Even a quick look at Izzie Derry’s website elicits a certain aesthetic and idea in your brain about what her music might sound like. The font of her name at the top of the page pulled straight off a vinyl cover from the 60s or 70s. A whispy and faded polaroid vibe to her photographs. And thats before you even listen to her songs. Echoes of Laurel Canyon recordings, Joni Mitchell and the crafting of songs for the sake of the song are prevalent in her delivery. Her latest single has all that and more. Check out a quickfire round of questions about the track and stream it below.
RLR: If you have to sum up ‘Learn to Grow’ in a quick phrase, a sentence or two, how would you describe it?
ID: ‘Learn To Grow’ takes us on a journey of positivity and determination to carry on and learn from the difficulties that life throws at us. Izzie wrote this song after moving from her family home in Coventry to live on a boat in Brighton, it describes her first experiences of life out in the world on her own.
RLR: What does this song mean to you on a personal level?
ID: The song is about carrying on no matter what life throws at you, and becoming stronger from those things.
RLR: How was it recorded?
ID: It was recorded in a church in Hove, East Sussex, with a live band. The church provided some incredible acoustics and I think using a live band created a really great energy.
RLR: Did it change shape from the initial lyrics/ chords to the final product?
ID: I initially wrote the song with just vocals and guitar, but playing it with the band took it to a whole new level both dynamically and musically.