Izzy Thomas: Fed Up & Compassionate
Music, as with any art, literature, theatre, visual, tend to take a philosophical stance whether deliberate or not. Once released, every note, stroke, or sentence can be dissected and interpreted, where meaning is relinquished to the observer.
On singer songwriter Izzy Thomas’s new single, “Mad,” Izzy makes it unmistakably clear how she feels towards the modern dating scene. Lyrics like “You’re so full of shit ‘cause you won't admit that you want me,” conclude any lingering uncertainties pertaining to theme and message.
Izzy’s fierceness is equally conveyed in her autism awareness campaigns. She spends much of her time visiting educational institutions advocating for autism awareness and anti-bullying efforts. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about Izzy Thomas.
Where are you based?
London
How did you get interested in creating music? Who are some of your music inspirations / idols?
I started writing poems as a child in school. These eventually turned into songs, that needed music, that led to me learning how to sing and play guitar. At the time I was totally in love with artists like Michael Jackson, Green Day, Lenny Kravitz, Paramore, etc.
Jejune loves your song ‘Trouble (Pull That Trigger)’. Can you tell us a little bit about what inspired it?
Trouble is an anthem, rebelling against the pressure society can put on people, to be what they’re not. It's about being proud of the imperfections, and standing up for who you are.
The visuals for the music video to your single ‘Trouble (Pull That Trigger)’ are aggressive and powerful from the prominent use of the color red, to your own body movements. What message do you hope listeners and viewers take away from this experience?
I hope they feel empowered, and like they’re not the only ones who have been verbally beaten down, or undermined in any way. The main colour I wanted for Trouble was red, as i think its such a bold, strong colour, and it fit the mood of the song well.
Your anticipated single, ‘Mad’, is heavily inspired by romance and emotions commonly associated with heartache. Are your personal experiences with romance a key reference point for your music? Where do you find the inspiration behind the lyrics?
I wrote most of the song on a plane to Nashville. I was pretty hung up on someone who did the typical, "I’m starting to like you, I’m scared, I’m going to pull away now!" move. It was so annoying! A lot of people are so emotionally unavailable these days, I think if we all grew the f**k up, the whole love thing would be so much easier!
Can you tell us about your work advocating for autism awareness, and why is this relevant to you?
I've basically been visiting places of education, performing my music and talking to kids about anti-bullying, staying safe online and autism. Raising awareness about autism is especially important for me as my relative is autistic.
Why is it so important for you to perform and discuss autism awareness at schools?
A relative of mine is autistic, and suffered terrible bullying in school, and throughout his life. I just want to make life easier for people like my relative who may be easily going through a lot of discrimination right now. I feel like the world needs to learn how to understand, and be less ignorant.
Greta Thunberg is said to be autistic, and people feel this has helped her. What are your
thoughts on this? Do you think she has been a positive face for people with autism?
Definitely. People on the spectrum have the ability to have incredible, undivided focus on something. I think this will have helped when she was doing her own research about the world, and the effects humans are having on it. My relative’s memory for things he is interested in is honestly like a book!
Do you have any new upcoming projects?
I will have a new single coming out in May! It's called, "Everybody Wants Something". I think it's going to resonate with the heavy emotion a lot of people are feeling presently.
What is your motto in life?
"Fuck it". It's not that inspiring, but I’d be lying if I said anything else, more than this on a daily basis!
Please list any websites and/or social media that you would like Jejune to promote:
izzythomas.com
Facebook: izzythomasofficial
Instagram: izzythomasofficial
Tiktok: izzythomasofficial
Youtube: izzythomasmusic
Twitter: izzythomasmusic
Photography by Dorota Szostek
