Jamaican-American artist Ivory! has a distinctive pull on her listeners, easy to hear (and hard to resist) on her latest single “Little Wings.” The song is a hypnotic, lilting waltz that conveys warmth and tragedy in one breath. The Chicago-based singer began playing guitar at 7 and drums at 15, which explains how inevitable this song feels.
Who are some of your musical influences?
My music influences are Tracy Chapman, Bob Marley and Lauren Hill.
Explain the title of your album.
I love birds. I love everything about them. Birds are my favorite animal, so I decided to write a song about them.
Do you start off with the music or lyrics first? Why?
It just depends on my mood. Usually, I like to play on my acoustic guitar and get a melody going first. Once I get a melody going then the lyrics will come.
Do you play covers at your shows? Why or Why not?
I don’t because I like people to listen to my music instead of covers songs.
Is there a professional “bucket list” item you would love to check off?
I want to do music full time and invest as much as possible.
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