IZZA GARA INTERVIEW: Born in Gothenburg with Turkish/Swedish roots and now a rising force in Stockholm’s alternative scene, Izza Gara homes a Swedish Grammy nomination, co-signs from
Axel Arigato and COLORS and a forthcoming link up with UK resident Miso Extra, Izza has already cemented herself as a rising force in the Nordic scene and beyond. Get familiar…
What five words define your sound?
I’d say playful, vulnerable, electronic, sensual and fluid.
Tell me something unique about your creative process
I work with feeling first, I don’t chase perfection. Most of the time it’s a combination of playtime and therapy. I create a lot at home and I have a home setup but very often I’m on the sofa or on the floor, singing straight into my laptop.
Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?
‘Favour’.
What inspired you to make that song?
I was revisiting those late 2000s beats like Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, Nicki… That whole era had such fearless sound choices that really scratches an itch for me. Lyric-wise it’s the misogyny and how I’ve been struggling to navigate within this male dominant industry and in this life that made me write this song.
What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?
Honestly, I think being vulnerable is the point. If I’m not allowing myself to be my most vulnerable self when I write, then I’m not really saying anything. Or if it’s a fun vibe. If I’m not cringing a little when I listen back, then I didn’t go far enough.
What’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage?
ByLarm last year. The gig was in a church which made me so excited that I wanted to design the whole experience. I emailed the owners of the church to ask if we could use the pulpit. I brought Alma on keys, and my friends Angela and Ahtayaw, who are incredible dancers. When we walked on, there was total silence, no claps, no screams. It was kind of awkward, but then it turned into this almost holy tension. The energy we built was like nothing I’ve felt before. Strange but beautiful gig.
What is your favourite song to perform?
Right now, definitely ‘Favour’. With the dancers, it becomes almost like a little theatre piece where I get to dance, exaggerate, then fall into something fragile.
Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?
Missy Elliott.
What’s the meaning behind your name?
My name is Izabella and Izza came from my earliest digital nickname like my first email, first username and my first art account. Gara is stolen from Izgara, a Turkish dish (it means barbeque [laughs]). I’m half Turkish and I just liked the shape of the word. It felt random but also very me.
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?
I’d still be creating something. Maybe through choreography, painting, or design. Maybe I’d be an architect or an art director if not a choreographer/dancer.
What’s success to you?
Freedom. For me it’s to be able to create without compromise and still have a roof over your head, food, health and love, friendships and family.
What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?
For very long, I wanted to be a dancer and a choreographer and make performances but I realised choreographers rarely perform in their own work and I wanted to both create and embody my art. I also felt like the opportunities in Sweden weren’t many and the jobs that did exist weren’t what I wanted. So I thought of other outlets where I could have more freedom and I changed direction to music as it felt like a bigger playground for me and also because it scared me.
Where can people keep in touch with you?
I’m kind of a boomer so Instagram is my home base, I overshare there. But I’ve been trying out TikTok, and I’m seriously considering resurrecting my Tumblr or making something fun out of my website.. TBC
