Nashville Alt-Pop Songstress BIZZY on Her Debut EP ‘I Don’t Get Breakups'
Photo by Hunter Henderson
Whether you’re in need of a ‘scream out the window’ anthem or ‘cry in your bedroom’ soundtrack this project has a song for all who listen.
It’s been a little less than two years since the alt-pop songstress released her debut single “Anybody.” Following a monumental first release, BIZZY has continued to take listeners along for the ride with notable tracks including fan favorite “My Age,” and EP title song “I Don’t Get Breakups” which landed a spot on the SiriusXM Hit’s 1’s Hitbound.
Fresh off her first US tour opening for FRENSHIP, inking a deal with Big Loud Rock, and the release of her debut EP, BIZZY took the time to chat with Unpublished Magazine:
[UNPUBLISHED]: BIZZY! Thank you for taking the time to chat. Where in the world are you today?
[BIZZY]: Hi! Thank you so much for having me! I’m currently in Denver Colorado finishing up the last show of the tour!
[UNPUBLISHED]: At the time of this interview your debut EP I Don’t Get Breakups is set to be released in a matter of hours. How does it feel to know these songs will soon be out for the world to hear?
[BIZZY]: It is so surreal. This project has been a long time coming and such a journey. I wrote the entire EP in real time, as I was processing a breakup, so it’s crazy to kind of close that chapter of my life.
[UNPUBLISHED]: It’s been about a year and a half since your first single “Anybody” was released. Since April 2022, the song has accumulated over 9M streams across platforms. What do you think April 2022 BIZZY would say if she knew the journey you’ve been on since then?
[BIZZY]: She would literally pass away! This past year and a half of my life has been an absolute dream come true. I feel like I’ve lived an entire lifetime and am just so ecstatic that I get to do this as a career. April 2022 BIZZY would be saying “SOAK IT ALL IN and take NOTHING for granted.”
[UNPUBLISHED]: Diving into I Don’t Get Breakups, I love how the tracklist starting with “Just Yet (His Side)” and ending with “Clean Cut” chronicles the stages of a breakup. Did you write these songs in real-time while you were processing your heartbreak? Were some of these tracks written a while after or even before?
[BIZZY]: Thank you! Yes, all of these songs were written as I was processing my breakup. The order I put them on the EP is the order they were written in. When I started writing these songs, I had no intention of putting them out as a project - they were truly just for me to grieve and understand my feelings. Over time, I realized they told such a story, and I thought it would be cool to let the listener hear it the way that I experienced it. The craziest part is when I go back and listen to them now, after being removed from that breakup, I'm still able to relate to them in a new relationship. It’s funny how music is timeless that way.
[UNPUBLISHED]: On the EP, “Just Yet” and “Clean Cut” are the two tracks that have been re-imagined. What inspired you to revisit these two songs in particular?
[BIZZY]: I loveeee this question! “Just Yet” was the first song I knew I wanted to reimagine. When I was recording it for the first time, my producer, Brandon Meagher, put his harmonies on it as a space filler to later replace with my vocals. As we listened in the studio, we both fell in love with the idea of a male vocal on the song. It just felt like there was more to be said. When I decided I was gonna put the EP out, I made sure a duet for “Just Yet” was a priority. The reimagination of “Clean Cut” actually came about because COLLINS reached out to me and said he’d love to do a strings version of one of my songs, which was so surreal because I have been a fan of his work for a long time! I chose clean cut because I originally put the song out with very minimal production behind it because I wanted the listener to focus on the lyrics, but this time around I wanted to capture the raw emotion of the melody and have the lyrics and production play off of one another.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Tell us more about your experience shooting the music video for “Just Yet (His Side)” with Steinza.
[BIZZY]: Ahhh that day was so fun! We actually shot the video at my producer's house, which felt so natural because that’s where we produced the song. The whole day felt like one big kick back, me and Zach (Steinza) were just goofing around the whole time, making up dumb handshakes and singing. I’m so thrilled with how it turned out because it really captured the joy and excitement I felt getting to write and collaborate with Steinza. He's such an awesome and talented human.
[UNPUBLISHED]: One thing that so many of your fans enjoy about your music (including myself) is your introspective storytelling abilities. I know you have written for other artists throughout your career. How do you approach a session for BIZZY in comparison to a session with another artist?
[BIZZY]: Gosh, these questions are just the best. Thank you for those kind words. I'm so stoked you like that about my music! The biggest thing when I’m writing for myself is I try not to go into the session thinking “ok I’m gonna write a song today..” I try to go in and think about how I’m feeling, and just try to make the writing session a therapy session. That way it's easier for me to be brutally honest and not go into a performative mindset. When I’m writing for other artists I really try to put myself in their shoes. It’s funny, this is the one time I’m grateful to be a people pleaser, because I’m always thinking about what others are thinking. That has helped me be able to jump into other artists' worlds quicker, and try to write from their perspective and feelings.
[UNPUBLISHED]: If you could curate an ideal setting for someone to listen to the EP in, what would it be?
[BIZZY]: The car!!! I listen to music mostly when I’m in my car. Whenever I’m testing one of my songs to see if it’s good enough to release, I always listen in the car. There is just something about turning up the volume and stepping in the gas, it’s the most freeing feeling.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What artists have inspired you during the process of making this project?
[BIZZY]: Julia Michaels, Taylor Swift, and Rainbow Kitten Surprise have been the most influential to the EP, but also my music in general. I look up to Julia Michaels so much in the way that she crafts her lyrics and tells such a vivid story in the most unique way. Taylor Swift is obviously a legend, but I really just admire how honest she is in her music while still making something so universal. And Rainbow Kitten Surprise, they are so cool! Their sound is so authentic and original, I really feel like I pulled inspiration in the “live sound” that they have in their records.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Do you have any hobbies outside of music?
[BIZZY]: I love the outdoors. I work at a farm out in Tennessee so when I’m not doing music I’m usually playing with horses and donkeys in the mud.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What can fans look forward to next?
[BIZZY]: Lots and lots of new music to come in 2024!
