Harmonies and Heartstrings: The Emotive Soundscape of Ila Amiri
Exploring the emotional spectrum woven into Ila Amiri's captivating music
Hailing from Los Angeles and currently pursuing her studies at Duke University, 22-year-old singer-songwriter Ila Amiri stands out as a rising star. With a profound love for acoustic and heartfelt music, Ila's songs range from tender ballads to infectious pop-rock tunes. Ila has opened for renowned artists such as Aly and AJ and Loud Luxury. We had the privilege of delving into Ila's world, exploring her creative process, musical influences, and the challenges she's faced as a dedicated artist. As she embarks on a new chapter, Ila's sights are set on releasing an EP and captivating audiences with her captivating melodies and evocative storytelling.
For those who aren't familiar, can you give us an introduction to yourself?
Hi! My name is Ila Amiri and I am a 22-year-old singer/songwriter from Los Angeles who just graduated/will be graduating from Duke University in May 2023! I have been playing instruments and/or singing since I was four years old and have been writing music since I was 16. I write anything from slow heartbreaking ballads to upbeat pop/rock songs but my usual music is acoustic and heartfelt.
You're a part of two communities, Duke and Los Angeles. What has it been like to be a part of those as an Artist?
It has been very interesting! Los Angeles has been great because there are so many like-minded artists and so many performance opportunities from open mics to headliner shows. Duke, on the other hand, is a great place to be surrounded by a wonderful community that allows for great collaboration as well as song-worthy memory-making. Los Angeles definitely provides more consistent opportunity but Duke provides more unique opportunity. For example, through Small Town Records, Duke’s student-run record label, I have booked gigs opening up for artists at on-campus concerts such as Aly and AJ and Loud Luxury. These concerts have been such huge privileges for someone like me so early in their career. That being said, there are pros and cons to each place.
What is your creative process like?
It isn’t very glamorous to be so honest. I usually sit on my bed or my dorm room floor at 3 AM after having a rough night and write a song in one sitting, maybe two if I need more time to process how I’m feeling, normally writing from the start to the end. It truly is therapy to me. It makes such a difference for something to go from crowding my thoughts and overwhelming me emotionally to a song neatly tucked away in my voice memos and notes app. It honestly helps me compartmentalize a lot and manage my emotions.
What are some of your musical influences?
I like to categorize by what pieces of which artists I pull from. I learned how to sing majorly through listening to artists that I loved, I only ever took a handful of vocal lessons to make sure I had learned good technique. I learned my belt/chest voice from Adele, my mix from P!NK, my super high register from Christina Grimmie, and my falsetto/head voice from Sam Smith. Some of my songwriting influences include Sara Bareilles, Lizzy McAlpine, JP Saxe, dodie, Orla Gartland, and more.
What has been the most difficult part of your career so far as an artist?
The hardest part is splitting my time as a full-time student. I have been making connections every time I come home, going to shows and chatting with artists, but it proves difficult to maintain connections as a full-time student because when people I’ve met ask to write together or meet up again, I have to break the news that I am flying across the country to be at school for months straight. I am excited for this upcoming year having graduated and being able to devote more time in Los Angeles, committed to pursuing music. It was also definitely a journey finding producers who communicate well and have the same vision for my music as I do and know how to make that come to life but I am happy to say that I think I got there!
What's on the horizon?
I’m working on getting an EP out (although I am incredibly indecisive and have had a very hard time deciding on a track list) and am recording new music all the time! I have found producers that I absolutely love working with and I am making music that I absolutely love. Most recently, I just released “to the girl i used to know” which was produced by Miki Ratsula, who was one of my dream collaborations for so many years (go stream it!). Aside from that, I will be booking as many gigs as I can and you can stay updated by following me on Instagram ilamiri.