Spam Calling with Isabel Pless
[UNPUBLISHED:] Congratulations on the release of your new single, “Spam Calls” - How do you feel now that it’s out?
[ISABEL PLESS:] Thank you so much! I feel great, I love this song a lot and I’m super happy that it’s connecting with people.
[UNPUBLISHED:] How would you describe the song
[ISABEL PLESS:] I’d say “Spam Calls” is a post-post-break-up song. A bitter reflection on a relationship that ended a while ago, but still not being able to let it go. You’re mad at your ex-partner for doing so well without you, but you’re even more upset and disappointed with yourself that you haven’t been able to move on as quickly as they have.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Did you experience anything new while creating this single that you hadn’t encountered during the creation process of previous releases?
[ISABEL PLESS:] I went through several drafts of what I wanted the song to sound like. At first, it was a slow guitar strum ballad, and then more of a pop-punk guitar rager, and then I settled on a piano ballad. Can’t go wrong with a piano ballad. I don’t usually go through that many drafts, so it was fun to play around with how I wanted the song to sound.
[UNPUBLISHED:] I think one of the most powerful lyrics on “Spam Calls” is “And I always knew that it all boiled down to: I’m not enough for you.” It has a pungent rawness that feels so exposed and relatable. Can you tell me a little bit about what went into creating this line?
[ISABEL PLESS:] That line is about the nagging intrusive thoughts that can arise during a relationship. They’re usually just based on self-doubt, but when the relationship ends, it's easy to feel like they were prophetic. I know I tend to get insecure in my relationships and I wind up feeling like I’m not good enough– no matter whether the other person thinks so or not. And “Spam Calls” is a song that only tells my side of the story, the “intrusive thoughts” side.
[UNPUBLISHED:] You’ve previously said that you are a lyrics person and this absolutely tracks with how powerful your lyrics are. What lyrics in “Spam Calls” did you write first? Were there any lines that you had particular trouble with?
[ISABEL PLESS:] I wrote the end of the chorus first: “At the end of it all, I’m still answering spam calls / Just in case it’s your voice saying my name.” It’s sad but also funny to me that someone could pick up a spam call just in case there’s a slight possibility it might be the person they’re still in love with on the other end. I wrote the first verse, the chorus, and the outro quickly, but I struggled with the second verse. I let the song sit for a while and tried to figure out how I felt about it. Then I wrote the rest two months later. That helped me formulate what else I wanted to say.
[UNPUBLISHED:] TikTok has been an incredibly important outlet for so many artists and is where you were initially able to garner an audience. How do you think TikTok/the internet has impacted your relationship with music and your ability to connect with fans?
[ISABEL PLESS:] TikTok has been an incredibly beneficial tool for me in terms of sharing my music and also fostering community. I didn’t think that pursuing music was an option for me, but social media (TikTok specifically) allowed me to post clips of my songs from my bedroom or dorm room while I was finishing my degree. Speaking as someone who had quite literally zero connections to the industry before I started posting on TikTok, the app opened a lot of doors for me and presented me with opportunities that I didn’t think I’d ever have. And I was able to connect with people who enjoy my music and with other artists who I admire. I have a love-hate relationship with TikTok itself but I’m grateful that it’s allowed me to pursue this career flexibly.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What inspires you the most to continue making music?
[ISABEL PLESS:] Writing songs about things that happen to me is how I process experiences and how I understand myself. So, bottom line, I guess day-to-day life is inspiring to me. But also I think consuming good art is how you make good art– I’m inspired by a lot of books, music, TV shows, and movies.
[UNPUBLISHED:] “Spam Calls,” along with other singles you’ve previously released like “Keeping Score” and “Twenty-Two,” feel very vulnerable, and honestly, make me want to give you a big hug. What message do you hope to share or convey by being so vulnerable through your music, especially with “Spam Calls?”
[ISABEL PLESS:] Aw thanks that’s so sweet! A lot of my openness and vulnerability stems from knowing that others feel the same way I do. I don’t find it scary to be honest in my lyrics because I’m pretty sure I’m preaching to the choir. I derive a lot of my emotional solace from listening to very raw and candid music, and then writing my music allows me to tell my side of the story. It means a lot to me that some people might feel understood or comforted by something I’ve written. There’s not one specific message I’m trying to convey– hopefully, people can see that talking about big or intense emotions doesn’t have to be a terrifying or unrewarding experience.
[UNPUBLISHED:] I know it’s already been a while for you, but I wanted to congratulate you on graduating from college! I’m in my senior year now and school seems like it’ll never end, but seeing your successful graduation is giving me hope for finishing my degree! Since you studied linguistics, I’m curious if that focus helped you write your lyrics at all or if you ever plan on incorporating other languages into your music!
[ISABEL PLESS:] Thank you! I feel you– my last year of school was pretty rough, but I am living proof that it does indeed end. My linguistics degree helps me with my lyrics. I studied with a pretty heavy emphasis on phonetics and phonology, so I’m fascinated by rhyming and rhyme schemes. I like to play around with near rhymes a lot. Additionally, linguistics makes me think hard about communication: what do we mean when we say something a certain way? What do we not mean? What’s stated outright and what do we learn from reading between the lines? So much of what we say to each other isn’t said at all, it has to be interpreted through context clues. I find that super interesting and it ties well into lyric formation.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Are there future releases on the horizon that we can look forward to and is there anything else further down the line that you hope to accomplish?
[ISABEL PLESS:] I’m releasing an EP this year! I’ve been working on it for about a year so I’m super pumped for people to hear it. I’m also going on tour this spring opening for Donovan Woods and Henry Jamison which I’m excited about. Further down the line, I’d love to work on an album as my next body of work.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Lastly, tell me about something that you currently can’t live without!
[ISABEL PLESS:] I’ve recently entered my scented candle era. My roommate has a lot of candles, so now I have a lot of candles. Sitting near a lit candle just makes me feel very happy and peaceful.
