A Chat with Iyla Elise (12.01.26)
Iyla Elise has never been interested in neat endings or easy answers. On her latest release, ‘Ain’t Linear’, the singer-songwriter leans into the beautiful messiness of love, blending Americana, blues, and soul to tell a story that feels deeply human. With raw honesty and emotional restraint, the track captures the layered realities of connection, heartbreak, and hope. We chat with Iyla Elise about all things music below.
OSR: ‘Ain’t Linear’ explores love as something complex rather than straightforward. What inspired you to approach the theme this way?
Elise: Because it’s real. Life, love, all of our experiences are complex, and honesty in music is important. People feel that authenticity when they hear a song. I wanted to try to capture that with ‘Ain’t Linear’.
OSR: How did your own experiences shape the emotional tone of this song?
Elise: The nuance of life can be a lot sometimes. I think we all feel that. To feel many emotions layered together all at once is what makes the human experience so beautiful and tragic all at the same time. It’s hard to put that into words in a conversation, so that’s why we have music.
OSR: The track blends Americana, blues, and soul. How do you decide which influences to lean into when writing?
Elise: I start with the storytelling and then let the genre influences follow. I let the song’s story lead the way.
OSR: What was it like collaborating with Simon Reid on this release?
Elise: Amazing, Simon is incredibly talented. He immediately understood the intentionality and soul behind the song and took it exactly where it needed to go.
OSR: You’ve spoken about adding emotional layers to your songwriting. How do you balance vulnerability with restraint?
Elise: It can sometimes be tricky to balance, but I think when you focus on two aspects in your songwriting, being honest from your own perspective while also checking in to make sure that the song’s focus is relatable to others, you can capture the right balance of raw vulnerability and restraint so that others feel that the song is their story as well.
OSR: Do you feel your songwriting has changed since the release of ‘Outlier’?
Elise: Sure, I think artistry is always about evolving, going somewhere you haven’t been before, so it’s only natural that the songwriting goes along for that ride too. I’m grateful for the whole journey, that’s what it’s all about!
OSR: How do you know when a song is finished, especially one with so much emotional nuance?
Elise: It’s done when it’s perfectly imperfect. You know in your heart when you’ve captured the emotional tone you are trying to set. You don’t want to smooth out every wrinkle because then it loses the human element of magic and complexity.
OSR: Were there any particular artists or records you had in mind while writing ‘Ain’t Linear’?
Elise: I try not to focus on others’ work when writing. I want the storytelling to be its own thing. Once the song starts coming together in production, I sit back and think of artists and work that I love that influenced me. The soul in ‘Ain’t Linear’ reminds me of artists like Chris Stapleton and The Red Clay Strays – artists I hold in high regard.
OSR: How do you hope listeners emotionally connect with this song?
Elise: I hope it feels like theirs, their story, their struggles, their hope. It’s funny how we can all live such different lives, but at the end of the day, we are all the same. I hope listeners feel the emotional nuance in this song and it clicks for them.
OSR: What does this release represent for you at this stage in your career?
Elise: A new chapter, fresh ideas, and a brand new year. I’m excited to see where this song lands.
Many thanks to Iyla Elise for speaking with us. Find out more about Iyla Elise on her Instagram, Facebook, and Spotify.
