In a few short months Ivy Adara has independently climbed the streaming charts with her infectious and euphoric tracks ‘Famous’ and ‘Currency’. The Australian singer-songwriter has co-written with artists like Jessica Mauboy, Maggie Lindemann and Dami Im but now its time for her to take centre stage. Her new single ‘Rebels’ perfectly emulates that unstoppable feeling you have inside of you when you are uncontrollably in love and nothing can stop you. The chilled-pop track takes inspiration from the likes of Lorde and will have you feeling a little dreamy. 

I recently chatted to Ivy Adara about the euphoric storytelling behind ‘Rebels’, the positives of being an independent artist and found out what her favourite co-songwriting session has been. Check it out here; 

TB: Your new single ‘Rebels’ is an anthem for the hopeless romantic and has this raw euphoric feel to it. Were you writing this track in reflection on an old flame or were you gushing about a new experience? 

IA: Neither actually! I am obsessed with old movies, so this song was inspired mainly by the classic “Rebels Without a Cause”. I then related it back to a night out in high school with my best friends because back then they were the ones who stayed by my side, ride or die.

TB: I found the production on this track so dreamy and perfect for the anthemic storyline as there is some real momentum built. When you were working out the melodies and production for this song what was sonically inspiring you?

IA: My main influences sonically would be Lorde, Khalid and Troye Sivan but I personally am more inspired by stories and lyrics. So for this question I definitely have to give credit to the brilliant producer of the track, Jon Hume who executed the dreamy, carefree and youthful vibe absolutely perfectly.

TB: Your tracks ‘Currency’ and ‘Famous’ currently have over 4 million streams each on Spotify alone! How do you comprehend the fact that there is that many people listening to your music so early on into this project? 

IA: I physically can’t! I’ll faint!

TB: Reflecting on your debut single ‘Famous’, how would you say your songwriting has grown or adapted since with the material you are currently working on?

IA: Living here in Los Angeles and having had the chance to work with some incredible people has definitely challenged and inspired my writing. I am such a little sponge, but at the end of the day I think growing comes down to realising that I can ALWAYS be doing better and that’s something that I try to embrace and live by.

Although I’ve learnt a lot technically, I still love writing the same type of songs that I wrote a year ago. Something a little inspirational, a little satirical and a little raw. One day I’ll show you the fist song I ever wrote, I was 7, and we can compare that one too! It’s probably the best song i’ve ever written to be honest.

TB: With your releases so far you’ve been pretty honest and open. What would you say has been your most vulnerable moment as a songwriter. Is it an un-released track? And what is the lyric in particular? 

IA: I would say the most vulnerable moment for me as a songwriter is still yet to come! The song is called ‘Lies’ and it talks deeply about the insecurities I have dealt with in my life so far. I feel like it’s going to be a song that people can cry to because I know I have. But its also a song that can hold people while they are working through their own insecurities. 

Okay don’t tell anybody, but here is the opening line… ”I see you pretending, the way you cover up your scars, But broken parts are just another part of who we are”.

TB: Your songs have a very empowerful and confident edge to them. So what would you like to stay to females who are scared to be themselves or are confused with the current state of the world?

IA: Oh gosh, I have so many many things I wanna say! But I’d tell them to listen to the song I’m about to release called Lies first and listen to the lyrics!!

TB: You’ve co-written for some big names like Jessica Mauboy, Maggie Lindemann and Dami Im. So what has been one of your favourites experiences/moments from a co-writing session? 

IA: This is going to sound strange, but I think the releases with Dami Im are my favourites as a writer. I’ve sat in rooms with Hailee Steinfield and Jason DeRulo and had a #1 on iTunes with ‘Fallin’ for Jessica Mauboy. But the Dami Im sessions were my first co-writes ever and I just remember thinking how special it was that people were finally hearing the stories I had been conjuring up in my bedroom since I was a lame 7 year old.

TB: You are an independent artist and are genuinely seeming like you are loving the creative process. So what is your favourite thing about being an independent artist? 

IA: Oh my gosh I am loving the creative process so much, and i’m learning so much. I think having the freedom to experiment and fail, which I have a lot, but having the space to come back and try again has been so valuable.

TB: Being apart of a show like The X Factor and co-writing for some big names and witnessing the ‘big machine” in process do you think that encouraged you to go down the independent path?

IA: I think being independent or being signed to a big label both have their pro’s and con’s and honestly just putting out music has always been been the goal for me!

TB: Let’s play a little game when you answer these questions with the first thing that comes to mind.  

IA: Okay!

TB: Most people think I… 

IA: am very tall!

TB: The emoji that best describes me is… 

IA: Oh that is too hard! There are like 10 *laughs*. I am never just one mood! The little guy with the glasses or the lady in the red dress or the upside down smiley face. 

TB: If I was a rapper my name would be… 

IA: Ivy from the riff!

TB: If I could have any superpower it would be… 

IA: Hands down, to fly.

TB: My morning pump up song is… 

IA: ‘Lose Yourself’ by Eminem or ‘You Can Call Me Al’ by Paul Simon depending on the day.

Ivy Adara’s new single ‘Rebels’ is out now