BiB: IZZA – How a Coachella Stunt and Billboard Revenge Made Her Go Viral!

0:00 What is going on? It is Adam. Welcome back to Bringing It Backwards, a podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode, we had a chance to hang out with Isa over Zoom Video. If you're on social media, TikTok, Instagram, I'm sure you'll recognize Isa from her very, very viral videos. The one she did performing at Coachella where she brought in her own MIDI keyboard player and headphones and filmed herself playing her song Gentlemen has 70 plus. Million views on numerous videos of those Coachella videos she shot. Or you might recognize her from the revenge billboard. She put a billboard up promoting her. Song in front of her ex boyfriend's apartment, which is pretty hilarious. So she talks about those two stories. We find out she's born and raised in Los Angeles, started playing piano at a very early age, went to USC to study music business, started songwriting around 13. She talked about releasing her first EP a couple years ago called I say this with love and is it talks about her most recent release, a song called Sweat and all about the brand new EP which is called Because I'm Blonde. You can watch our interview with Isa on our Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing it backwards. It'd be amazing if you subscribe to our channel, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok at bringing back pod.

1:29 And if you're listening to this on Spotify, Apple Music, Google podcasts, it would be incredible. If you follow us there as well and hook us up with a five. Star review, we'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcasts. Wherever you listen to podcasts, we're bringing. It backwards with Isa. Bringing it backwards. Bringing it backwards. Bring it backwards. Bringing it backwards. Bring it back. Bring it back.

2:09 Hello. Hi. How are you? Good, how are you? I'm fantastic. I appreciate you doing this. Thank you so much. Yeah. I'm Isa. Nice to meet you. Hi, Isa, I'm Adam. Very nice to meet you as well. Thanks for having me. Of course. This is about you and your journey in music and we'll talk about. I believe you have an EP coming out, right? And a new song? Yeah, yeah, Totally exciting. So, yeah, I'm excited to hear your story. Were you, you're in LA now, Are you originally born and raised in la? Yeah, born and raised. I'm still here. I'm a. I'm a townie. So it's very nice to pursue my dreams and still have my, you know, childhood, family and friends. Be around Me? Yeah. That's amazing. I'm from San Diego. I live in Nashville now, but, yeah, not very many people were from, you know, San Diego or Los Angeles. It's definitely a place people move to to try to make things happen, obviously, so. For sure, yeah. You miss part?

3:20 Nah, to be honest. What part of LA did you grow up in? I grew up in Encino. It's, you know, town in the Valley. Very kind of like quiet and suburban, but I love it. And my family's still there, so. Very, very cool. What about music or creative household do you come from? Musical family? My family has always loved music. They took me to concerts, you know, since I've been little and been going to, like, venues like Hollywood Bowl, Staples. Well, Staples Center. What is it now? Like cryptocurrency building or something? Oh, yeah. Crypto.com. Oh, yeah. Crypto. Got there. There you go. Yeah. So they were music lovers.

4:13 They didn't play instruments themselves, but they had me playing piano like any other kid or like any other instrument you pick up when you're growing up. But I fell in love with songwriting because I just didn't feel like I could express my emotions to people. You know, I think it's hard to have conversations, and I think directing that in a creative outlet really helped me figure out what I was going through and have something to, you know, use as therapy, but also create art. So I fell in love with that and I've been doing that for very long time now. That is amazing.

4:58 So you said you started on piano, though? Yeah, piano. And then I also danced. So I think dancing made me love pop music, which is the music I make now. Sure. And that's something I'm trying to incorporate more with my music. I just shot a music video for my new song, Sweat. It's coming out. Yes, yes. Yeah, I did like a whole dancing music video. Got like dancers and everything. And it's a very upbeat, fun song. So I think it really adds to the. To the music. That is cool. Very, very cool. So did you go to school for music at all or anything like that?

5:41 Or did you join band? Were you in the band or anything like that? Yeah, I went to USC for music industry. Oh, wow. And started. Yeah. Music business and learned so much there and it was a lot of fun. And now I'm out in the real world. But yeah, I learned a lot there and it was a great time. That is awesome. And you. Did you go because you said for music business. So was. Is this always been something you wanted to do? Was Obviously something in the music industry or so be an artist for sure. I think the hardest part about being in music or wanting to pursue music is you don't really know where to start.

6:29 I think it's hard for a lot of artists, specifically, like, how do you even upload a song to Spotify? Or how do you even get producer? I think my biggest challenge was trying to find someone to make music with. I remember when I graduated school and wanted to start, you know, recording music and releasing it under isa. I couldn't. I didn't really know how to find a producer. So I started DMing producers. I saw like on Instagram to try to ask if they would want to work with me. And every producer I messaged was asking me for a demo. And I was so confused because I was trying to make demos essentially. Right? Yeah, you gotta have nothing.

7:20 That's why I'm contacting you. Contacting you. So then I was confused. I was like, do I just send them like a voice note of me playing piano with lyrics? Like, I'm not sure what to do. So then I had to really understand production. And I learned music production in school. But you kind of just learn like a very basis of it and kind of each program. You don't really get to spend the time to really practice and write songs on a daily basis. So I had to learn logic from like a songwriter and production standpoint and then create the songs fully to send to producers to be like, hey, like, do you want to with me? You know, and I didn't realize that's not something people do that people just go to sessions with maybe an idea and then write, you know, with a songwriter or producer. But this whole time I've been writing music since now. I literally make the whole song and, you know, produce it and take it to my.

8:28 The producer I work with now, Noah, and he obviously is more experienced than I am and makes it, you know, come to life more. But yeah, that's kind of my process. Wow. Yeah. So instead of. Yeah, but I mean, even how would you know? You know, people that show up and they have an idea or something, and then it becomes a song with song. Because those sessions aren't like advertise. I mean, you have to. No, there's no way. Yeah. It's not like you go online and like just schedule an appointment with a songwriter. Yeah, yeah. And like in school we really learned kind of the way if you were already assigned artists and part of a label, there wasn't really a lot of knowledge.

9:16 I think maybe There might be more now because I think there are a lot more independent artists. But even just like, every year, they change, like, the program because, like, evolving, always changing. It's like if you get a degree in social media, which was. I'm old, so that wasn't even a degree when I was in school. But, like, I always think about that. I'm like, okay, so, like, if you took. If you went to college five years ago, that degree is, like, so irrelevant because you had to post on Facebook or something. Yeah. Things change so fast. So there's really no rule book in music in general, but especially for, like, an independent artist, like, trying to teach that, it's really, like, it's really difficult. And I think that you have to kind of just find your own path. I mean, that must have obviously helped you because you're writing full songs, right? And you're probably getting better and better as you do it.

10:14 So you're doing what you wanted to eventually do, but you're just like, oh, well, I gotta do this myself. Instead of having maybe, like, a mentor of sort sit there and be like, oh, well, let's change this lyric, or let's do this chord progression. It's like, no. You just kind of had to figure it out yourself. Yeah, yeah. And it feels really great to be able to, like, not rely on so many people all the time. Or if I just, you know, a lot of the time, my songwriting process is like, all. It'll be the middle of the night, and I could just go in the next room and start making a song. Like, I don't have to wait till another session to start writing, or if I don't know how to, you know, start making a beat. Like, I don't have to wait for someone to give me a beat so that I can write too. So it feels really nice to be able to have that sort of, like, autonomy and be able to, like, express also what I want.

11:09 Because I think a lot of the time, like, I'll hear things that I want to make, but sometimes you might not know the language on how to express to, like, maybe a producer or. Right? Yeah. Like, oh, I want it to sound like this. You can actually speak the language in the studio with the person. Yeah, yeah. So it's really cool. And also, I just love it. I just, like, grew to love it. I think also, like, producing, so scary to a lot of people. And I think especially, like, women, because there are, like, historically a lot of women that produce music. And I feel like, you know, to female artists, I Speak with. They think, oh, my God. But it's so hard.

11:50 And I'm. And I'm like, yes, it can be hard, but also, like, you know, I think if anybody. If any guy can do it, why can't any girl do it? So. Right, Right. I've had this conversation. I've had another person on the show before. I. I can't remember who, but we were talking about this because it's so interesting to me because as a male, I could. And I have a MacBook here. I could just. I could just tell people that I'm a producer. I'll just open garage, Bam. And drop, like, three loops in and be like, well, yeah, I'm a producer, and in. In for. And I have zero skills and zero knowledge, really, of what I would be doing. But then it. You know, as a female, it's harder for you.

12:31 You don't have the luxury of just doing that. Right. Or just saying, yeah, I'm a producer. Like, oh, okay, well, let's see, what have you produced? And it's just such a weird thing. Like, I have so much respect for the fact that you do that all. Yeah, it's. It's a lot of. It's a lot of fun. And I wish, you know, more artists would try it because I think it would a. They would just love it. But also I think it would help them with their process to. So you've been writing songs for a number of years or, like, did this become a bigger thing once you had graduated and you were like, you know, I want to do this. What do I do? I have to. They want demos, so I'm just going to figure this out. Yeah. So I've been writing songs since I was, like, 13, but it was on, like, the piano, and they were just, like, simple four chord progressions with lyrics, and it felt very, like, restrictive.

13:28 And I think once I started producing on Logic, when I, like, graduated, I think that it just opened so much more to, like, my songwriting and my sound. And I got to really experiment with, like, I love starting off with a baseline. I don't play bass, but I just love doing that. And it's kind of like the first thing I gravitate towards when I'm writing a song. So. So it made me just, like. It just opened my world. I love that. And then you end up. You put an EP out couple of years ago, right? Yeah, my first EP was in 2022. Okay.

14:10 Yeah. Feels like forever ago, but also not right. Yeah. Yes. Because you. You put. You put out a handful of music. And you have an EP coming out I want to talk to you about, but you have this. I'm curious to know, obviously, your online presence and, like, your videos and stuff that you create is so brilliantly done that, you know, people attract to it. Right. I mean, the Billboard video was massive for you, so I'd love to hear you talking about that. And also, I did. I don't know the story behind the Coachella marketing thing that you did. Oh, yeah. Okay, so tell me about that. Yeah. So with Coachella, I had this idea of playing, like, my own set at Coachella because, like, you know, I couldn't play. So now I'm just gonna make my own stage. And I think that's, like, honestly a representation of my music careers. Like, people say I can't do something, or people, like, throw this obstacle at me, and I'm just going to do it anyway. Right, right, right. Yeah.

15:22 I'm not on the poster, but I'll figure this out. I'll play. Yeah. Like, so I took my MIDI keyboard in the fetal with me. I was so nervous. Like, is security even going to care? Like, what is. Yeah. Are they going to take it from you or whatever? Yeah, my headphones, like, and my MIDI keyboard. And I'm thinking, this is a music festival. This is a musical instrument. They're not going to say anything. Like, no way. So I, yeah, took it in the festival, started recording these videos, and basically shot it in the form of Snapchat so that it would look like somebody was recording me. Being like, who's this chick? Like, why is she. Why is she, like, over there with her keyboard? Like, what is she doing?

16:16 So then I. Yeah, I posted one video, did super well. Posted more videos. They did super well. I'm like, what is. I was like, what is so funny about this? Like, I don't get it. Like, why are people, like. Because it got millions and millions. Like, each video got, like, probably over 10 million. One video at, like 70 million. So it was, like, reaching all these people. And I still don't understand it, but they think it's so. I think it's funny. And it's just. It's. Yeah, it's really. It's cool to see that. Well, it's one of those things, like, where people probably had the idea in their head, like, oh, I should just play like this, blah, blah, and then you actually do it, right? And then you film it. And Coachella is such a. It's like, I think it's the only festival still that will sell out before the lineup's even announced. Yeah, Literally, like, now it's a. It's just like this thing, a B scene, like, event, because, you know, it's going to be a good lineup and it's. It's a big deal. But, like, yeah, to be like, yeah, I'm just gonna bring my own instrument and I'm a musician. I'll just play here. Like, I just think it's funny and it's bold and the way you executed it obviously worked as well. Thank you. Yeah, I've been going to Coachella. That was my 10th Coachella.

17:36 Oh, my gosh, the teenager. And it's a very special place for me just because I think that's where I learned I was on my first festival ever. Going to remember seeing the people on stage and be like, whoa, like, that's what I want to do. Like, that looks so much fun. That looks like crazy. So that's like one of my dreams is to play there, so. So that's awesome. Yeah. I remember going years upon years ago as well. It used to be two days or one day, and then now it's like three and two weekend. Like, that wasn't a thing. But when it first started. Yeah, I mean, there's. It had. It always has had that reputation of having a great lineup.

18:21 The first one I went to was Paul McCartney was headliner. Oh, wow. I think the Cure was the other day. It was. It was like when they first did two days, maybe, I can't remember. But yeah, it's wild now to think of. Of how massive that is. But that's so cool. So, yeah, so those videos are going off and then what are you trying to get people to go, your. Your Spotify or is that just blowing up your TikTok or your social media or Instagram at that time? Like, was that what really kind of got the ball rolling as far as your social media presence? Yeah, I put my song gentleman in the back of the video. So I think a lot of people like that and they were streaming because of that, also would perform the song around the festival. Like Sza. Like the photo, like, the videos, like, dead. Like a bunch of like, EDM people reposted it.

19:17 I'm like, I don't even make EDM music, but let's go. Like, you know, Exactly. All press is good press. And yeah, I definitely got a lot of new listeners from that. And I remember I did one of the videos, like, on the last day and somebody came up to me. They were like, we loved your videos. Like, I was Getting recognized. What? So then I actually went back weekend, too, to film more videos. And when I do, I, like, literally felt like a celebrity. Like, people would come to me and I'm like, this is crazy. Like, that they're recognizing me from, like, these videos. I'm like, I guess I'm hitting the right demographic. Like, thank you so much. The algorithm. But yeah, no, for sure. Whoa. Okay. So was that more recent than the. The Billboard video? Yeah, the Billboard video. That was the first one. They. That was the first one that went viral for you then. Yeah, that was the first one that. Went viral because I saw you post something about it being, like, a year ago, maybe that was even a little while ago that you said. I. Yeah, there we go. I posted on Tick tock, like, in 2022. It got like, 6 million views, which I thought was so much, but now it is 70.

20:34 And I'm like, that's even, Like, I didn't even know. Yeah, Imagine that. Like, that was insane to me. But, yeah, I posted that and got, like, Tinder commented, like, a lot of, like, that's when a bunch of news outlets were reporting about it. I'm like, I'm just doing me. Like, why are people. What is. That was a brilliant idea. Thank you. So you put us. Yeah. You had a song coming out, and so you. You would put the billboard up right next to his house or his apartment or something like that. Yeah, yeah. So I just, like, you know, wanted to show, like, that, you know, I'm doing. I'm doing good. Like, you don't have to worry. No, I'll remind you about it every day when you walk home. Yeah. Yeah.

21:19 You could do me wrong but I'll do better. So. So good. That's. Yeah. And, like, Lana did, like, the same thing right after, which was, like, really cool to see. Wow. Yeah. So that was, like, crazy that that was inspiring women to get revenge. Like, love that always. That's too funny. So we'll. Tell me about this. The new song's called Sweat. Tell me about the. That song. And I want to hear about the EP as well. Yeah, for sure. So Sweat comes out on the 5th, so very soon. I've been teasing it for a very long time, so I'm very excited to finally be releasing it. But it's. Yeah, it's just a really good dance song.

22:09 I love upbeat pop music. Kind of like the 2000 and tens. That's, like, the music I grew up on, like, the Katy Perry, Kesha, Lady Gaga universe. So definitely want to try to bring that music back, but just in a 20, 24 way. And, yeah, I. I started off with, like, a baseline. I never made a song with four on the floor, so I love songs like that. So that's what I did with this song, which I loved. And, yeah, did a music video for it. It's super, super sweaty, super dancey, and I think people are going to love it. Yeah. Tell me about the video. Is. That's probably the one that you've. Yeah, I've seen some clips of it, I think, online. Yeah, I've been.

23:00 I've been teasing it. We shot, like, in this studio with, like, a black wall. And, yeah, just very focused on the choreography. And we got covered in sweat. They, like, literally covered me in Vaseline. And you, like, spray water on it and it looks like you're like, the sweat. Oh, sure. It, like, beads up on your body. Yeah, yeah. And I was like, this is crazy. And I'm like, are you going to even be able to see this, like, on camera? Like, I was so skeptical, but you can. And you literally. I thought you're going to. They just turn the heat up to, like, they put us in, like, a hot yoga studio or something. Yeah, they're actually, like, a lot of those places, you either have to, like, pay for air conditioning, and so. And we were, like, shooting in, like, the Valley in Burbank, and it was very hot that day. I was like, no, we need air conditioning.

23:55 Like, but, like, the air conditioning would make me feel cold, so then the water would go away. So I'm like, turn it off. Turn it on. Like. Yeah, so it was definitely trying to balance the. The heat and. But also being able to work. So. Love it. That's awesome. And so what's the EP, then? Is that coming? Do you have a date for that, or. Yeah, I think I'm going to release it in November. Okay. Are the songs that you've released thus far this year? I mean, gentlemen, we. You were talking about. That one's out, obviously, but, like, flavor or 1, 800 situation. Are those also on the EP or. These are the new songs coming out.

24:41 Oh, those are. And there's also three more songs, so seven. Okay. In total. And it's called Because I'm Blonde, and it's about being a blonde and the pros and cons and kind of the, I guess, connotations and perceptions that come with it, especially with, like, dating and how I. I remember I'd always see videos of women saying, who had, like, different hair colors, like, how they were treated and they're like, what if I was a blonde? Like, guys always wanted me, but they never wanted to keep me. And I was like, I feel like that too.

25:21 Like, that's crazy because it feels like, you know, bronze maybe are considered, like, desirable by men, but then brunettes maybe are more for, like, the long term, and blondes are only for the short term. So it was kind of like playing with that idea of being like, does the way I look affect how I'm perceived in dating? And so Sweat, for example, is a very kind of, like, fun and, like, sexy song, and you feel like a fun blonde when you listen to that song. But. But then in like 1-800- situationship, it feels like, you know, maybe you feel like the blonde that's just there for a good time by a guy. Like, guys only want to have situationships with you. Right, right, right.

26:09 Okay. Yeah. So that's like kind of the through line then. Yeah, that's like the through line of the project. Very, very cool. Well, I love what you're doing thus far, and I can't wait to. To see the video in full. I've just seen the clips of. Of Sweat, and that's. That's really cool and I appreciate your time. Thank you so much for doing this. Yeah, no, thanks for having me. It's been great. Yeah, I can't wait for you to see the video and release it and to be out in the world. Are you gonna. Are you doing any shows? I. I think you. You. You know, I. When I went on your website, I don't think you had anything scheduled, but you had past stuff. Yeah, yeah, I was just on tour in May. I was in Europe and in the uk. That was really.

26:53 How is that? That was insane. Yeah, it was my first tour and I learned so much. And just being able to play every night, I was just like, this is so cool. Like, I'm living, like, my dream just to be able to, like, go up on stage and, like, do it as a job and, like, be in a different country. And people listen your lyrics and you're like, what? Like, that's. That was pretty crazy to like, see that in real time. And even just like when you're wearing in ears, I don't really have the audiences, I guess, sound up a ton, so I can't hear them a lot. I just kind of like look at their faces and them. Their mouths moving. Yeah, their mouth, the audio. And you're hearing them, like, scream, like, the lyrics, and you're like, what?

27:42 Like, so crazy. That is so awesome. Are you doing any show? I mean, you just did those that tour, but are you. Do you have any coming up for the release or like, maybe closer to the ep? Yeah, definitely. Yeah, definitely planning some stuff. I just did a show in LA for my Flavor release, but I definitely want to do something for the EP in the fall and then, yeah, hopefully join another tour early next year. So. Love it. Amazing. Thank you again so much for doing this. I have one more question. I want to know if you have any advice for aspiring artists. Yeah, for sure.

28:23 I think just. I think everyone always says it, but just be yourself. Because I think it's so easy to try to emulate other people and like copy people's videos or their sound or just kind of feel. Get lost in that. But I think what I've learned and found successes is just making your own path and doing what you want to do and just doing. Making the art you want to make and looking the way you want to look and working with the people you want to work with, I think is just. It makes the process a lot more fun and enjoyable. And I think it's a long, you know, it's a long haul. It doesn't happen overnight as much as people think it does. But.

29:13 Yeah, so I think to have, I guess, sustainability and longevity, just stay true to yourself. Bringing it backwards, Bringing it backward, Bringing it backward, Bringing it backward, Bringing it backward, bringing it backwards.