Izzy Spears and Jack Powers Pull the Trigger on ‘Hey There’
“When I heard your music I was like, ‘Oh shit,’” Izzy Spears tells Jack Powers. “I was showing everybody. I was like, ‘This is the gayest shit I’ve ever heard in my life, everyone needs to get on this level.’”
It’s totally fitting, then, that the two budding alt-pop stars collaborate on an equally gay and in-your-face project. In comes “Hey There,” the new single where Spears and Powers let out all their innermost desires.
In the video, Spears’ signature starry-eyed face serves as the backdrop for a sinister scene where three shirtless models in tighty-whities contort their bodies and get wrapped up in silver knives and guns. “Hey there,” Spears growls menacingly. “Where’d you learn to move like that?”
For the past few years, both artists have been making names for themselves in the underground scene with their unapologetic combination of pop, punk and next level aesthetics, so it only made sense for them to come together to show, not tell us, exactly what kind of boys they’re into.
Below, Spears and Powers have a candid chat about embodying personas on stage, Disney Channel original movies and the freedom that coming out of the closet affords you.
Jack Powers: Okay we have our glasses on, we’re in our journalism drag, we’re ready. So I have a question for you Izzy, honey, and I’m gonna jump right into it. I make it very clear in our new song, “Hey There,” what kind of boys I like. I would like to know what kind of boys you like?
Izzy Spears: I don’t really have a “type type” right now. I just like nerdy, funny, goofy. I’m into that. I’m not really into cool, you know the drug addict. I’m looking for tech nerds. Obviously you need to take care of your body. My body’s my temple type shit. I’m over the fun, I’m trying to get into a partnership situation. I’m not trying to do the, “Let’s get high and party together.” Like no, we’ve done that.
Jack: Period. So let’s leave boys out of this for now and let’s talk about style. You have point-blank the most incredible style out of almost anyone I know. l saw you perform in LA last spring, and you were wearing these amazing thigh-high fishing boots, and I was like, God damn it, that is so good. Everything you wear is always on point. Is there anyone that inspires your style or is there anything that gives you inspiration?
Izzy: Definitely just being in such close proximity to a lot of tasteful people. Because I don’t know anything about fashion, really. I don’t know brands like that. I don’t know when fashion week is, I’m always surprised. I think being associated with certain tastemakers like Shayne Oliver, and Yves Tumor. Even just fucking old TV shit. If you really get into the old Disney Channel movies, like the Disney Channel movies in the ’90s, they used to have the motherfuckers. The selected silhouette, right now: I’m super into a tank top, and obviously I’m working out, but it’s more just cozy, you know? And on stage my wardrobe has been for the past couple years literally all just prop clothes. Like you said, it’s style, it’s not necessarily fashion at all. It’s just like I’m feeling this way today, it’s giving that. I might watch pro wrestling, that’s what made me get the wrestling shoes that I have. Last year, I was re-watching WWE and I noticed the boots would go up to here. I just bought that on eBay type shit. So style is important. Stylizing and creating a world and shit for the project or for the stage is important. I will say though, Shayne Oliver really shaped style in my eyes in general and then Yves Tumor showed me how to bring it to the stage.
Jack: Does that go with your visuals, too? Because your videos and your cover art and your merch campaigns, they’re always very particular to you. You have a very specific and incredible visual world, it always blows me away. So are there any artists that you’re thinking about recently when it comes to visuals?
Izzy: Not really artists, I never look around for shit. I’ll never look around for influence. I’m always influenced by watching some older shit. Newer art is not as innovative, I feel like. Artists now are spoon-fed what they should look like or what they should have or what they need to look like. So I can’t say what artists now [inspire me]. But I will say what I really like right now is German Expressionism. I’m really into the whole shadow play, with the dark contrast. And I love Gregg Araki. I just watched this DVD by Akira Kurosawa, one of the greatest directors of his time and in general. I just watched a YouTube deep dive on him. lt’s older shit that I really watched to gain inspiration. Artists before our time, each album came with a new storyline, a whole new look. Like a more recent example is Rihanna, with every album. She’s this first, then she got the pixie cut, then she had the red hair. It was all a whole different world, a different embodiment, so that’s where my artistry comes from. Whenever I start to develop an idea, sometimes it’s just even a song, this EP started with “BODYBAG,” and that’s what Damnation is in the first part of the song. Once I started to invite that idea, I started to dive deep into what that could mean on multiple different levels, not only what it means to me. Then I started to create imagery from that. So it’s the whole thing. The imagery always comes first for me, in my head.
With M*A*D, it was an outfit that started the whole thing. It develops from an image or one singular idea, and sometimes I fixate on it so hard that it takes longer to flesh it out, but that’s where the artistry comes from. There’s so much to play with, it’s not just a song. There’s a whole world-building. That’s what made artistry and celebrity more interesting before than what it is now. There’s no one currently doing that, I mean not gonna say no one, but no one that was inspiring me to make art like that person back then. When I heard your music I was like, “Oh shit.” I was showing everybody. I was like, “This is the gayest shit I’ve ever heard in my life, everyone needs to get on this level.” Like, Popstar. You know exactly what it is like, so I appreciate you asking [to collab].
Jack: Well, thank you. Do you consider yourself somebody who’s creating a persona for each of these projects or is it just you evolving through your life? Do you think of it as a character you’re playing or just you or both?
Izzy: I definitely see Izzy Spears as, I wouldn’t say a character or something separate from me, but I would definitely say an outlet. Because the imagery of my music and me on stage — my mannerism, my behavior — is a part of me that I used to exercise in my day-to-day life, which is this antagonistic, angry thing. But through expressing it in art and music, it created a division where I could have a release of frustration. The music is about what’s going on for me, you know? So I guess there is a division. It’s not necessarily a persona, but the art, the Izzy Spears project is the development of the duality of those two worlds. That’s why on the EP now, there’s singing, a lot more of that, and getting more into personal feelings. And there’s the same shit that everybody loves that Izzy Spears embodies. But it’s all just a growing process of the duality of those two parts of myself.
Jack: Totally, I can relate to that too.
Izzy: It’s giving Sasha Fierce, Sasha Fierce on stage and then–
Jack: Yeah, to give yourself permission to take it to the furthest extent that you can’t necessarily do in everyday life.
Izzy: Right.
Jack: I love the “Hey There” video. It’s amazing, I can’t stop watching.
Izzy: Honestly, I hate that you’re [not here]. You’re supposed to [be in it]! I wish you were here. I was on tour when they shot it. I did my stuff before. And then Wally, my art director, he’s fucking genius, he was saying, “Maybe you get this big picture of yourself, that’s your presence in the video.” So you being here, you being in it would be kind of overkill. So I was on tour, they shot the video, and the whole time I’m like, “Ugh, I wish Jack was there.” The body language that I wanted in the video just doesn’t exist. But I love it, I wish you were in it, basically.
Jack: Next time, hopefully. But I love Dagger and I love Lucas. I haven’t met Jude yet, but he tore that. What drew you to them to embody the energy you were feeling for it?
Izzy: I reached out to Dagger first. And then the floodgates opened once I talked to Dagger. They’re all in Dagger’s band, so basically the video features Dagger Polyester, the band. And Dagger is such a cool dude, they just embody it. So that’s what drew me because it’s unapologetic as fuck. Lucas and then Dagger were like, “We can bring Jude too.” I asked some other people, but it was a money thing. We’re doing all this shit out of the graces of God. I wanted it to be like five or six people, but I love the different energies that they all represent. I love that they’re three different types of people, three different types of boys, three different archetypes. I love my control in the background.
Jack: Is there a specific symbolism to that or concept that you were working with?
Izzy: Blood, sweat and damnation. It’s like, you pour your blood, sweat and tears into this life, and everything right now in the world feels so doomed. It’s just my metaphor for that, but there’s also another play on it. There’s a story of me in the imagery and getting to this point where I’m like, “Sell my soul.” There’s stars in my eyes, like that’s my goal, that’s all I can see, I want stardom. Damnation is also like, you put all your blood, sweat and tears, and then you reach this goal which is fame and you’re doomed because it’s evil as fuck. So there’s double meanings. Like I said, I fester on these ideas, and then I start to romanticize it.
Jack: This is like therapy. Do you still believe in the American dream in this time when everything feels super uncertain and on thin ice?
Izzy: What a question, I actually think about that all the time. I’m like, should I just fucking learn a trade today? Because this can all go to shit and I might need to build my own home. But I still believe in it. The American dream changes, it’s different for everyone. It looked different for me when I first started than where I’m at now. It looks completely different. So I still think it’s possible, definitely, but it’s giving eat the rich right now. I’m not gonna lie. It’s giving get these bitches out of here.
Jack: I want to make sure we talk about your live performances because you have such an incredible stage presence, and it’s really striking. When you step on stage, is there a specific goal that you have in terms of how you want to make the audience feel? Personally, I really want to liberate people and get to that point where they just don’t give a fuck, and can do whatever and can feel however they want to feel and really just feel like a free bitch, baby.
Izzy: I think it’s the same message. I think I’m just a little more impatient [laughs]. Like where you are bringing them in to come into your vibe and dance and feel good, I’m like, “Wake the fuck up!” Like… emote emote emote, and feel. When everyone’s just standing looking so stupid, I would literally stop the music and be like, “If you’re gonna stand here and make me feel weird as fuck, get the fuck out of here,” you know what I’m saying? I feel like when I get on stage, it’s just the best moment for me. When I was younger, I had a lot of repression with my gayness. I came out and everything then it was like levels. Like this is too gay, I’m not that gay, I’m not this gay. So when I’m on stage, I feel like it’s the first time I truly don’t feel any apprehension at all. I’ll be a full-face faggot on stage, and I don’t give a fuck. Where you know, I’m way past that in my life, but sometimes it’s still that subtle, weird thing that sets me back from doing anything. From talking to someone I want to talk to, or I’m scared to talk to, or introducing myself to someone. It’s the kind of place where all those things melt. So when I’m on stage, I’m literally just 100% myself. And it’s like, “Lets put a nice name on it, put the visualizer in the back.” It gives me a nice excuse to have a reason behind it. There you go. Sorry, I smoked weed. But ultimately being up there and performing is what makes me feel 100% myself. Even when I’m not on stage, like I’m in the shower, I’m giving it. I’m giving it if I’m home alone, like I’m giving it all, full out. I’ll go full out anywhere, I’m going full out right now, just yapping on. It’s just like whenever I’m put on the spotlight, the spotlight hits, it kind of just comes through. All the gayness, all the faggotry, just comes straight through. I’m like a channel for all the greats, the late greats.
Jack: Absolutely.
Izzy: And you feel that.
Jack: Totally. And in your work and on stage, you have so much confidence and you do whatever you want you don’t give a fuck. Everything you’re saying right now, I can feel it, that sense of freedom. Was there anything specific or any point in your life that gave you that sense of freedom? Was there anything that gave you that permission, or any person or specific event that brought you to that for the first time?
Izzy: I just feel like I’ve dealt with bigger and badder things than the stage, you know? In my life, the way I grew up and all that shit was way harder than a booing crowd, you know what I’m saying? I guess the first thing that came to mind was, when I came out, I came out kind of by mistake. I was 17 and I was on a Xanax bender, and long story short, I fucking wrote my sister a long ass, I copy pasted a long ass paragraph of a message and sent it to my sisters and told them. And the next day I woke up, and on Xanax you don’t remember the goddamn thing, I didn’t remember. I opened my Facebook and they were freaking the fuck out and I was like, “Oh shit, I did this.” And I remember being like okay … I’d already ran away from home, and they knew I be out with friends. I could have been like, “Oh my friends did that.” Because I copied and pasted the message and sent it to all of them so it was perfect. But I sat with that thought, like damn. Because I feel like if I didn’t come out then I would still be in the closet. So I’m just like, “Do I just let it go right now and just say fuck it? Or do I continue to lie, continue to feel this repression, continue to not be my fully myself?” And I just did it. And after that, I had really crazy support from my brother and my mom. I kind of felt like I just did the biggest thing I could ever do, kind of like nothing else is gonna bother me. Because that to me was like the biggest thing, like in my family. So after that it was like, if anybody else has a problem with anything, you can really go fuck yourself. Because I just had to answer to my mother already, so it’s like she gave me the seal of approval.
Jack: Absolutely, yeah. That’s the blessing of being a queer person, you kind of have to fry this huge fish in the beginning of life and then afterwards going on stage is kind of a piece of cake.
Izzy: That’s really like, that’s why I respect trans women so much.
Jack: For sure.
Izzy: I respect that community so much because I remember how much mental gymnastics it was just being gay. They’re the strongest people ever because in society norms, society rules … you have to be strong to get through it, you know what I’m saying? So anything else, going on stage, being like, “Oh I can’t say this.” Because of what? Like, my mom already said it was okay. So yeah fuck it.
Jack: Yes, totally. You seem to have such a really good community of people around you in LA, like Yves Tumor, and going on tour with him, and Nightfeelings. And so many other amazing artists. How important is that for you? And how does that sort of intertwine with your work and creative process?
Izzy: I feel like community is like everything. I could sit here, and I do write a lot of stuff alone, but I’m just becoming. I’ve been making music for forever, but it changed when there was a community revolved around it. It wasn’t until then that my music started evolving into something more than just scribbles and voice notes, you know? So I feel like it’s important. And you named some people who are instrumental and were instrumental but they’re also people that are just like, I don’t want to say normal people but they’re just people that don’t have such big names. Like in the song “BURN,” my friend, her artist name is Shea Diamond, we’re all just fucking around and at the studio just having a kiki and her brother comes, randomly. I’m not really sure what he does. I only met him that one time, that was some years ago, and he played guitar. We’re just like, ‘”Oh play some guitar” and we ended up making that song which I’ve had for two years. It’s one of my favorite songs. And he’s so stoked, like, “Whoa, I’ve been playing guitar my whole life, I’ve never put anything out.” You know what I’m saying? So it was just that moment of everybody feeling free enough to just vibe and jam, and the community of it all was right and tight. And it’s always changing. So yeah, I think community is really important because when you make that connection with someone, you can create, [it’s like] creating a baby, you know what I’m saying? You can create something with someone and then put it out into the world to get its legs. It’s like a chemistry thing.
Jack: Absolutely, that’s beautiful. I know you’ve been going to the gym a lot and really taking care of yourself, and I’m wondering if you think we’re about to see a cultural shift post-brat summer that’s like the opposite of getting fucked up every night. No shade to Brat because it’s a fucking brilliant album and era.
Izzy: Yes.
Jack: It really is, I love it. But everything tends to be a reaction to what came right before. Do you think that’s where we’re heading right now? Do you think that’s the vibe?
Izzy: I hope so, shit. Everybody, get your lazy asses up! Nobody wants to fucking work anymore, shit. Like get the fuck up! I’m trying to get everybody to go to the gym. And not because I’m like, “I’m so hot, let’s get sexy.” It just feels so much better to wake up, right? Like wake up at 9 a.m., go to the gym, come home, have breakfast, have a shower, and be ready to go by noon … that sounds fab! Like waking up at fucking 4 p.m. with the sore nose is not … it’s fun, like yeah it’s fab, but we’ve been doing that. I hope it shifts because I was depressed as fuck and then I started working out and now I feel great. I’m not saying that’s the cure to everything but at least you like what you see when you look in the mirror god dammit.
Jack: I love that. Last question, what keeps you going?
Izzy: I don’t fucking know, bitch. No, I mean, I guess because it’s just my fucking dream. And if I stop, if I fall asleep, I’m still gonna dream of the same goddamn thing. There are so many times I’m like, “Fuck this.” Being broke as hell, being fucking tired of having to answer to anyone or do anything. Or having to put up with someone, whatever, it’s still gonna be the same dream. There’s still gonna be stars in the eyes the whole time. Also it’s just like my mama, you know? I want to fucking buy her a house. I want to figure all that out. I feel like while I have the opportunity, while the door’s open, there ain’t no stopping. You know what I mean? I just can’t stop, it’s what I’m working on. Like, stop and do what? I’ll stop when I’m dead, we’re all gonna be chasing something until then.
Jack: We’re all gonna be chasing something.
Photos courtesy of Izzy Spears
“When I heard your music I was like, ‘Oh shit,’” Izzy Spears tells Jack Powers. “I was showing everybody. I was like, ‘This is the gayest shit I’ve ever heard in my life, everyone needs to get on this level.’” It’s totally fitting, then, that the two budding alt-pop stars collaborate on an equally gay…