iyla: "I Keep Coming Back For More"

Words Notion Staff

February 17, 2023February 16, 2023

We caught up with iyla to discuss her new music, having an ‘Appetite For Disaster’ and being open to expressing life’s ups and downs.

The wait is finally over for iyla’s new EP, the Californian rising artist having spent the last few months teasing fans with a string of singles. ‘Appetite For Disaster’ is quintessential iyla, telling personal stories of womenhood and femininity wrapped in soulful vocals and honest lyrics.

Since the release of iyla’s debut EP, ‘War + Raindrops’, she’s amassed more than 100 million streams across all platforms. Having started out in the early 2010s as part of an R&B trio, it’s clear the artist has continued to evolve her sound whilst staying true to her roots. Citing influences including Destiny’s Child, Brandy, Aaliyah, SZA, Kehlani and H.E.R, these sounds can be heard echoing throughout her new music. Welcoming a new and distinct chapter, her latest EP was produced by her longtime collaborator Kadis, and in iyla’s words represents her “quest for the ‘impossible’” and an “unwillingness to settle”.

This week also saw iyla drop a video for the EP’s lead single “Impala”. Featuring fellow artist Symba, the trippy concept is evident of the other-wordly visuals that fans are coming to expect. We caught up with iyla to discuss her new music, having an ‘appetite for disaster’ and being open to expressing life’s ups and downs.

Hey iyla, how are you doing? Glad to see the back of January?

I’m doing well, I’m still feeling the high of releasing this new EP. Always feels like a release of pent up energy and emotion and it’s so rewarding to finally put it out.

Towards the end of 2022 you shared the melodic single “Lost Me” featuring Benny The Butcher – how’s the response been since? Are you still feeling the high of this release?

It was dope to end 2022 with “Lost Me,” it felt like a great way to end the year and that record is really special to me because it was inspired by The Roots and Erykah Badu’s “You Got Me” which is one of my favorite songs of all time. It was an honour to have Benny on it as well. His signature sound completed it for sure.

This Friday 10th February you’re releasing a brand-new EP titled ‘Appetite For Disaster’, I love the title, how did you come up with it?

‘Appetite For Disaster’ comes from a line I have in one of my favourite songs on the project “FOH,” where I say, “appetite for disaster save your slice, please.” I love this line because I feel like it really channels this idea that I am hungry for the art and will stop at nothing to get what I want. Sometimes being an artist can feel like having an appetite for disaster because I’m constantly crawling through the mud and digging into the deepest parts of my emotions to express myself in my music, yet I keep coming back for more.

‘Appetite For Disaster’ is your first full-length project in three years, that’s exciting. How does this project differ from your 2020 debut album ‘OTHER WAYS TO VENT’? Given that the former was released in the height of the pandemic, what stands out as a significant difference on your latest – any particular thoughts or feelings?

I can’t believe it’s been three years. Taking the time to really make the music that I wanted to make was important to me for this final EP in the trilogy. The last three years have been challenging, beautiful, and transformative and I wanted to evoke that in the songs. I wanted them to feel more vulnerable, more honest, sexier, and more free.

I read that the EP is made up of songs that explore feminism, power, love, confidence and strength. That’s a great collection of themes, what made you want to explore all of the above within your music? Do you feel you resonate with them all well?

Those themes are really significant to me as a woman in my late twenties. Mostly because I’ve spent my twenties working my butt off, making mistakes, finding the magic, growing up, and fighting for my dreams. I’ve been finding myself and discovering what empowers me and gives me purpose, and hopefully inspiring that in other women, and anyone who identifies with the power that lies in femininity. Loving who you are is a battle sometimes, and I want to show the different sides of that, that sometimes aren’t constant bad bitch energy, but also what lies within finding that confidence and the journey to get there.

It’s great to see such positive and motivating themes highlighted within your new EP. Going back to the title, upon creating this project did you stumble across any challenges that made embracing the above themes feel slightly harder?

Thank you! I’ve never been more proud of a project before, and a big reason for that is that 2022 was one of the most challenging years of my personal life. Everyday I tread the line between embracing those positive themes of the EP and working on building the armor underneath them. It’s a journey to balance mental health, societal pressures, and to feel like your best self and I want the listeners to know that’s totally normal and that life is full of ups and downs that make it the beautiful journey it is.

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It’s clear that you have an incredible eye for detail. Both throughout your music videos and artwork, you bring a very innovative vibrance. Can you talk to us a bit about where you draw your visual inspiration from? Are creative visuals an important factor to bringing your song’s story to life?

That means so much to me. One of the most fun ways of expressing myself is through the music videos. Often when I’m in the studio writing or recording I’m already conceptualising what the song might look like. Colours, movement, moods, wardrobe, scenes, etc. Some ideas may never get used, but they often help complete the records because it brings a new life to the song. Having thought provoking visuals that really make the viewer think and analyse is important for me. Finding new ways to tell my story and, most importantly, to connect with others through the art is always the goal.

Throughout this project you feature collaborations with Benny The Butcher and SYMBA. What was the process like working with both artists? Were there any standout moments?

I feel truly blessed to have been able to have both Benny The Butcher, and SYMBA on this project. I’m a fan of both of them, and I absolutely love how they approached “Lost Me,” and “Impala” with their verses. Above everything, SYMBA and Benny were amazing to work with, kind, supportive, and creatively open which is super dope. I mean, the fact that SYMBA was down to get into a 10ft long hoodie with me says it all.

Is there a song on this EP in particular that you absolutely love the most? And/or cannot wait to debut live because of the vibe it gives off?

That’s so hard! I feel like each song is like my little baby, so it’s tough to pick a favourite but right now I’m really loving how “Mona Lisa” makes me feel. That is going to be so fun to perform live. I’m so proud of this body of work.

And lastly, you’ve achieved some great things so far. You’ve amassed 65 million streams across various releases, and have proved that you’re a star collaborator. What’s on your bucket list for this year? Perhaps a tour? Festival slots? What are you itching to tick-off this 2023?

I’m really excited for whatever 2023 holds. Some kind of a tour is definitely on the horizon. I find so much connection and joy in performing the songs live, and getting to meet the people who are supporting my music. It always feels like a dream come true no matter how big or how small the stage. I’m already back in the studio working on new music too so diving into what comes next is energizing. Currently I’m working on embracing the moment and curating what the next phase of my art will look like. I’m lucky to do what I love.

iyla: “I Keep Coming Back For More”

Stream iyla's new EP below: