Q&A: IPSY

Originally from Masterton, producer & artist IPSY has excelled in creating his own eclectic, genre-defying style with pop, R&B and electronic influences. Tomorrow he releases his second EP “WHO ARE YOU NOW?” and chats to us about the inspirations behind his music-making, why more diverse sounds need to be pushed in the industry (we agree!) and more.

We’d love to know a little bit about your musical journey so far from when you first started singing and producing!

Well I first starting producing when I was about 14. Started messing around on some software that I managed to pirate, making shitty house songs and remixes. Then at around 16, I started taking it seriously and started making a lot of trap and that started to take up most of my time at school. It was only from around 18 when I started experimenting with my voice and began creating my own style which I’ve been building ever since :)

We think your latest singles “Pure!” and “Tribute to Selfishness” are so dope! Can you tell us a little bit about the meaning behind these tracks and what inspired you to write them?

The inspiration I think from those songs came when I arrived home from being in the US prior to COVID taking over. Things got pretty messy over there and was feeling a lot of uncertainty due to everything going on. I think being able to get home before things got bad gave me a feeling of security and relief which inspired confidence in me and I think that really came out in the songs. 

Congrats on your new EP! Why did you decide to call it “WHO ARE YOU NOW?” and how would you describe the overall theme of it?

The name of the EP is based around the fact that the EP is a progression from who I was when I wrote the first song to who I was when I wrote the last. So I guess the name is almost asking “what’s up next?”. I think the name leaves my music open-ended and who knows where I’m heading next. The theme is heavily based around self improvement and reflection and what sort of person I have been throughout each time period while the EP was being written. 

What were your main highlights on working on the EP?

I spent a lot of time alone when I wrote this. I am a really social person and I think when I am able to be alone even for a bit and just write, it sparks a lot of inspiration in me and allows me to re-evaluate and just get lost in my work. So in that sense, every song was a highlight as it gave me time to just express myself, alone in my room with a couple cheeky ronas to loosen the inhibitions haha.

Who are your biggest inspirations in music?

This always changes. But I would say some of my biggest inspirations have been SOPHIE (who unfortunately passed away recently), Tory Lanez, Girl in Red, The Kid LAROI, MF DOOM, and the king of all kings Drake.

If there’s anything you could change about the current music industry, what would it be and why?

I think more diverse sounds need to be pushed. We have so many young people coming out with incredible sounds that never see the light of day because it doesn’t fit a mold. Exposing more diverse sounds in music and pushing a whole load of new sounds at a higher level will give us a world where people are feeling more and more and that’s what you need with music. Understanding artist intention is so important and I believe that can sometimes get lost in the woodwork. Passion is truly contagious and I think some of the new and different music that is floating around these days needs to be exposed. 

Who are some of your favourite NZ artists right now and are there any songs in particular that you love or connect with?

There’s so many I’m loving - 33 Below, HIGH HØØPS, Paige, Shiraz & LSJ, and LA WOMEN. I’d say my favourite artist at the moment though is Nekolai. I’ve never heard music so emotional. He showed me his EP the other day and it absolutely blew my mind. Completely beautiful piece of art.

What do you love most about living in New Zealand? Do you have any favourite places to travel to or local spots to visit?

It’s easy to take the place you live for granted. As I was driving back from RnV this year, I was in awe at how beautiful our country is. Really loved the Gizzy countryside and am fizzing to hopefully head back up for a surf trip sometime soon. 

What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt in your career so far?

I think the one thing I have really got a grip on over the past couple years is trusting my process. Theres always creative ups and downs but when you love your art, the hankering to keep creating always comes back. No matter how low you feel or uninspired, if you really love it, you can’t help but create. My confidence has also grown so much and I think now I’m at a stage where I can create whatever music I like, free of boundaries, and that’s a great feeling. 

Lastly, if you could say one thing to every person in the world, what would it be?

BE YA SELF!! Don't get too caught up on public opinion and never ever give up. When you discover what you love, follow through and build something that is completely and undoubtedly you. Cause that's all you got, that way when you die you'll know, regardless of what happened over the course of your life, you did something that came directly from the deepest part of your heart and I think that's gorgeous. xxxxxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo <3 <3 <3 <3

Thanks heaps IPSY! Make sure to follow him on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify or Apple Music.