations come about?

So with both of them, I kind of had different connections within the team and the music scene around me. And so I was super lucky to work with both of them. First of all, they’re both so talented and I was completely honoured to have them on the project. But they were amazing humans. Like both of them were so willing. My stuff can be very avantgarde and out there and they were just so down to step into my world, which just felt like such an honour.

Actually for Benny The Butcher, I knew that I wanted him on the track, I knew that I wanted a sound that felt very East Coast. So that felt really right. And when he sent his verse in, I remember just being kind of nervous waiting to hear it. And I was just like, this is the perfect sound. Like I knew he has such a signature sound, so that was super exciting. And then the same thing happened with SYMBA. I wanted that kind of laid-back sound. And that’s exactly what he has. And so that was super fun. Like when he sent the verse over, I was like what? The way he approached it, I didn’t expect him to do it that way, lyrically. And he really played into the realities of the industry and women in the industry. It was so dope that he did it that way. I haven’t heard somebody do that in a long time. So yeah, they kind of came together in different ways, but they were definitely meant to be on the records for sure.

EQ: It sounds like it came together quite organically in a way. Do you have anyone who would be your dream collaboration?

Yeah, so many. I was just listening on Spotify to new music and stuff. And somebody who I’ve loved for a really long time is Bree Runway. I also love Doechii. I feel like both of them are thought provoking, kind of like in your face. And so I’d love to work with both of those women. But there’s so many.

EQ: So now that the EP is out can we expect a tour as well?

Yeah, I think we’re going to do some kind of a smaller tour, maybe even something that’s a little bit different than usual, something more intimate. And then, I’m already back in the studio. This has been the third EP, it wrapped up a trilogy. I’m really hoping to have an amazing body of work next. I’m really excited for what the future holds.

EQ: Thanks so much for your time!

Listen to ‘APPETITE FOR DISASTER’ below.

Follow iyla on socials…

Instagram: @iyla