1. Hi Izzy! Please introduce yourself to those who might not know you. 
My name is Izzy T! I’m a British Persian artist from northern England now living in LA, creating music that stands for social justice.
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2. How did your connection with Shira and Gritty In Pink come about? 
Before I fully even moved to the US I was emailing a bunch of promoters and people in the music business who I thought were inspiring in some way. Shira REALLY inspired me with her platform, from the content on Instagram it just looked like such a supportive, badass community of talented female musicians that were helping each other make a mark on the music scene together. Moving to a different country and being an immigrant is really scary, so I looked for communities that looked inspiring to be in and Shira definitely provides that with Gritty.
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3. When did you first realize music was your path? Was there a specific moment or influence that solidified being an artist as your dream? 
I think about when I first discovered Green Day in school. American Idiot came out, and I was mesmerised by their energy, lyrics, and presence (and Billie Joe!).It really inspired me to pick up guitar and start turning my poetry into lyrics.I feel like that was the best transition I could have made. I was bullied a lot in school, so had a lot to express. Green Day gave me a healthy way to express myself.
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4. Your new single “Say Hello To My Violence" has  themes that feel incredibly timely. How do you hope it resonates with listeners, especially women navigating their own experiences of power or oppression?
Yeah.. I hate that it's so relevant. It’s one of those double-edged swords where you’re glad people can relate, but then the fact that they are relating means that they are going through it/have been through it, which is sad.I'm half Iranian, and in Iran, women like me are killed. If you show your hair, protest, sing publicly without a man present, or even if someone makes up a rumor about a woman cheating on her husband, she can be arrested, and even unalived by authorities if they can beat a false confession out of you. Even if you’re a guy, if you protest, you're shot at. Sadly, this isn’t the only country where people are being oppressed. In Afghanistan, girls and women are being denied education, and basic rights to just EXIST without a man's consent, and child marriage is even legal in some states in America, which is wild to me. Oppression has many faces and can be applied in so many different ways, whether you’re a man or a woman, but women always seem to get the harsher side of it.
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5. Working with Jon Cass on the single, you transformed personal history into something bold and expressive. How did that collaboration help you bring “Say Hello To My Violence” to life?
I always love working with Jon. He’s my mate and he’s also in a cool band of his own (As Everything Unfolds), but he really gets my production sound. He emulates my american rock influences with uk dril/tra/drum and bass beats so well. We were at his studio, originally writing for sync (I send everything I do to sync companies to pitch), we had just landed an Hollywood movie sync, so we were creating more music like that. I wanted to create a rise and resist kind of anthem. I dug into my mothers pain of being an immigrant and having to flee her own country for safety, and the fact that when minorities resist it’s called “violence”, and Say Hello To My Violence was born. .
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6. How has being a British-Iranian artist influenced the way you tell stories and express yourself through your music?
I think with where I go with some of the vocal scales, in some of my newer songs that aren’t even out yet, people will HEAR my Persian side coming through. An artist called MIA really inspired me to do this more. I love it when artists can confidently embrace other cultures.When I was younger, I didn't celebrate my Persian heritage as much as I  should have. I went to a school where pretty much everyone was white with straight hair. I was this mixed girl with glasses, bushy eyebrows, tons of dark hair, and a retainer. I was already getting bullied for looking unique, so I didn’t want to stand out even more with that side of my culture. Western media only shows the bad side of the Middle East, so it was easier just to pretend to be fully white in school, as the bullying I faced every day was enough to make me want to be invisible. 

As I got older, I learned how fucked up that was, and how my culture needed a voice more than ever. I hope my music and my content can help educate curious minds and give more clarity that other news outlets probably don’t.

We all inherit our parents' trauma in some way. I think I inherited my mother's trauma with being an immigrant and occasionally facing racism and bullying.

I also learned how to fight back from her.

7. You’re performing at the upcoming LOUD WOMEN Fest on May 16th in NYC, what can fans expect from your set and how does it feel to be part of such a powerful, female-forward lineup?
So LOUD WOMEN is basically kind of like Gritty but UK based, so I'm extremely excited about this as I've never played in NYC before, and I watch Sex And The City all the time! So I'll definitely be thinking of that there! People can expect serious energy, and new songs!

8.  What’s been the biggest challenge navigating the music industry as an independent artist? 
The biggest challenge is probably having to stretch yourself in a number of directions, to wear all these hats so the work gets done. It’s hard.
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9. Which artists helped shape you as an artist musically or aesthetically? 
First I have to give credit to Michael Jackson. I fell in love with the ‘BAD’ record that my dad used to play, and i think the rock and soul mix in “Dirty Diana’ really spoke to me. I love how he played with cadence and rhythm, and how ALL his choruses were catchy! Lyrically, Chris Cornell was just such a poet. Christina Aguilera for everything honestly, the stripped album was SO inspirational as a young girl becoming a woman. Every song was like a step from girl to womanhood. Her voice and lyrics were almost like having a big sister. Greenday were also a huge inspiration, probably one of the biggest as they made me pick up the guitar, they were on Kerrang tv EVERYDAY.
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10. If you weren’t making music, what do you think you’d be doing?
I’d probably be in a psych ward HAHA. Music was really the outlet I needed to express myself in a healthy way. I also love boxing, so who knows maybe I would have gone further into that?
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11.  If your life were a movie, what would it be called and who would play you as a kid, teenager, and adult? 
Oooo, good one! I know they're older than me, but maybe if they played me when they were younger so they look more like me, I’d be stoked to have Cher play me, although she looks pretty tall! I think the movie would be called something like ‘Curls & Chaos’ haha!
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12. What’s a musical achievement from this past year that you’re proud of?
Hmm the year is still young! But I guess this year I’m stoked that I've really expanded my vocal coaching business, been crazy busy with that ever since one of my vocal coaching videos went viral. Artist wise, so far the New York City festival is a big deal for me.
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13. What’s next? 
“Say Hello To My Violence” has JUST come out! So im continuing press and promo for that, also in talks about other shows, and a Say Hello To My Violence MUSIC VIDEO will drop the week of the 6th of April (I’ll be announcing the actual date soon). The music video is honestly going to be more like a short film, it's going to be totally unapologetic and raw. I’ll also be making my acting debut, people won’t be ready!

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