Press Photo Credit: James Hole
Izo FitzRoy’s first two albums, ‘Skyline’ (2017) and ‘How The Mighty Fall’ (2020), saw the multifaceted gospel, blues and jazz singer songwriter, set herself apart from her contemporaries. Her uplifting harmonies, powerful lead vocals and raw, dynamic live performances instigated waves of international critical acclaim and won her plays on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 1, BBC 6Music, BBC London, JazzFM, a FIP Selection award, the ‘Heavy Rotation’ feature on NPR in the US, plus head towards almost half a million monthly listeners on Spotify alone.
Now Izo FitzRoy shares the new single ‘Chasing Days’ from her third and most personal album ‘A Good Woman’, which will follow on the 28th April 2023 on Jalapeno Records. Listen HERE. The single is accompanied by a live performance of the track filmed in the aesthetically pleasing live room at The Pool in Bermondsey, south London, and was directed and edited by Jodie Canwell. Watch it HERE.
‘Chasing Days’ is an upbeat and instantly memorable, beautiful piano led summer anthem with a mid-tempo broken beat production, underpinning Izo’s uplifting vocals. The song itself is a tribute to inspiring women moving forward through any pain and any barriers, never stopping. It was one of the first songs written by Izo FitzRoy & Oscar de Jong for the album. The pair drew inspiration from Brazilian artists – such as Ivan Lins and Arthur Verocai, as well as psychedelic 70s soul groups: Rotary Connection, Roy Ayers, Minnie Riperton. This provided the 70s cinematic soundscape that influenced most of the songs on the album.
Izo explains, “Chasing Days is inspired by the many tenacious and powerful women I grew up with. Wonderful women who white knuckled their way to the top of their fields whilst also dedicating their lives to care for their families”.
The album ‘A Good Woman’ is a stunning and powerful reflection on Izo’s personal journey. A journey that starts with becoming disconnected from herself through depression, and finally coming home to herself. A reclamation of what it means to her to be a woman today and how that sonically translates to her as an artist. The album takes Izo’s songs to a new territory which is vibrant and ecstatic musically, with lyrics ranging from introspective and soul searching to uplifting and empowering. Pre-order/pre-save HERE.
Izo adds, “The album is in part autobiographical and takes a wider look at being a woman in a male dominated industry and living in a patriarchal society. I tried to look at the myriad of ways that women, (myself included), have given away their autonomy and power to institutions, labels and people”.
The album’s opening track ‘Hope Divine’ is the start of Izo’s journey into rebuilding a connection with what it means to be a woman, and reconnecting with the body after a period of intense self-doubt. ‘Call Me Pilgrim’ is a song inspired by raw, soulful folk singers like Richie Havens and Joan Baez about the constant search for a meaning in life, ‘Love & Affection’ is a cover of one of the greatest ever love songs written by the legend Joan Armatrading. The first taster from the album released at the end of last year, ‘God Gets A Little Busy Sometimes’ is a haunting piano and powerhouse vocal drive and was accompanied by a stunning live performance video.
The album is produced with Oscar De Jong of Dutch electronic act Kraak & Smaak whom Izo has previously worked with.
‘A Good Woman’ is Izo FitzRoy’s most accomplished album to date, an album full of highs and lows addressing who Izo really is as a woman.
Izo can be seen playing live in the UK on 22nd April at Jazz Café in London, Blues Kitchen in Manchester on 18th Mayand Old Market in Brighton on 3rd June. The full list of UK & Europe dates can be seen HERE.