Rising R&B phenom iyla just dropped her highly anticipated debut album Weeping Angel and we’re in for a treat!
The Italian and Irish R&B artist iyla dropped her debut album Weeping Angel today, channeling the pain of one of her most difficult times of her life into something truly wonderful. The road towards her debut album certainly was a rocky one. First presenting herself to the world with her debut EP War + Raindrops, she instantly landed smash hits such as “Juice” and “Flowers.” iyla continued to ride that high, following up with her 2020 EP TO VENT. Reaching more than 37 million streams on Spotify with “Strings” and teaming up with Method Man for “CASH RULES,” she rode on into 2023 with her third EP APPETITE FOR DISASTER. Highlights on this masterpiece includes “Impala” [feat. Symba] and “Lost Me” [feat. Benny The Butcher]. She further gained respect from the likes of MTV, The Washington Post, Vogue and many more, further supporting Demi Lovato and selling out venues on her very first North American Headline tour.
However, among all the excitement, tragedy would strike as she had to endure the loss of her mother.
iyla originally dedicated her debut album Weeping Angel to her late mother, heralding it with “Wild,” “Overboard,” “Strut,” and “Blue Eyes.” About her loss and the creation of Weeping Angel iyla says,
I’m proud of everything I’ve done, but this is different. A lot of it is because of the grief journey I experienced after my mom died. Having your world crash down will change you. I’ve opened my eyes more. I’ve grown in myself as a woman. I always made music from my soul. I shared my blood, sweat, and tears, but I would previously wonder, ‘What will people think?’ I hope this resonates, but I feel less pressure about anybody else’s opinions. The fact I made this record in the most challenging time of my life is a pearl I’m so proud of. I’ve attained a level of confidence I didn’t have before.
~iyla
She further states,
We had about eight songs done when she passed. She heard those, which is special. Since I was in such a heavy and dark space, I wanted the music to be the opposite. It became more sparkly and ethereal. One of
the things that affected me the most is feeling that part of me is wherever my mom is and another part of me is
here. I tapped into a spiritual space on the remaining material. I even added some of that spirituality into the songs that already existed.~iyla
Track number one, “Corset” has a choir-like sample at its heart, incorporating a cheeky flow and impressive percussions. Heavy synths and punchy bass finally lead us to the conclusion, “Behind the veil, angels sometimes weep.” She further reveals,
We needed a monster of a track to go along with the monster of Weeping Angel. I pictured it artistically. You want to peel this person off you, but the relationship brings you back for more. You want to see this individual again. When he gets there, you’re like, ‘Please get off of me. You’re a sticky band-aid I don’t want anymore.’ It’s a play on what we go through to find love by learning what we don’t want.
~ iyla
“Twin Flame” feels like leaving behind an old relationship to find something that is truly good for you. Someone who understands you like no one else and completes your being. With an ethereal voice, striking percussion and enchanting synths, the track takes us on a journey through otherworldly soundscapes. About “Twin Flame” iyla says,
To me, it’s similar to the heartbeat and angst of our relationship with ourselves, but it’s still fun.
~iyla
In “Pledge” iyla makes clever use of the children’s rhyme “Shoo fly don’t bother me,” expanding on it with “unless you pledge allegiance to my love.” Powerful vocals along with a somber piano and a choir in the background, the track starts out calm before ramping up with percussion and synths. iyla explains,
“It’s an example of me talking my sh*t.”
~ iyla
“Overboard” starts out with the calls of seagulls and ocean waves before confidently transitioning into awesome beats and captivating synths. iyla’s seductive vocals make this track an outstanding one on the album and for sure leaves us begging for more.
“Ave Maria” presents itself through ethereal vocals and lusty teases alongside glistening guitars. About the song iyla says,
We tried to touch on the sexier side and bring in this nature element. If you’re spiritual, there’s
often an expectation you can’t embrace your own sexuality. I’m such a champion of being, feeling, and exuding exactly what you are though. ‘Ave Maria’ is a perfect blend of spirituality meets celebrating myself as a woman.~ iyla
“Wild” immediately grabs us with a high octane beat and vibrant vocals. The song is a statement on how love is not about changing your partner, caging and molding them to be able to fall in love with the idea of that person. Instead, if love isn’t about being loved for who you are, it is better to be wild and free than to be trapped in a relationship that forces you to pretend.
“Not Today” convinces us with a deceptively sweet sounding soundscape. However, at its core, the song is a deeply poignant piece about self-doubt. It goes into how bad days happen and they always pass, but not today. Sometimes the rainy days seem like they have no end and we need to pull through. With this sentiment, the song ends, transitioning into the sounds of rain falling.
“Blue Eyes” starts out with a melancholic piano piece and enchanting vocals. It’s a song full of regret and missing a person who used to be home to you. Even though this deep love was lost and the pain is immeasurable, iyla lives in the solace that she tried her best to show them a world where they lived through her own blue eyes.
“Join Hands” makes use of melodies and sounds you might hear in a gospel performance and dials it up, intermixing it with punchy beats and vibrant synths. It’s a call for unity and the need to be there for each other. iyla adds on,
It transports you to a very church-y setting.
~ iyla
“Strut” instantly grabs our attention with a beat that urges us to get on the dancefloor. It makes a point of valuing your own self-worth and cutting ties with people who aren’t good for you.
Sound-wise, “Cotton Candy Clouds” scores points with synth trumpets and a high-octane beat, alongside a bass that is meant to be experienced through a big subwoofer, as well as iyla’s heavenly vocals. About the song’s themes she says,
Everything goes back to my mom. Her favorite color was pink, and my favorite color was never pink.
Since her death, my favorite color is now pink. ‘Cotton Candy Clouds’ is a taste of the fun, vibrant HD way I look at the world. I’m taking what she loved and putting it into my art.~ iyla
“Skirt Hurt” captivates with iyla’s breathy high register while saying goodbye to an unworthy ex with a playful bounce. She drives the final nail into the coffin stating that nothing can bring them back together while being backed by a lush piano melody and upbeat turntable scratching. About the song she explains,
It’s the first track I wrote after my mom’s passing. The project was missing a soulful-meets-sexy moment. I always need to have this stance of bad-bitch energy—but conveyed in a poetic and timeless way. In the past, I would’ve taken a guy really seriously, but I don’t have the bandwidth to play around anymore. I’m a nineties baby. In the past few years, I connected to my childhood self and what I’d listen to like Spice Girls, Britney Spears, and Brandy. I was tapping into Y2K vibes.
~iyla
The grand finale of the album that is Weeping Angel, “Boogie Man,” is a testament to iyla’s mastery over her craft. In what is originally a Mos Def cover, she sways between ecstatic pop and vibrant R&B with ease before ending in a sample from the cult horror film “City of the Dead.” About “Boogie Man” she explains,
‘Boogie Man’ is a reference to the devil, but a lot of the other songs touch on a godly figure. It was important to end the record with a well-rounded look at humanity. The album represents the whole woman I am—the dark, the light, and all of the colors in between.
~ iyla
With this brand new album on the forefront, iyla is cementing her place in the landscape as one of the most exciting R&B artists to date. Exploring a vast array of emotions, themes and soundscapes, iyla’s debut album is a truly unique experience that takes us by the hand and celebrates our highs and lows. iyla sends us off saying,
I hope you feel empowered in your own pain, supported in your sexiness, and uplifted when you feel like your highest or lowest self. I just tried to create a good representation of the human heart and all it can
bear.~ iyla