Today we’d like to introduce you to Isla Jones.
Isla, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
When I was about four, my dad put a Tracy Chapman cassette on in the car. I was confused at first and asked him, “Is this a girl or a boy?” and he said, “She’s a woman.” It was like lightning had struck, suddenly I realized girls could be singers too, and from that moment on, a dream had been planted. Every day since then, it felt like I was always building up to the moment I could say I made my dreams come true.
Then when I turned 18 and I graduated high school, I found myself out in the “real world” and felt overwhelmed and without a plan. I used to say that the naysayers got to me, but if I’m honest, what it came down to was fear. I was so afraid that I would give it everything I had, and I would fail. I figured if I could say that I was the one who walked away first, that I would never experience that pain. So I quit.
I went into fashion design and spent eight years in the industry without the thought of going back to music. I was still writing, but rather than trying to write hits, I would write to cope with my anxiety and depression. My time away from music was, in the end, the best thing I could have done for my passion. It gave me a chance to rebuild my relationship with songwriting, this time with a more authentic motivation. When I turned 25, I got hit by a quarter-life crisis like you wouldn’t believe. I felt utterly lost. I had taken the “safe route,” the route that was supposed to lead towards success and happiness. Instead, I was anxious on a near constant basis, I felt like I was trying to keep my head above stale water, and my heart just wasn’t in it anymore. I didn’t feel like I was making any difference in the world as a fashion designer. If anything, I was hurting it by perpetuating unachievable body standards and taking part in an industry that is polluting on a massive scale. In a lot of ways, it felt like my life had lost meaning.
So I asked myself what I could do that could inspire change. The answer came to me immediately: music. My heart had never let go of that dream. It just put it up on a shelf until I was ready to bring it out again.
I have come full circle, only this time I’m not afraid. Not because I’m convinced that I won’t fail, but because I don’t mind if I do. I came back to this lifelong dream of mine with clear eyes. I know now that the thing I want most is the connection. I want to share my experiences through my music, in the hopes that it will make people feel less alone in theirs.
Now I dream about the day when another little girl will hear my song on the radio and she’ll realize girls can be anything they want to be.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
One of the beautiful things about music is its ability to connect people. There’s so much beauty in an artist creating something personal to them, having people bring their own thoughts and experiences into it while they’re listening to it, and everyone being able to take away something completely different. I write songs that are deeply personal to me, and I’m open about the meaning in the lyrics, but really what I want is for people to let it take them on a journey. Not through my life, but theirs. I hope to make people feel less alone in their struggles, and I want to help heal wounds and bring a new perspective that lets them see things differently.
With this new start, I’ve made it a goal of mine to not just write about break ups, which so much of my music was up until now. I’ve written about my relationship with my parents and their double divorce, I’ve written about my feelings on social media and having to put on a face for the world, I’ve written about using hook ups as a way to fill a void left by assault. Throughout, I have hoped to make a difference; to be open with my vulnerabilities in a way that will feel personal to the listener. There’s so much I want to say about all the many things I’ve experienced, but ultimately my music is not for me, it’s for you.
Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
Oh man, the list is so long, I’m going to start a blog soon, which will hopefully launch in the next few weeks if all goes well, where I will be sharing a lot of what I’ve learned so far. In the meantime here are my top 4:
1- Understand your motivation behind your art. If it’s a mean to a rich and famous end, then take some time to be introspective and do some soul searching. Fame and fortune, or whatever your definition of success is, are not good reasons to be a musician. Music is deeply emotional, it’s such a powerful tool for connection, but if your motivation isn’t about that, then in my experience, your songs won’t connect with people.
2- Ok, this one sucks a little to hear, but your music is nothing compared to branding and image. As a baseline, assume that all of your peers have music that is just as good or better than yours. In other words, all the music in your stratosphere is good. Now consider that the best tool for an independent musician to raise their following is social media. Only, you’re not just contending against other musicians, you’re also going up against influencers, meme accounts, famous people, art accounts, you get the idea. To cut through all of the noise, you have to have really solid branding message and a consistent visually appealing page. Don’t be afraid if you don’t get it perfectly right off the bat though, we’re all allowed to grow and evolve as we learn more about who we are and what matters to us most. It can take some time, heck I’m still working this out myself, but I promise we’ll get there!
3- When it comes to content, remember, it’s not about you. In fact it should rarely be about you. The content you put out there be it covers, inspirational thoughts, original music, photos out and around town, BTS shots of various things, etc. should almost always be for your followers. Meaning it will provide them with something of value. When posting, you should ask yourself what your content will do for someone, how will it make them feel? Things like asking your fans to download your song, or buy tickets to your shows are advertisements. If your whole feed is promotional posters, then it won’t be engaging for people who don’t already know who you are, and are in the city you’re playing in. Which means there’s little to no opportunity for growth. Roughly 80% of your posts should be created with value in mind in order to attract new fans who are sold on you as a brand, and only then should the remaining 20% be reserved for promotion.
4- Failure does not exist! The concept of failure is a social construct we have created in order to define ourselves. If something doesn’t go according to plan, or you miss a goal, all that means is you now have a powerful opportunity. It’s a chance to learn from your mistakes, understand why one thing worked, but another didn’t. It’s an opportunity to look at what you’re putting out into the world and adjust if needed. It’s something that is entirely necessary in order to move forward with intentional steps, and subsequently succeed.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Right now, the best place to find me is through Instagram @iamislajones, which is where I’m most active. I’ve posted some song clips to my Insta page, and it’s where I’ll be sharing the most about when I’ll be officially releasing my songs! I’m working on production at the moment, and I can’t wait to share it with the world! I’m going for a California Lo-Fi dream pop vibe, with a pinch of dance, and a blend of acoustic sounds. So far, I’ve written songs on the guitar, the xylophone, and the ukulele that have all been so much fun to write. The best way to support me would be to follow and engage, it’s always greatly appreciated and gives me lots of warm fuzzies.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.iamislajones.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamislajones/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamislajones/
Image Credit:
Isla Jones
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