Q&A: Izzy Spears Breaks Barriers With His New EP ‘M*A*D (Miss American Dream)’
THERE IS NOTHING MORE REFRESHING THAN EXPRESSING YOURSELF FREELY — that feeling of being your whole and raw self without caring about the opinions and judgment of others. When you overcome your struggles and let go of the things that hold you back, there’s no limits in your way, and you flourish freely. M*A*D — which stands for Miss American Dream — expresses that journey in the most creative way possible. With “themes of love, queerness, heartbreak, addiction, and sex, Izzy [Spears] challenges conventional notions of success while offering a unique perspective on the chase for fame.”
A songwriter, vocalist, arranger, and composer from Atlanta, Spears broke into the music industry in 2019 with The Anonymous Club, a collective of artist, designers, and musicians who are curated by Shayne Oliver, a fashion designer, musician, and founder of the New York City high fashion brand Hood By Air.
Now, Spears is back with his most recent EP, M*A*D (Miss American Dream), which dropped mid-December. The six-track record explodes with creativity. “[With] slow burning vocals and booming soundscapes,” M*A*D (Miss American Dream) embodies the essence of freedom and self-expression both sonically and visually.
Read on below to learn more about Izzy Spears and the release of M*A*D (Miss American Dream).
LUNA: Hi, Izzy! Let’s start off with the most obvious question: How are the first few weeks of 2024 going for you?
SPEARS: Productive. Having fun creating.
LUNA: Can you tell the Luna audience a little bit about who Izzy Spears is?
SPEARS: I'm up for interpretation. There's enough in the visuals and music for you to come with your own perception of who I am.
LUNA: Congratulations on dropping M.A.D. (Miss American Dream) How does it feel to have it released?
SPEARS: Feels like a big release and weight off my shoulders. Been sitting on it for so long but performing it all the time. But I love that people get to experience it as something new, and I'm already on to the next thing.
LUNA: Can you tell me what sparked the inspiration for this EP?
SPEARS: It was my American dream. But then I thought of “Piece Of Me'' by Britney Spears… The first line is “I’m Miss American Dream since I was 17.” You get the rest… Sometimes when those special synchronized moments happen, you just go with it.
LUNA: “Heaven” and “M.A.D” are my two favorite tracks on the EP. Can you tell me about the creative processes behind them?
SPEARS: “Heaven” was the first song started for the M*A*D (Miss American Dream). I worked with Duskdriven, Nick Weiss, Pablo Melendez, and Jesse Saint John. I took my time with her [the song] — about a year. Throughout the year, I always had her in the back of my mind, and when ideas would come out of the blue I wrote them down and tried them out. With the help of my producers, we were able to reimagine it every time. The demo hardly sounds recognizable.
“M*A*D” was with Duskdriven, Nick Weiss, Tim Randolph, and Zack Sekoff. This was a more of a day-jam situation. We had the overall skeleton in the first session and just had to do a little fine tuning later.
LUNA: The music videos for “Serena” and “New Normal” are super artsy, cool, and crazy (in a good way, of course). What was it like making them, and which one was your favorite?
SPEARS: “New Normal” was sick because me and my collaborator FFF shot the whole thing and made the sets ourselves. I really fuck with the whole practical effects thing.
“Serena” is definitely my favorite of the two. It was like I imagined the craziest consent, and Actual Objects, who directed and produced [it], were able to exceed the expectations. It was hella fun to get dirty af.
LUNA: What advice would you give to another artist who is exploring their musical horizons?
SPEARS: There is no right way to do any of this. Just stay consistent and stay hungry to learn.
LUNA: What brings you joy?
SPEARS: Life.
LUNA: Any plans for 2024?
SPEARS: Work harder than I ever have.
LUNA: Question for fun: If you could make the greatest playlist of all time, who and what would it be in that playlist?
SPEARS: Prince’s music vault with over 2,000 finished songs that no one has heard. Unrelesed Lauryn Hill and André 3000 songs.
