- Words Cal McIntyre
- Photography Bryan Ramos
We peek behind the curtain as the enigmatic iyla shows us what life on the road is really like with intimate moments from her US 'Flowers' tour.
Tour life can be a romanticised notion to people who can only imagine what it’s like from the outside looking in.
Last year, the refreshingly honest and powerful iyla burst onto the scene with a strong sense of who is she, and what she wants to say with her music. In just a short space of time, it appears as if iyla is evolving and growing into herself more and more each day with her addictive and idiosyncratic tracks. Writing, singing, and rapping – iyla leaves no stone unturned as she takes her listeners on a journey that only she can tell.
On her latest EP, ‘OTHER WAYS TO VENT, iyla truly cemented herself as one of the best pop princesses in the making to arise in recent times and we are so here for it. If you know you know, if you don’t yet, dive into the EP here – you won’t regret it.
We caught up with the rising star in September for our Internet Crush series – however, we wanted to check in with one of our faves as she’s on the road in the states. What better way to let the fans and us in on what it’s like to actually be on the road than with a photo diary by Bryan Ramos with captions by iyla herself, enjoy!
Me performing a couple records off of “Other Ways to Vent” for the first time, at the Google/YouTube offices in SF (two days before the first show of the tour)." - iyla
"Doing one last rehearsal in Oakland, CA, before kicking off The Flowers Tour." - iyla
"Soundcheck in Los Angeles with musician Blame Ronnie, my music producer/business partner Kadis, and our sound engineer Bishop (left to right)." - iyla
"A line forming outside the LEGENDARY Troubadour, about an hour before showtime. So exciting!" - iyla
"After a long car ride, we do our sound check in Phoenix, AZ. This was a fun show, with great energy. " - iyla
"Doing a quick interview in the green room backstage, with the beautiful women of weekend radio show, “The Roosevelt Tape.”" - iyla
"Eating a cinnamon roll the size of my face early in the morning, before getting back on the road for 15 hours. (Feat. my Dad)." - iyla
"Visiting the Capitol Building in Austin, TX. Sooo pretty. Getting as much fresh air as possible on the road." - iyla
"Warm honey water is always in my hand on show days! I’m on vocal rest backstage in this shot." - iyla
"Performing in Texas, and the crowd was sooooo hype. Texas showed OUT!" - iyla
"A special moment with the band is always key. Often during each set I will go up to both Kadis and Blame Ronnie for one or two songs just to connect, and feed off of each others energy." - iyla
"Dedicating my song “Naked Girl” to every female-identifying person in the audience. This part of the show is one of my favorite moments in every city." - iyla
"Doing final looks on my stage outfit. My stylist Brookelyn Styles, and I designed this look together for the tour. (Side note: I do my own hair and makeup on the road, which gives me time to relax and prepare for each concert.)" - iyla
