[INTERVIEW] Artist You Should Know: IZPZ

IZPZ is a singer-songwriter who has recently released his debut single, “In Sight” on the 4th of August! The artist is here to discuss his music, his debut single as well as why he switched from his law background. IZPZ is HypnoticAsia’s recommended artist you know due to his great music style and sound.

Find out more about the new artist by checking out his interview below. Also, be sure to listen to his debut single “In Sight”, out now.

IZPZ Interview

Please introduce yourself to our readers here at HypnoticAsia!

Hello! I am IZPZ from Sunny Singapore! Ironically, I write not so sunny songs.

You recently released “In Sight” as your debut single! Tell us more about that song and how it came to be.

“In Sight”, was inspired by two of my close friends who were together but just couldn’t work it out. This also brought me to think about my own relationship with my ex – of how we can try everything to make something work but somehow, we really bring out the worst in each other. Yet how beautiful (and gold) when it comes to an end, sad as it may be, feels like you are liberated and entering paradise at the end of a tunnel, freeing you to really find yourself and live your best life as you should.

Musically, the words “gold” “cold” and “go” and hooky tune really came to me while I was fiddling with the piano one day. Somehow it all just made so much sense to me, the story and the whole color of it.

Tell us a little about your background! From being a classical tenor, to a law degree, to a singer-songwriter; how did you decide you wanted to officially debut as a singer-songwriter?

Wow, this is a heavy question. Yes, I used to be a classical tenor back in Junior College and I was all set (then) to pursue a career in opera. I did a few smaller local productions in Singapore and was accepted to a couple of good conservatories. My family hit a financial set back, so I decided to stay in Singapore to pursue a law degree and I eventually did practice as a lawyer for a short time. Funnily, though I was a pretty good lawyer, I just didn’t like it as much as I should, and I always had that aching feeling that I had to go out to do something music related.

So, I left law to become a manager at a music academy. Even then, I didn’t get to really do my own music; I still had that creative itch to scratch. With the help of my friend, Falling Feathers who is also an artist, I mustered the courage to just give this singer-songwriter thing a proper shot!

Where does your inspiration and motivation for music come from?

Although I learnt music when I was very young, I would say my motivation for music came when I was in the school choir, where I felt like my musicality was actually rewarded by the group and so I worked much more on it. But I was only truly inspired when I became in touch with church music (like Hillsong United) and indie folk music, where words and music and raw emotion flow just fuse together. These really just move you spiritually sometimes. Being able to evoke the sublime emotions is where I get my drive to keep making the music that I love.

Have you studied music professionally?

Unfortunately, no! I did a course in A Levels (and got an A for it) and might I add to my boast that I also got accepted to Berklee College of Music almost 10 years back! But no, I would’ve loved to though!

What are you hoping to achieve with your music?

During my “law years” (pun not intended), I had a really bitter relationship with music which resulted in a lot of just regrets and unhappiness. It was just recently, having found a sound that I really like and falling in love with the process of making it, and having had the chance to go for a songwriting camp in MusikMakarna to explore music-making, I finally found myself and the place where music should be in my life – as a singer-songwriter. All I hope is to be able to keep doing music that I love no matter where I am in life.

But of course, if anyone other than myself likes my music or if I even get to do an international tour one day and make a living from my music career, it would really be a privilege.

If you could collaborate with any artist in the world, who would it be and why?

This is really difficult! I was thinking if it would be Bon Iver, Chris Martin or Billie Eilish. But I would probably choose Bon Iver. I really just love his instrumentation and production and even his melodies and ideas. Don’t know where it all comes from and I would like to witness all of it in action. I mean even Taylor Swift loves Bon Iver. Fun Fact: Bon Iver liked one of my covers of his song before back in 2020 and it made my entire week!

Can we expect more music to come?

Yes! My next release will be in early September! It is a song that really means a lot to me, and it is quite different from In Sight! Do check it out! After that, the third song will be in October and I am determined to say this – a song every month after that up till an EP early next year!