[Friday Feature] IPSY: New EP ‘WHO ARE YOU NOW?’ + Interview, Playlist

MusicPlaylists

19 Feb

KATIE BROWN - 19 FEB 2021

Out today is Masterton artist IPSY’s new EP WHO ARE YOU NOW? True to IPSY’s unique, genre-bending style, each of the five upbeat tracks “represents a different me”, as IPSY, whose real name is Sebastian Vallance, says. The EP plays out as a trip through some grittily honest self-reflection by IPSY, exploring issues like relationship struggles, narcissism, selfishness and self-love: at times he handles these directly, and at others he wraps them in metaphors, but they always translate with a refreshingly upfront honesty.

IPSY’s slick production brings these snapshots of himself to life with an R&B-reminiscent smoothness that makes the EP an enticing listen: at times the tracks are stripped back and slower, as with the beginning of the intimate “Pure”, giving the lyrics and their meaning a place to reverberate against the backdrop of minimal guitar and empty space, and in others the catchy beats and layers of electronica form complete worlds in and of themselves to become immersed in.

IPSY’s hope with the EP is that “the messages in my songs can connect with people and they can all feel a little less alone with some feelings they may have,” as he says, and his mastery of both craft and method of communicating create a unique space for this to happen.

Growing up playing in various bands, IPSY’s love for music really found its home when he discovered the endless possibilities of electronic music at the age of 13. A period of time spent creating strictly electronic instrumental compositions and showcasing them in the Soundcloud arena paved the way for IPSY diversifying and creating his own signature current-day sound, which is a blend of pop and R&B elements grounded by IPSY’s heavy electronic foundation.

WHO ARE YOU NOW? is out now across all platforms.

Read our interview and find a playlist curated by IPSY for us below!

Find IPSY on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify | Soundcloud

KATIE: LET’S START AT THE BEGINNING. WHAT’S YOUR EARLIEST MUSICAL MEMORY?

IPSY: I think my earliest memory was the guitar lessons I took in primary school. I remember my teacher’s name was Cody and every time I would show up late to my practices with an out of tune guitar. He would always have so much for me to learn and I really couldn’t be fucked so I’d wait for him to go to the toilet or something each lesson so I could mess around and come up with my own things.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO MAKING MUSIC YOURSELF?

I think it all started with the bands I was in during high school. At first I would play covers with a few friends but at about 15 I joined a band to enter Rockquest with. I loved the band and always wanted to create new things. That’s when I started really experimenting with production and all the possibilities that there are in music and sound.

HOW DID YOU FIND THE SHIFT FROM BEING PURELY INSTRUMENTAL IN YOUR WRITING TO INCLUDING VOCALS?

I absolutely love producing and always will but I think production alone wasn’t quite enough to express myself to the fullest extent. I had so much more to say in my songs and that’s when I decided to try singing. At first it was mainly melodies just to get ideas down and then I slowly learnt how to string my words together into a story. The transition seemed so organic and before I knew it I was singing about how heartbroken I was on every song lmao

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES, AND WHO INSPIRES YOU?

They are constantly changing but some people who have made a huge impact on my sound would be: girl in red, Drake, Tory Lanez and Stwo.

HOW LONG HAS ‘WHO ARE YOU NOW?’ BEEN ON THE BREW FOR, AND WHAT INSPIRED IT?

Well I’ve had the idea to put these songs out as a project since early last year. It’s entirely inspired by my own growth and the stages that I’ve gone through since the start of last year. Each song represents a different me. That’s what I love about it.

‘TRIBUTE TO SELFISHNESS’ IS A TRACK ABOUT LOVING YOURSELF AND SPEAKS AS A KEY SINGLE OF THE EP THAT I THINK MANY WILL RELATE TO ON SEVERAL LEVELS: WHAT DOES LOVING YOURSELF LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

Well I think the song shows a narcissistic side of me that I’m not in love with. Day to day I think I can find myself with a very big head and very stuck in my own world. It’s a song like this that takes me away from that and gives me a chance to reflect on how I act. I think loving myself is shown in this song to go too far and can be negative when it affects the people around me.

*COVER ART FOR ‘TRIBUTE TO SELFISHNESS’*

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR WRITING AND RECORDING PROCESS. WHERE DO YOU BEGIN, AND WHO’S INVOLVED?

My writing process is very messy and all over the place almost all of the time but always comes together if I love the song. I’ll often sample snippets from movies, ads or tv shows that I can connect with. Other times I'll work with other artists to get an outside input. I’ll almost always start with chords so I can get a real idea of the feeling and then I'll lay a beat and get into the vocals. Have realised recently however that my writing has to be organic and most of the time I will just fall into a song before I've even realised it.

FAST-TRACK TO THE END OF 2021. IN AN IDEAL WORLD, WHAT’S HAPPENED, WHERE ARE YOU LIVING, AND WHAT’S NEXT?

Big question! I really want to have my album out, that’s the main priority. I’ve also been perfecting my live set a lot recently so would be cool to have a few shows under my belt. Most of all I just hope that the messages in my songs can connect with people and they can all feel a little less alone with some feelings they may have.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MESSAGE YOU WANT TO CONVEY TO THE WORLD RIGHT NOW?

Sheesshhh I think I’ve said this before but be kind! Share love whenever you can and always follow your gut and do what you love to the absolute fullest extent. If you are passionate and love something enough you’re gonna kill it.

SO, IPSY, WHO ARE YOU NOW?

Haha the big question however unfortunately I still have noooo clue! I know I’ve changed, in good ways and bad. To be completely honest I don’t think I’ll ever really know but that’s how songs are made and those songs make me happy so I’m okay with that xxxx

Find IPSY on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify | Soundcloud