Some artists share almost every little detail of their lives on social media. Others leave us with a little mystery. Izzy Crawler belongs to the latter. And somehow, that sense of mystery naturally finds its way into her music.
Today, we are happy to premiere her new single Above My Eyes, a song that draws you into its own strange and fascinating little world. With haunting vocals, playful electronic sounds, and an almost cinematic atmosphere, it feels both dreamy and slightly surreal.
The Austin-based singer-songwriter is currently preparing the release of her debut album Creature Comforts, out November 20 via Darlington Records. Moving between rock, electronic textures, orchestral elements, and hints of 1960s folk-pop, the album brings together different musical worlds without feeling tied to any particular genre. Created alongside Grammy-nominated producer Daniel Barrett, it is also a very personal collection of songs about life, love, and finding your way through change.
“I think my favorite part is watching something you’ve taken to the edge of your imagination go even further than you thought possible.”
Since Izzy still keeps much of herself away from the endless world of social media, we were especially happy to sit down with her and get to know the person behind the music a little better. We talked about making music together with other creative minds, finding inspiration in unexpected places, the importance of honesty, why we sometimes fall in love with our own idea of someone, and how a little humor can help us through difficult moments
photography by Daniel Barrett
Hey Izzy! So lovely to have you on C-Heads! How are you doing these days, and how are you feeling with the release of your debut album just around the corner?
Hey! I’m doing well, thanks for asking. Feeling a little nervous but excited to finally share the album. Trying not to have too many expectations but feeling optimistic and good about it all!
Creature Comforts grew out of a very personal chapter in your life. When you listen to these songs today, do they still bring you back to that time, or do they feel like they belong to a different version of yourself?
Thank you for noticing that! That’s a good question. I think it’s a bit of both. Often, I feel some emotional distance from the songs because they were written to help me process something that no longer feels as present in my life.
Sometimes, they really do feel like they belong to a different version of me. At the same time, it can be easy for me to slip back into their emotional world because I understand so intimately where they came from. And occasionally, a song’s themes will echo something I’m experiencing in the present and that will give it new color and meaning for me.
So I guess it really just depends!
Your new single Above My Eyes explores the feeling of learning to live with someone’s absence. What has helped you find beauty in life again during difficult moments?
Honestly, my open mic community has been a huge part of that. Having a space where I can share my thoughts and feelings openly and listen to others do the same has been incredibly valuable to me. I think the best way to heal from the absence of connection is to find it again in some form. I was lucky enough to meet some wonderful people during one of the most difficult periods of my life, and they remind me every day of how much beauty and meaning there is in the world.
I’ve experienced this myself, feeling incredibly close to someone, only to realize that the other person experienced that connection differently, or that I played a different role in their life than I thought. I’ve learned that truly accepting this can be difficult, but also incredibly freeing. Do you see it that way too? And has your own experience changed the way you approach love and relationships?
Yes, I do see it that way too! I think it can be confusing to figure out what you mean to someone when their words and actions don’t align, but the truth eventually reveals itself. It’s definitely changed the way I approach love and relationships. I’ve learned that there’s a difference between having compassion for someone else’s limitations and abandoning yourself in the process of loving them or making excuses for the hurt they’ve caused.
I’ve also learned to communicate more directly as a way of creating clarity when things feel uncertain. I think I was dealing with a kind of dishonesty that doesn’t come from outright lies so much as the omission of important truths and the preservation of ambiguity. Learning to practice radical transparency with kindness has been incredibly empowering for me.
The willingness to face loss, hurt, and even embarrassment in pursuit of the truth, while staying in alignment with myself, is something I get to carry forward. It’s been a really valuable thing to learn.
“I think the best way to heal from the absence of connection is to find it again in some form.”
You worked closely with Daniel Barrett on the album. What do you enjoy most about sharing the creative process with someone else?
Hard to pick just one thing! Making this album with Dan was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. What I loved most was the depth and richness he brought to the songs, both sonically and emotionally. When you bring another person into the creative process, you’re inviting their own world of feeling, experience, and influences into the mix, and the result can become something far beyond what either of you could have made alone.
I think that’s my favorite part: watching something you’ve taken to the edge of your imagination go even further than you thought possible. Getting to be surprised and delighted by what something becomes is one of the best feelings in the world.
The title Creature Comforts also touches on the little distractions we turn to when life gets difficult. So, we want to know, what are your own creature comforts, the things that make you feel a little better when the world gets too loud? (smiles)
Oh, this question could get me in trouble! (laughs) Let’s see… coffee, old cartoons, and veggie burgers. Those are my creature comforts, for sure.
Do you think we ever really get to know another person completely, or are we always partly in love with our own idea of them?
I’m not really sure, to be honest! I don’t think our interpretation of someone is ever entirely separate from ourselves, and it doesn’t seem possible to me that we should ever be able to know another person completely. I think if our love is based, at least in part, on an idea of someone in our own minds, that idea has to be capable of adapting and being revised as we learn more about them. Maybe part of what it means to love someone is being willing to let our understanding of them change without necessarily having our love change along with it.
“If you can laugh at the thing that’s hurting you, it takes a bit of its power away.”
There is a sense of both darkness and playfulness in your music. How important is it for you not to take yourself too seriously?
Humor is a very natural reflex for me, especially during painful moments. If you can laugh at the thing that’s hurting you, it takes a bit of its power away. I think looking for those absurdities is part of what makes the creative process so cathartic for me.
What does a beautiful, ordinary day in Austin look like for you?
The best ordinary days are when I don’t have to do anything and can stay inside writing music all day and taking a walk in the evening.
Your Instagram is almost empty, which is quite unusual these days. Is that a conscious choice, or are you just not that into social media?
Just not that into social media mostly! But I’m trying to get better at it. I believe my music could help someone going through something similar to what I’ve been through, and I’d really like it to find that person.
It’s certainly not without its drawbacks, but for an artist, I think it’s a useful tool for getting the music out into the world and I’d like to spend more time with it.
And finally, what does happiness mean to you right now?
Happiness is to be at peace within oneself.
Follow Izzy Crawler for more:
Instagram | Website
