Tell us a little bit about your yourself?

I’m a 20 year-old alternative singer-songwriter who’s currently based in London. I’ve started writing songs when I was 13 years old and dealing with my first real loss as well as my first heartbreak. I’ve written over 200 original songs to date. I was a passionate writer for as long as I can remember, having also written many short stories and poems as a young child. When I’m not writing or making music, I’m usually found exploring my city, trying out new foods, or hanging out with friends.

When did you first start to develop a passion for music?

I developed a true passion for music when I was in my early teen years. I found it hard to make friends at school, and I generally felt really lonely, so I found comfort in songs and artists that I liked and looked up to at the time. If someday my music can make someone out there feel less alone, then I have achieved my goal.

Which artists did you listen to while growing up?

I grew up listening to a lot of Taylor Swift. She was my first inspiration when I started writing my own songs. However, when I turned 15, I stumbled across the band Twenty One Pilots. I’d say it was mainly their music and their story that motivated me to take my music to the next level, and have it not only be one of my hobbies, but my full-time career. Asides from them, I also enjoyed listening to artists such as Marina Diamandis, Panic! At the Disco, Halsey, Queen, The Beatles, Set It Off and Fall Out Boy (as you can probably tell, I was an emo kid!)

How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard you before?

I supposed the best way to describe it is “depression you can jam to”! Sonically, I just love to experiment with many different genres depending on what resonates with me at that moment in time, keeping elements of pop and rock throughout. Lyrically, I just write about my own life and personal experiences, mainly the more “depressing” side of them, seeing as I just find it a lot easier to write a song when I’m in a bad place rather than a good place mentally. I also want to raise awareness on mental health problems among teenagers and young adults through my music, as this is something I’ve struggled with for a long time myself.

What music have you recorded and released to date?

I’ve recorded 2 EPs so far: my debut EP called “This Little Girl” that came out in 2019, and my second EP called “U & Me” which came out in December 2020. My first EP contains 4 songs which mainly tackle themes of growing up, transformations and mental health, while my second EP contains 6 songs which mainly tackle romantic relationships and the struggles involved in them. Additionally, I also collaborated with the talented Raffaele Petralia on a remix of my song “Yellow Sandcastle” which we released at the start of 2020.

Which artists do you enjoy listening to at the moment – and do they influence your work?

I still listen to most of the same stuff I used to back in my teen years. Recently I’ve really gotten into FINNEAS and Billie Eilish’s music as well, and I have definitely found inspiration in their music, particularly Billie Eilish’s album “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?”. I also enjoy listening to artists such as Declan McKenna, Melanie Martinez and Regina Spektor. I guess anything with a catchy melody and deep lyrics is bound to lure me in!

Who would your dream collaboration be with?

Seeing as he was a huge inspiration for me, I’d love to one day collaborate with Tyler Joseph, the lead singer of Twenty One Pilots. I’d love to even just have a conversation with him one day, and just thank him for providing me comfort through his music during my darkest times. That being said, I’d also love to collaborate with pretty much any of the artists I’ve listed above.

What are your plans for the future?

I aim to release a couple of songs in the upcoming year, including a Christmas song which I wrote in 2019! If the opportunity arises, I’d like to do some live performances around London, and hopefully network with other artists and music industry professionals. I plan to release a debut album sometime in the upcoming years.

You can hear new track How Am I Supposed To Love? on Spotify here and other streaming services too. You can also follow Irina on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.