Interview with Indie Pop Artist Izzy Imamura on New Single ‘Shade Of Green’, Creating Music & What’s Next

MuzicNotez: First off, it’s an honor to be doing this interview with you, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us.

Izzy Imamura: It’s a pleasure to be here, thank you so much for having me.

What motivated you to start creating music? What age did you begin?

Izzy Imamura: I’ve always loved to sing ever since I was little. My older sister also loved to sing growing up so we would always sing covers of songs together in our kitchen, recording on Photo Booth on our family computer. I always wrote songs on my piano growing up, but never really took it seriously until I went to college. That’s when it really became an outlet for me to write about everything I was experiencing at that time. I really fell in love with it as a form of self expression and continue to write for those reasons, as well as being able to connect with people on a certain level with my songs. It’s something I never thought I’d be able to do so it’s been a really cool experience so far.

Who were your musical influences, idols, or bands growing up that have helped mold you into the musician you are today? Or helped mold the music that you create?

Izzy Imamura: Oh goodness this is a hard question because I have too many now. Honestly when I was a kid, I mostly listened to what my parents loved (as all kids do), and my dad was obsessed with Frank Valli and The Four, and anything else from that era. He also loved musicals so he would always take us to see Jersey Boys. My mom also really loved musicals, which made me love it as well.

As I grew into my love for songwriting, I also grew into my love for Joni Mitchell and folk music. She’s just unlike any songwriter ever, I love all of her albums and she’s inspired a lot of my work. I also love Janis Ian, Joan Baez, and bands like Fleetwood Mac. I’d say that my favorite modern day artists are definitely Maggie Rogers, Sara Bareilles, Lizzy McAlpine, Noah Kahan, and so many more. There are so many incredible songwriters out there, I just hope to be one of them one day.

Website: www.IzzyImamura.com
Instagram: @izzyimamura
TikTok: @izzy.imamura

What’s the ultimate goal you want your music to achieve, or for you to achieve in your career as a musician? Any particular message you wish to send?

Izzy Imamura: As long as I can continue to write and play songs, I’ll be happy. That’s what it’s really all about for me is the feeling I get when I finish a song. It’s unlike any other feeling, and in that moment, it’s completely mine. And then I’m lucky enough to give it away to the people around me, and that also makes my heart so happy. I love playing live shows because it’s a chance for me to really connect with my audience. I want to create a sense of community with my music, and for people to really feel like they are a part of something. My dream is to play at Red Rocks in Colorado, since I grew up there and have seen so many incredible shows there. That would just be so cool.

What’s the greatest concert you’ve ever been to or performed?

Izzy Imamura: The best concert I’ve ever been to would have to be when I saw Lizzy McAlpine in New York for her album Five Seconds Flat. I just loved that album so much when it came out. Her song “To The Mountains” always makes me emotional because it reminds me of my home in Colorado. I was lucky to see her play it live at night. She’s really an incredible songwriter, I hope I get to work with her one day.

Your latest track to drop is ‘Shade of Green’, what inspired this track? What does it mean to you?

Izzy Imamura: I’ve had this song in my pocket for a while now. I wrote it two years ago and produced it a year ago, and am finally releasing it now. It’s been a process for sure. But I’ve always really loved this song and I wanted to give it a proper release, which is why we shot a music video for it. I really believe in this song and hope that a lot of people can connect to it.

I wrote this one about that feeling after a break up when you start to forget, and maybe still miss, the little details about them. The ones you used to love so much that are now a fading memory. It’s a weird feeling that balances between moving on from someone and missing them. Which I think is a very relatable, complex feeling.

What is your process like when creating a new song? How do you write and record your music?

Izzy Imamura: I have to feel inspired by something in order to write a new song. I am so bad at “scheduling” my writing sessions because I really have to let the words come naturally to me. I’ve written some of my best songs in 30 minutes or less because I am able to get into a nice flow. It’s more real for me when I’m not filtering myself and am just able to word vomit. I get some very honest stuff when I do that. Usually I’ll get inspired and write down lyrics, then once I’m near my guitar I’ll write a melody and chords. But it really depends on where I am and what I’m doing.

I record my music with Nick Anton, he’s an incredible music producer I’ve been working with for about 2 years now. He used to live in New York and recently moved out to LA, but we still work together remotely! He’s really so good at his craft and I feel really lucky to work with him.

I’ve also been writing a lot of music with my band recently that I’m really excited about, so stay tuned!

You also perform musical theater, how do you think that kind of experience benefits you as a solo artist?

Izzy Imamura: I love musical theater. I love the storytelling aspects of it and the theatrics of it all. I think it does benefit for sure because I feel like all my songs tell a new story. Whether it’s one of my stories, or a situation I’ve completely made up, you can feel the emotional journey through the lyrics and the music. And performing them live is even more fun now because I’m starting to now incorporate more theatrical elements into my live performances. I want people to eventually be able to live in the world I’m trying to create.

What else are you working on? What can we expect to see and hear from you in the future?

Izzy Imamura: I’m really excited for this new chapter of music I’ve been creating! I’ve been writing a lot of stories that are going to go through a journey within this next album I’m writing. I’m hoping it will be a more interactive experience than what I’ve written in the past. That’s all I’ll say for now, but I’m really excited for it so stay tuned!

Anything else you wish to say about yourself or your music? Any message for your fans?

Izzy Imamura: Thank you so much for having me! You can follow me anywhere @izzyimamura or see my updates through my website at izzyimamura.com. “Shade of Green” is out now so go take a listen and share with your friends! I hope you enjoy it!

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