Introducing: Iris

At just seventeen, Iris is already turning heads with her emotionally charged sound and lyrical depth far beyond her years. Drawing from the raw experiences of girlhood, love, and growing pains, her music is a delicate blend of folk, indie rock, and alt-pop—laced with blues and brimming with feeling. BBC Introducing South West named her debut single Modern Men the "Best First Play of 2024," and it’s easy to see why: there’s something magnetic about her ability to turn vulnerability into power. With comparisons to Kate Bush and Mazzy Star, and a Boardmasters debut already under her belt, Iris is carving out a space for anyone who’s ever been told they feel too much—and making it sound stunning.

Your debut single Modern Men was described as an "unreal introduction" by BBC Introducing and went on to win Best First Play of 2024. What inspired that track, and how did it feel receiving such powerful recognition so early on?

My first single, ‘Modern Men’ is about the inescapable expectation to be gentle as a woman. All my life, I have been told that I am too opinionated , too angry and too much to be a successful woman. The lyrics within the song also focus on how this expectation of submission forced on women dulls our relationships with other women. We don't fight in the same ways that boys do. That primitive instinct to fight for our seat at the table is deemed unacceptable for women and as a result, it makes us cruel, it makes us talk about other women behind their backs, it makes us mean. At the time, the song was purely written to express the anger I had toward the way I, and all the other women I know, are constantly being treated. This made it beyond a shock when I received the amount of recognition I did for the track. They played it on BBC Devon & Cornwall once, then again, then again and again until it finally hit me. Maybe I'd written a half decent song. It wasn't just the recognition from the BBC that shocked me, it was gigging. It was when people started singing along to the song whenever I performed it. The reception to this song has been amazing and I still can't quite believe it.

Your music speaks directly to those who "feel deeply and often feel 'too much'," especially through themes like love, friendship, and intimacy. How do your personal experiences of girlhood and womanhood shape the stories you choose to tell in your songs?

I've often been told that writing honestly is the only way to get across to an audience who have no idea who you are. I began writing music as an outlet. I was a beyond sensitive kid and wasn't ever really sure what to do with all the emotion I had, whether it was love, anger, disappointment or happiness. When I discovered songwriting, it just made sense; it was like something clicked. I could express every single feeling I had without having to speak it aloud to someone who would never get it anyway. Because of this, I have only written out of experience. I write about what is real to me, what angers me, what brings me joy and what makes me feel alive. Every experience I have had as a woman has shaped who I am and how I view the world around me, so really, my experience of girlhood is integral to every piece of music I create. 

You’ve been compared to artists like Kate Bush, The Last Dinner Party, and Mazzy Star. Are there particular artists or sounds that have deeply influenced your creative process, especially with your upcoming project blending folk, indie rock, alt pop, and a touch of blues?

I've always been open to listening to all varieties of music. My Spotify playlists are a carefully curated mess of indie pop, 70s easy listening, afrobeats, 90s hip-hop, R&B and whatever else I can get my hands on. As I've matured, it seems I know what I like the moment I hear it, regardless of genre. However, when I was a kid Amy Winehouse was always playing in the car. My mum had her 'Back to Black' album on CD and it seemed to be playing almost constantly regardless of where we were going. I now wonder if it was stuck in the CD player based on the sheer amount of times we listened to it. My family, whenever discussing my music, always reference listening to five year old me sing my own rendition of 'Rehab' in its entirety while on the way to the supermarket. It was definitely an interesting song for a five year old to know every word to, but everyone seems to remember it quite fondly regardless of the dubious lyrics. So, with that in mind, I think it's probably safe to say Amy Winehouse has had a massive effect on how I view music and lyricism. When it comes to my creative process however, I think I've been largely influenced by artists like Lana Del Rey, Paolo Nutini and Elliott Smith. I've always loved how those artists manage to walk the line between poetic and honest in their songwriting while still remaining able to keep the listener more wrapped in their melodies and instrumentation. This is something I have definitely taken inspiration from and attempted to incorporate into my own songwriting. My inspiration still remains all over the place and I hope to keep it that way, it means that it's almost genre roulette when I write a new song. I like it that way though, it keeps me on my toes and makes producing the music a different experience every time. 

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   You performed at Boardmasters in 2024 — an incredible milestone at just seventeen. What was that experience like, and how has performing live shaped your perspective as an artist?

   
   

   Performing at Boardmasters was one of the most surreal experiences I've had so far. I attended the festival in 2023 with some friends, where I saw The Last Dinner Party, Florence + The Machine, Lorde and some of my favourite artists of all time. The entire time we were there, I wouldn't shut up about how that was going to be me, like I was trying to manifest it or something. So, when I got the offer to perform just a year later, I was amazed. Being able to hide out backstage, being driven around in one of those buggies with no seat belts that feel like they should definitely have more safety regulations and being able to get up on that stage and sing my songs to people who actually wanted to hear them (instead of the usual overcrowded pub where you just keep being asked to play Wonderwall) was an experience that has really shaped me as an artist and performer. Since, I have been working tirelessly to release, create and perform music since it seems, the only way to do it - is to do it. It's also taught me to ALWAYS bring another set of strings with me, the absolute panic I had when my bottom E string snapped and I had to perform with a five string guitar, at my biggest gig yet, is something I hope to never have to experience again. Now, I keep an extra pack of strings on me at all times, definitely a little traumatised by that moment forever. Still, I wouldn't be where I was without that gig, regardless of the fact my guitar decided to sabotage me slightly. 

   
   

   You’ve described your music as “an expression of pent up aggression toward the world,” often wrapped in soft, waltzy melodies. How do you strike that balance between vulnerability and power in your songwriting?

   
   

   It has taken me quite a while to find the sweet spot between being terribly angry at the world while still making music in the synthpop, indie pop genre. I've always been minorly terrified of being vulnerable within my songs, it's a really odd thing to put your deepest and most personal emotions into something and then perform it to a bunch of strangers. Because of that, it's taken me a while to actually build up the strength to gig and record my original music. I'm still working on it really hence why I tend to wrap up my emotive lyrics in catchy hooks and happy-sounding melodies.

   
   

   The balance between vulnerability and power within my songs came about more as a defense mechanism really. It was a way for me to still keep up a front while singing about things I could barely bring myself to speak about. As I've said, music has always been an outlet. Despite this, I've really enjoyed giving myself the challenge of writing songs that take a few listens to grasp the meaning. I would say that's how I keep up that balance, by subverting what the listener thinks the songs will be about based on the instrumentation and my outward appearance as a young female artist. People often don't expect the themes that my lyrics take on due to my age, appearance and genre. I like keeping people on their toes with my music and I plan on keeping it that way.