We’re looking forward to introducing you to Izayah Christopher. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Izayah, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Getting booked for Lightning in a Bottle definitely made me stop and laugh for a second. Not in a “this is funny” way, more like that quiet moment where you realize you somehow ended up exactly where you’ve been trying to get for years. It feels a little surreal. At the same time, I’ve got a lot of music on the way that I’m really proud of. I’ve spent a lot of time just sitting in my space working on my sound, so seeing things start to move in the real world is cool. It’s one of those moments where you’re proud, but also kind of laughing because it’s wild that it’s actually happening.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Izayah, I go by Phayla. I’m a DJ and producer based in LA, mostly focused on minimal drum and bass. The sound I push is darker and more stripped back. A lot of space, weight, and subtle movement. I came up through the local scene, hustling to get gigs, throwing events, and building community around the music. That side of things is just as important to me as the production. Being part of something that gives people a place to experience this music together is a big part of why I do it.
Right now I’m focused on releasing a lot of the music I’ve been sitting on and continuing to push the sound forward. I’ve been spending a lot of time refining my production and trying to create tracks that feel immersive and intentional. The goal is to make music that contributes something meaningful to the scene that inspired me in the first place.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I’ve always been a pretty quiet and not overly expressive person. When I was younger, I used to think that meant I was indifferent to the world around me. Because I wasn’t reacting loudly or immediately to everything, I assumed it meant I just didn’t care as much.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that’s not really the case. I just process things differently. I tend to step back, observe, and take my time before reacting. What I once thought was indifference was actually analysis. That patience and ability to sit with things has turned out to be more of a gift than a flaw.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
That’s a deep one. Yeah, there was definitely a time where I almost gave up. A few years ago my life changed really suddenly and pretty drastically. Without getting into too many details, I ended up in a place where all I really had left was myself and my music.
At that point I wasn’t getting big gigs, and honestly I wasn’t making very good music yet either. So I had to sit with that for a while and really figure out what I actually wanted and whether this was something I was willing to keep pushing for.
Looking back now, I’m really glad I stuck with it. I am absolutely thriving now.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes and no. I’m a pretty private person, so I don’t tend to share a lot of personal things online. There’s nothing wrong with people who do, it’s just not really my thing.
That being said, what I do show publicly is always genuine. I’m not putting on a different personality. I just choose to keep certain parts of my life offline. Spaces like this feel more intentional, so I’m a bit more open about my thoughts and perspective here than I would be on social media.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That’s a heavy one. I’d hope people would say that I genuinely cared about others. That I cared about my community and the people around me.
I’d want them to know that my passion for the scene was real, and that a lot of my happiness came from creating experiences for people. Whether that was behind the decks or helping bring a show together, those moments of shared energy and connection always meant a lot to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/phayla
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/phayla_?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/hNQdoHhcM4U?si=rLI4vT7jR-RIGJpX
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/dTHW4mTJqJ9pCYA99
- Other: https://on.soundcloud.com/b1FpDMGAHyQDqlkLfQ
Image Credits
myself
