Renowned songstress Izzy Pinchen is best known for her resonating songs. Returning with her latest single 'Not Alone', the heartfelt tune explores themes around mental health. The incredible production, produced by Chris Mace, wonderfully blends bedroom pop with a gritty alt-rock edge, along with her captivating vocals.
In this interview, Pinchen opens up about the inspiration behind the song, her creative evolution, and more below.
"Midnight Moon" was your debut single—how does it feel to have that out in the world, and what kind of response have you received so far?
Just incredible. I think the first of anything is always going to be rather special. This was the first song we wrote for the new record so it felt only right that it be the first we put out. The response to it gave me such a buzz because it was out there and people actually liked it! At the end of the day, I’ve been creating this music with Chris because we love it, to have the validation that others like it too from day one is the best feeling in the world.
Your new single “Not Alone” delves into the topic of mental health, particularly in men. What inspired you to focus on such a sensitive and important subject?
Growing up I saw a lot of mental health struggles in my own family, but it wasn’t normal to talk about it. After the birth of our first daughter, my partner and I both struggled with our own mental health. We spent a lot of time working on ourselves but it really stuck out to me that men don’t feel like they can have the same conversations about mental health that women can have for fear of weakness. I think this is so wrong. Everyone should feel that they can safely talk bout their mental health and never feel alone. If society was more welcoming to this conversation then I think a lot of people would be better off for it, which is what inspired me to write such a vulnerable track,
How did your collaboration with producer Chris Mace come about, and what was it like working with him in the studio?
I was introduced to Chris through a mutual connection in the industry. We hit it off in our first studio session just bouncing off each other at a rapid pace, we were able to get so much done so quickly. Chris is probably my biggest supporter, we’re a proper team in the studio - we write everything together and build out the body of what we want to make before Chris works his magic. We’ve got plans to start recording again soon so I’m excited to see how we grow in our sound together.
In “Not Alone,” you explore the stigma surrounding mental health in men. Why do you think it’s still so difficult for men to openly discuss their mental health struggles?
I think as I said earlier, there’s such a stigma about guys being able to open up for fear of being “weak” or not “manly enough”. We’ve created this society where it’s weird or awkward to actually be honest and say “hey this is bloody hard”. If we begin to change the way we look at things to be a little less judgmental and a little more welcoming then I think society will be a much happier, safer space.
Your sound blends dream pop with alt-rock—how did you find your unique voice in the alternative pop scene, and who are some of your musical influences?
When we first started working on our sound I said to Chris, “mate wouldn’t it be amazing to create something that would play at Glastonbury”. I think we’ve lost a bit of the magic that music used to have through the commercialisation of artists' work. I think a lot of artists now have sacrificed a lot of authenticity in the pursuit of making cash in a hard industry. I never wanted to be one of these artists. I wanted to be really authentic in my sound and make something that I wanted to listen to. I grew up listening to artists like Annie Lenox and Sade. Creating a unique sound blending 80s, 90s and 00s influences was always the goal.
Songwriting is one of your strengths. Can you share a bit about your process? How do you go from an idea to a finished song?
I love writing! I’ll usually hear a melody and start throwing out lyrics when I’m at home or out and about. My voice memos have literally thousands of short clips where I’ve found inspiration from the most random of moments. I usually bring in five or six favourite pieces for a session with Chris and we build out from the original notes. We tend to have a finished demo the same day - it’s magic.
What has been the most rewarding part of your journey in the music industry so far, especially after the release of “Midnight Moon”?
My kids ask to hear my music a lot which is really sweet. I think showing my girls that ‘hey, mummy does something she loves’ is the most rewarding part of this journey so far.
What message do you hope your listeners take away from “Not Alone,” particularly those who might be struggling with their own mental health?
If you or someone you know are struggling with mental health then I hope this song is just one thing that will tell you it’s ok to reach out, you’re never truly alone. Reaching out is the first step in getting yourself into a better place.
Looking ahead, what can fans expect from you in terms of future projects or sounds? Any plans for a full album or tour in the near future?
We’ve got a couple more singles to come between now and November. We’ve actually got a a full album (titled ‘Adolescent Lessons’) coming out at the end of the year which we’re so excited to finally put out! We’re really excited to start playing shows as well, rehearsals are underway and we’ve started to work on the next record as well.
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