Berlin-based singer-songwriter, producer, and recording artist IRYS returns with an edgy and conceptual single entitled "Ride or Die."
The blossoming singer-songwriter writes all of her songs and produces them independently as well. With influences like Boy Harsher, Gesaffelstein, Charlie XCX, and The Weeknd, listeners are able to understand where IRYS' dark and powerful sound stems from. Through bold imagery and sultry vocals, listeners are bound to fall head over heels for the young starlet.
Now releasing her dynamic and gripping single, "Ride or Die," IRYS also dropped a hazy and dark music video to enhance the sultry and mystical experience. The song captures elements of synthpop, alt electronica, and trap, showcasing an entirely different layer to IRYS' vast artistry.
Listening to the new single, "Ride or Die," we're lifted into the celestials with a reverbed, distant, and yearning guitar riff that quickly drops into a sensual and heavy trap beat alongside deep and groaning synths. As IRYS makes her sultry and breathy vocal appearance, she begins to paint pictures of a toxic relationship and the many mind games someone put her through.
We can't help but feel similarities to one of IRYS' core influences, Charlie XCX, but also the mystical and otherwordly stylings of Grimes. This track has everything we were hoping for; a deep and sexual undertone alongside light synth arrangements and dynamic trap drums that heat the atmosphere. IRYS takes us around the hook one last time while closing the song on a haunting and chilling note.
Feel the emotion and sensuality of IRYS' latest single, "Ride or Die," now available on all digital streaming platforms. Find the song's music video on YouTube.
Welcome back to BuzzMusic, IRYS. We love the sultry vibe and allure of your latest single, "Ride or Die." Was there a specific moment that inspired you to create this single?
Hey there, and thanks so much! Yes, there was! "Ride or Die" is about a toxic relationship. The moment I realized that this is what I had been through, I knew I had to write this story off my chest! I read about toxic relationships and thought: "Wait a minute, that's exactly what I experienced!" In retrospect, I could make sense of everything.
Did you work entirely solo when formulating the production for "Ride or Die"? What was that process like?
Yes, I made the song in my home studio! I started with the beat and the guitars, laid out the arrangement, and added the vocals in the end. The lyrics nearly wrote themselves, and I didn't change much after the first draft. I actually experience this often with my lyrics: they kind of come from my subconscious, and I only understand afterward what I actually have been singing!
What did you want the listener to take away from your lyrical content within "Ride or Die"? What message did you want to get across?
The first line of the song already sums it up pretty well: "See you in another light, it's easy, but I've been blind" - this describes the moment when I saw the real face of the person I had been with. I hadn't seen the red flags, so I stayed until I didn't feel anything anymore. In "Ride or Die" I describe how it is to be with someone toxic, and maybe some people can relate! Back then, it helped me when I heard songs from artists about similar topics. The message of my song is that toxic relationships just aren't worth it; when it feels off, it probably is. It's so crucial to give your heart to someone who's genuine!
Would you say your music is rather explorative and versatile, seeing that you often experiment with such diverse genres of music?
I make pop music, but there are definitely various influences I like to play around with! I feel every song has something unpredictable and its own twists and turns. "Ride or Die" starts with a bendy guitar, and you maybe wouldn't expect the kind of synth-heavy hook after that. In the end, I think my music is just the sum of everything I like, and I don't think so much about genres! It's good to be able to name what I make, though, and I think "dark pop" sums it up best.
instagram.com/itsirys