A CONVERSATION WITH IZZY SPEARS
Izzy Spears headlined the first Destroyer Show on Leap Day 2024, wearing cut-off jeans, knee-high leather boots, and an American flag bandana (among a parade of other outfit variations that slipped on and off at his leisure). Aaron Berry Davis FaceTimed with him shortly before, as he suffered through LA traffic on the way to the studio.
What are some of your earliest music memories?
Like, what was playing in your house growing up?
The Fugees, a lot. And, fucking, Brandy, Biggie Smalls, Carl Thomas. 50 Cent and Eminem. I got seven siblings, so it was a lot of shit going on.
I read an interview that said you started making music when you were 17.
Yeah, like 16, 17. I was in a rap group in high school.
What were you called?
Prototype. It was a play off of Outkast.
Who are some of your influences that people might not necessarily hear in the music?
The Fugees is one of my favorites. Lauryn Hill is my favorite artist. So, a lot of influences from hip hop. Like Outkast. A lot of influence there, even though it doesn't sound like it, you know? Maybe it does, sometimes.
What would you say is a pop star to you? I saw your TikTok bio and it said INTERNATIONAL POP STAR, so I was just kind of curious what that means to you?
Anybody able to infiltrate the mainstream. Like anything that infiltrates the mainstream pop or mainstream music sphere, you know what I'm saying? Not necessarily just pop music, like Britney Spears, who I think is the epitome of a pop star. I think for me it's more about being who I am, making the music I make, and infiltrating the pop space or the celebrity space. I mean, it's more of a manifestation than what's my reality now, you know?
(photo by Isaac Weiss-Meyer)
How would you categorize your music if you had to put it into a genre? Because it does elude any sort of easy classification.
I don't know. I don't think there's a genre for it. I just make whatever I want to make. Yeah, sometimes I’m singing, and sometimes I'm doing a more hip hop sound, sometimes I'm yelling. I just kind of make whatever feels right, you know?
Outside of music, what else influences you?
Films and nature. Just being outside. I never write as good as when I’m outside, or on a long drive looking at trees or something.
Where would you say the music comes from for you? When you go to record, what are you trying to tap into?
I find that I always come from a very vulnerable place, an emotional place. Even when songs are like, you know, angry or whatever people see them as, they’re kind of always from a place of like, fuck you for what happened or like, this is what I've learned from what happened. It all comes from a personal place. I don't really write about money and glamour and all that shit. I mean, that's not part of my actual reality. I try to keep it in a realistic place. Even though, obviously, I'm not like a murderer or anything like that. That’s just metaphorical.
When I listen to the music, I hear a very palpable, visceral search for release or catharsis, whether through partying or dancing or sex or drugs. What is it about that search that interests you?
That’s part of my life, part of my reality. I mean, it's been part of my reality for so long now. The last couple of years have been, like, a never-ending party. But it's not necessarily just that, you know. Obviously, there's been a significant amount of work put in. But that was a big part of it, definitely, when I was making that project. My next project is a different experience.
(photo by Aaron Berry Davis)
Where does your Nightmare Americana aesthetic come from? What was the inspiration there?
I guess it started just as an observation of the state of the world, you know what I'm saying? I also realized in pop culture, a lot of the greats play on the American theme. Of course, there's this coded language in America when it comes to the flag within pop culture. It’s like this coded language that I tapped into, I feel like. So yeah, I would say it was a strategic thing. But also, it's very telling, you know. Music used to be telling of the time and telling stories of people's experiences. Now, it's kind of like everybody is just obsessed with consumerism. But you know, I kind of wanted to tell a story of the times now. A lot of people feel like America is the greatest country in the world. But, as an American, it's like, most of the country is impoverished right now. It’s not really all that. You know, everybody's obsessed with this sex, money, rock and roll thing. Everybody wants to be a star, you know what I'm saying? So I was just playing on those themes that are of today. I'm just writing based off of what I see, to tell the truth about the American Dream in my words.
Do you believe in the American Dream?
I guess it's personal for everybody. You know, that dream is personal. You know, I don't know. I've seen, I guess, what the American dream is to me and I've been a part of somebody else's American dream. But, yeah, I mean, I guess I believe in it, but it comes with a price. It's not like everything is just peachy keen. Like it all comes with a real, serious price that you sacrifice, you know?
Since this interview, Izzy has released an EP, Blood, Sweat and Damnation, as well as an ATAKA51-directed music video for his single “BURN” ft. Leya.
HOME
The Fugees, a lot. And, fucking, Brandy, Biggie Smalls, Carl Thomas. 50 Cent and Eminem. I got seven siblings, so it was a lot of shit going on.
I read an interview that said you started making music when you were 17.
Yeah, like 16, 17. I was in a rap group in high school.
What were you called?
Prototype. It was a play off of Outkast.
Who are some of your influences that people might not necessarily hear in the music?
The Fugees is one of my favorites. Lauryn Hill is my favorite artist. So, a lot of influences from hip hop. Like Outkast. A lot of influence there, even though it doesn't sound like it, you know? Maybe it does, sometimes.
What would you say is a pop star to you? I saw your TikTok bio and it said INTERNATIONAL POP STAR, so I was just kind of curious what that means to you?
Anybody able to infiltrate the mainstream. Like anything that infiltrates the mainstream pop or mainstream music sphere, you know what I'm saying? Not necessarily just pop music, like Britney Spears, who I think is the epitome of a pop star. I think for me it's more about being who I am, making the music I make, and infiltrating the pop space or the celebrity space. I mean, it's more of a manifestation than what's my reality now, you know?
How would you categorize your music if you had to put it into a genre? Because it does elude any sort of easy classification.
I don't know. I don't think there's a genre for it. I just make whatever I want to make. Yeah, sometimes I’m singing, and sometimes I'm doing a more hip hop sound, sometimes I'm yelling. I just kind of make whatever feels right, you know?
Outside of music, what else influences you?
Films and nature. Just being outside. I never write as good as when I’m outside, or on a long drive looking at trees or something.
Where would you say the music comes from for you? When you go to record, what are you trying to tap into?
I find that I always come from a very vulnerable place, an emotional place. Even when songs are like, you know, angry or whatever people see them as, they’re kind of always from a place of like, fuck you for what happened or like, this is what I've learned from what happened. It all comes from a personal place. I don't really write about money and glamour and all that shit. I mean, that's not part of my actual reality. I try to keep it in a realistic place. Even though, obviously, I'm not like a murderer or anything like that. That’s just metaphorical.
When I listen to the music, I hear a very palpable, visceral search for release or catharsis, whether through partying or dancing or sex or drugs. What is it about that search that interests you?
That’s part of my life, part of my reality. I mean, it's been part of my reality for so long now. The last couple of years have been, like, a never-ending party. But it's not necessarily just that, you know. Obviously, there's been a significant amount of work put in. But that was a big part of it, definitely, when I was making that project. My next project is a different experience.
Where does your Nightmare Americana aesthetic come from? What was the inspiration there?
I guess it started just as an observation of the state of the world, you know what I'm saying? I also realized in pop culture, a lot of the greats play on the American theme. Of course, there's this coded language in America when it comes to the flag within pop culture. It’s like this coded language that I tapped into, I feel like. So yeah, I would say it was a strategic thing. But also, it's very telling, you know. Music used to be telling of the time and telling stories of people's experiences. Now, it's kind of like everybody is just obsessed with consumerism. But you know, I kind of wanted to tell a story of the times now. A lot of people feel like America is the greatest country in the world. But, as an American, it's like, most of the country is impoverished right now. It’s not really all that. You know, everybody's obsessed with this sex, money, rock and roll thing. Everybody wants to be a star, you know what I'm saying? So I was just playing on those themes that are of today. I'm just writing based off of what I see, to tell the truth about the American Dream in my words.
Do you believe in the American Dream?
I guess it's personal for everybody. You know, that dream is personal. You know, I don't know. I've seen, I guess, what the American dream is to me and I've been a part of somebody else's American dream. But, yeah, I mean, I guess I believe in it, but it comes with a price. It's not like everything is just peachy keen. Like it all comes with a real, serious price that you sacrifice, you know?
[INTERVIEW]
[07/18/25]
[07/18/25]
(photo by Isaac Weiss-Meyer)