Giving us a dreamy entrance into the week, is LA-hailed polymath Troi Irons with her sumptuous new indie-rock tune “Thorns”. With dark crooning vocals and raw lyricism, Irons blends thunderous drums with crashing melodies for a genre-bending indie-rock offering. The gifted multi-instrumentalist’s authentic sound pours out though this song, with her strong and addictive vocals capturing our attention immediately.

Speaking on the release, the singer said, “Here’s a scripture where Paul mentions a thorn in his side, this constant torment. That’s where I am now. The things I feel now and the things I was taught growing up – they don’t line up. It’s like a constant war in my head and I’m not even sure what a ‘winning this battle’ looks like. I think a lot of people have a similar kind of war. There’s that cycle of the feelings then the guilt, the fear and denial. I’m not really sure what to do with that cycle. So here’s me purging it to the paper.”

The singer-songwriter has been carving out her own little niche in the genre for a while, with previous beautiful crafted singles “miss u now” and “FLOWERS” capturing the attention of alt-pop fans worldwide. With her sophomore album FLOWERS due for release soon, we sat down with the singer talking creativity, her genre-bending sound and what we can expect from the album.

Check out the interview below…

Hi Troi, how has lockdown been for you? Has it changed your outlook on your music or creativity in anyway?
I miss the unpredictability of the old days. But I have found lockdown benefits in minimizing my imposter syndrome. It’s hard for me to produce or write if anyone is in the room. Thanks to lockdown, I orchestrated pieces for my album and hired string players to play it. I hired drummers and told them exactly what to play. I didn’t have to see anyone face to face. And I didn’t apologize for existing – not even once.

You come from a really musical family – who did you grow up listening to?
My parents were both musicians so it is a first language for me. My mom is a songwriter so she was always listening to pop radio for the latest trends. My parents never played old records. The first time I heard something other than Britney Spears was when we got those cable music channels. I found Bjork, Enya, KISS and Green Day. So, like most kids born after the internet – I listened to everything.

Congratulations on “Thorns” – what is the track inspired by?
Thanks. I created “Thorns” as a sort of ceasefire to the war in my head. The things I was taught growing up and the things I feel now don’t align. The cognitive dissonance is splitting but I really don’t wanna be defined by it. Music is the perfect release.

Is it tough putting your most vulnerable thought and emotions out into the world?
It’s tough finding my thoughts and emotions. Once I have them, it’s an automatic reflex to release them. It means I can move on.

How do you think your songwriting has changed and developed since your earlier years?
In the early years, as a young teen, I was in a pure place. I wrote good honest songs with big hooks. It was when I started trying to fit into the industry that I got a little bent. I’ve since separated myself and found my art and my songwriting place to be in a good place once again.

How do you want your music to make people feel?
I want my music to make people think.

You’re releasing your sophomore album later this year – what is it going to be called and what can you tell us about it?
My second LP is called flowers. It’s a rumination on femininity, vulnerability, religion and sexuality. There are live strings and live drums; the sound is pretty fluid but all in the alt-rock vein.

As a black female artist do you feel a lot of responsibility to have your voice, message and themes heard?
As an artist and only as an artist, I feel the responsibility to find and amplify the truth. But the responsibility to make a black female voice heard – that falls on people who are not of colour and men.

What’s next for you? What are you excited about in 2020?
I’m excited about a vaccine.