Emerging Talent iVANA Is Talking Her Music Strategy and Creative Passions
ARTIST: iVANA
INTERVIEWER: Gracie Kahn
Gracie: Tell me a bit about yourself and who you are
iVANA: I was born in Queens but grew up in the Poconos (moving me out of the city was probably a good thing). I’m an artist whose mediums are music, poetry, spirituality and fashion. My favorite hobby used to be skateboarding but I’ve strayed away from it which makes me sad. But I’ve found a new love for cooking and traveling. I enjoy spending time with my friends and being around a lot of people but I also value my alone time with my cat.
Gracie: When did this music journey begin for you? What sparked it?
iVANA: I’ve been making music for years but felt too shy to release anything until last year. I went to college, in Vermont, and used to host and perform at a ton of art and music events. It was a lot of fun and helped me get more comfortable on stage. Seeing other people perform IRL and on the internet motivated me to pursue this dream. And the lack of seeing people who looked like me fueled that passion.
Gracie: Tell me about your past two releases “Daydream” and “again, again.” What did the creative process look like and who was involved?
iVANA: “Daydream” was created in one day and it took less than an hour to finish. It was weird… Brodie and I had no intention of making music that day. He was simply strumming his guitar and I froze and said “let me sing right now.” He produced the entire piece, and I just sang on it. I’m still learning how to use Ableton.
The making of “again, again” is almost similar to “Daydream.” Brodie unintentionally opened up a file to a sample of something he was about to delete, and I jumped up and yelled, "SEND THAT TO ME NOW!" That evening, I went home and wrote lyrics for the entire song based on that one clip before he expanded on it. I still can't believe he was going to throw it away... It's as though the universe knew.
Gracie: Tell me about your relationship with Brodie Harvey. How did you two meet and how much of an influence does he have on your sound?
iVANA: Brodie is my lovely boyfriend and music partner <3 whom I met at a rooftop party. It was super random lol. We hungout for 8 hours straight a couple days after meeting at the party drinking mimosas, making music, and eating shitty food. Brodie helps me with all of my musical endeavours. If he isn’t producing it, he’s engineering it and helping me with the recording. He shares a studio with a few of his friends so having that outlet is amazing. He understands the sound I’m after and it helps that he plays both guitar/bass + sings.
Gracie: Who are your biggest music inspirations and are there specific artists that influence your sound?
iVANA: Since I started making music, Santigold and Lykke Li have been my two biggest influences. I love and adore their sounds; they are incredible, and their music makes me so f-ing happy. Hemlocke Springs is another recent artist who has influenced my sound. It's nice to see a black indie musician flourish in this white-dominated industry - her sound and voice are unique.
Gracie: How would you describe a studio session? What does it look like: who is there, where is it, how long does it take to complete a single etc.?
iVANA: If there are a lot of us in the studio, someone will produce a track and anyone who wants to hop on it can - no pressure. It's like a mini-party with friends; it's always a lot of fun, and we spend hours there. If it's a smaller session, we'll focus on tweaking singles and creating new music for our chosen genres. I honestly don't know how long it takes to complete a single; it all depends on how much we work on it at the moment. I have songs from months ago that I have yet to finish.
Gracie: Tell me about your new song “YO-YO”
iVANA: A seemingly endless YouTube “type beat” scroll led me to find the producer of this ethereal track. “YO-YO” heals the wounds of those who have grown distant from their inner child - I'm drawing you back into yourself. That inner child who was never exposed to many prominent platforms populated by people who shared her style and voice. “YO-YO” at its core is an indie track and I believe its energetic and playful overtones make you feel alive.
Gracie: I noticed how unique and creative your cover art is. What did the production look like for that?
iVANA: My friend Dillon O’Keefe created the cover art for “YO-YO!” I sent him a few reference photos and he put that creation together; he’s super talented. He also created a short reel for “Daydream” that truly encapsulated my entire vibe.
Gracie: What can we expect from you within the next couple of months?
iVANA: I have 2 really exciting BK events that I’ll be performing at: NYFW after party at Farewell bar (2/16) and The Purgatory BK (3/7)! I’m planning on releasing a couple of more singles leading up to a full EP release these next few weeks/months. I keep saying “this is my year” and I’m really trying to live up to that by making shit happen and getting shit done!
