For fans of Kate Bush, Feist, and Annie Lennox, comes Iris Pope an innovative, intuitive, and passionate singer-songwriter who weaves emotional landscapes through her music.
With a career that began at the age of three when she built a stage from wooden blocks and found her voice through a makeshift microphone, Iris Pope’s lifelong passion for music has led her on a journey of resilience and creative expression.
Inspired by a diverse array of artists, including Florence + The Machine, The Cure, LCD Soundsystem, Mitski, Hozier, alt-J, PUP, and the Mountain Goats, Iris Pope’s creative process is driven by her innate ability to tell stories and evoke emotions through her music—lyricism is an integral part of her music, and it shows through in her upcoming debut release, Awakening set to release October 27th, 2023.
What sets Iris Pope apart as an artist to watch is her ability to infuse raw emotion into each note, creating melodies that resonate with her listeners on a profound level. Her songs delve deep into her thoughts, desires, and emotions, offering an evocative experience that leaves a lasting impact on those who immerse themselves in her art.
“I want to be remembered as someone who woke up and strove every day to be the best that they can be,” she says. “Someone who makes music that made people feel things, that made people who feel alone feel seen and heard.”
Beyond her music, Iris Pope possesses a diverse range of passions, including a seasoned background in musical theatre since the tender age of four, having graced over 20+ plays and musicals. Prior to her music career, she was an accomplished mogul skier, demonstrating her commitment to excellence in various forms of art and athleticism. She is also an accomplished student having attended the prestigious University of St Andrews and completing her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Social Anthropology.
Keep an eye out for new releases throughout 2023, as she continues to grow as an artist and share her music with the world.
What first got you into music?
I am what could best be described as a recovering theatre kid. I started performing in musicals when I was four years old, and that irrevocably set me on a path of loving performance and music. My parents also played a lot of 70’s and 80’s music for me growing up, specifically The Cure, and listening to their music made me feel so seen and understood, and I wanted to be able to provide that for other people too.
What is your creative process like?
My creative process ultimately comes down to a lot of reading and listening to music that inspires me, actually! I find that I’m the most inspired when I’m surrounded by art that engages me emotionally, so to kickstart my process I first grab whatever book I’m loving at the time (currently it’s ‘A Little Life’ by Hanya Yanahigara), then take whatever inspiration I glean to write lyrics, then put those lyrics to song. It’s a little bit of an abstract process, but I super enjoy it!
What is your top two favourite songs of all time? Why those songs?
Modern Leper by Frightened Rabbit and Rain in Soho by The Mountain Goats are currently my top 2. I’m starting to release how animal focused my music taste is. Anyways! Modern Leper is an absolutely gorgeous exploration of depression, plus the chorus hit every time I listen to it. Rain in Soho is one of my favourites due to how interesting I find the production of the song. It’s also very different from the sound I normally associate with The Mountain Goats and it has a heaviness to it that I just adore.
Of your own music, do you have a favourite? If so, can you pin down why?
My current favourite is an unreleased song that I recently wrote. It’s my current favourite because of how I feel it reflects how far I’ve come as a songwriter, plus it’s one of those pieces that the emotion just comes through so clearly even after I listened to it a thousand times. Cannot wait to release it!
What are your plans for any future releases?
I have an EP coming out in October! It’s called Awakening and will be featuring 3 new songs. I’m unbelievably excited to release it and finally let the songs see the light of day.
Where was your last song recorded?
My last song was recorded at a lovely studio down in North Carolina called GAT3! It was an unbelievably warm and welcoming environment, and one of the most creative places I’ve ever been. Also, the aesthetics of the studio is incredible! Sleek, modern, and just incredible.
Was anyone else involved in writing, recording, or producing the songs?
Nate Wyatt produced all of my music! Nate is just an incredible musician in his own right, and I cannot be thankful enough for the way he completely understood my musical vision. Plus, he’s just a genius. His band, Oceanic, is also amazing, highly recommend.
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
Of course! I don’t really stick to any particular song(s), it’s normally what I’m listening to at the time. Currently it’s Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl by Chappell Roan and The Emperor’s New Clothes by Sinéad O’Connor.
You are a new addition to a crayon box. What colour would you be and why?
I would certainly be a dark green crayon. I love the outdoors and spend a bunch of time hiking, plus I find green to be incredibly relaxing. I don’t know if my personality necessarily suits a green crayon, but it’s what I would want to be.
What historical figure would you love to see in 21st century life?
For sure, Victor Hugo. Les Misérables is one of my favourite books (so much so that it’s one of my tattoos!) and when you read the book the amount of detail he puts into every aspect of his narration is kind of blinding. Specifically all the stuff about the Paris sewers, the dude was wild. Anyways, I’d just want to see him run around and pick his brain about his work.
If you could learn any language fluently, what would it be?
I’d honestly go for Greek. I can already read the alphabet and speak a little bit, but I would love to be able to understand it fluently. It’s one of those languages that sounds super beautiful, and when I was a kid I was obsessed with Greek mythology, so it would definitely be Greek.
Do you have any superstitions?
I don’t know if I’m necessarily superstitious, but I definitely believe in hedging my bets. I always knock on wood if anyone says anything they want to happen, and I always toss salt over my shoulder if I spill it. Do I believe it? No. But am I going to chance it being real? No way
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