Writing by Ivoris
My debut EP is finally out!
The songs on My Messy Mind were written like diary entries, inspired by everything I saw, felt, tasted and heard. Here are a few places that inspired my songwriting:
My Bedroom
I created this EP from the comfort of my bedroom, mostly during the night. I’ve got a little studio set up in the corner, and it’s a safe haven where I can create and make mistakes. Some songs in this EP came to me in a rush, like a flood in my mind. One of these songs was Fairybread & Old Cartoons, which I wrote in an hour while sitting on my bedroom floor. Other songs were more painstaking, and took months to finish. I wrote 3 different versions of I Wish My Mind Would Shut Up before I finally created something I was happy with! The best part of my bedroom studio is how close it is to the kitchen – snacks are essential for songwriting.
Rapunzel’s Tower
This one is more of an imagined place – I’d seen this painting on my Instagram newsfeed and something about it struck a chord with me. I imagine Rapunzel’s Tower to be full of thoughts, frustrations, inside jokes with herself, song lyrics swirling around in the air. I was in the middle of writing I Wish My Mind Would Shut Up (one of the many versions), and this artwork inspired the line in my chorus –“I’m Rapunzel stuck inside my head”. This painting expresses how it feels when my anxiety has taken over – I’m trapped in the tower that is my mind, and it’s somehow lonely and overcrowded at the same time.
Maccas Drive Thru
This one is unlike me – I’m not usually a fast food lover! I had been talking to a friend that week who was stuck in a complicated, casual relationship. During that week I happened to go through a Maccas drive thru, and something about the big “Drive Thru” sign stuck with me. I typed in “I don’t want a drive thru love” in my Notes app, and built a song around that concept. This song turned into Drive Thru, and my incredibly talented friend r.em.edy was kind enough to write a verse for it!
A Gin Distillery in Portarlington
I was on a Valentines getaway in Portarlington, a gorgeous spot by the coast. We went to The Whiskery, where we did some gin tasting. I wanted to capture the memory of that weekend in a song, which turned into Tobias, the third track of my EP. This song is simply about that feeling where you’re looking at someone and you think, gosh I could hang out with you forever and ever.
The Horse Paddocks Near Me
One of my favourite places is only a 10 minute walk from my home. To an outsider, it’s a beautiful, big park with some horse paddocks. To me, it’s a sanctuary where I can be alone with my thoughts. I love going on mind wandering walks – I often come home feeling inspired and refreshed. I started writing the lyrics to Strawberry during one of these walks, and it captures the dewy, peaceful feeling of the horse paddocks. Strawberry is a song about loving the weakest parts of myself and learning to be okay alone.
You can find my debut EP My Messy Mind on all streaming platforms! Come say hi to me on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok or my website xx
