IZZY HELTAI RELEASES NEW SINGLE & VIDEO
“FATHER” VIA ATWOOD MAGAZINE
DEBUT LP FATHER
SET FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 9TH
Through 10 tracks of honest, contemplative perspective and welcoming songwriting, Father elevates Heltai’s voice to a level of maturity that suits the stories he tells, with every detail complemented by the hearty strum of warm Americana. - WBUR
Izzy Heltai has a talent for demonstrating nostalgia and incentivizing reflection - The Wild Honey Pie
Izzy Heltai has the contemporary indie folk vibe nailed down perfectly. With a song that has both widespread appeal on the pop edge and layers of musicality...one not to be missed - Americana Highways
The track leans towards lighthearted Americana; 'Songbird' trades the dull moments of tour life for an optimistic view of open highways and spirits as high as Heltai’s vocals at the tail end of the chorus. It’s a tried-and-true take about living on the road that’s nearly too rosy to be real. Nearly. - Vanyaland
A precocious songwriter developing informed, heartfelt Americana - For Folk’s Sake
Delivering messages of empathy and accountability to the masses — at a time when they are, perhaps, more important than ever - Underground Music Collective
Izzy Heltai…is fast becoming one of our most played artists. Determined, striking and lyrically intelligent, this is top stuff - The Yorkshire Times
There’s an undeniable emotional connection between artist and song…Heltai sings with an emotional maturity that we all need and can all learn from. Empathy, absolution, and acceptance are sought and expected in return - Mother Church Pew
His writing style straddles the line between the pillars of Americana and the underbelly of gothic folk music. He has the emotional brutality of David Bazan or Simon Joyner and lacks none of their lyrical power - Country Queer
Photo: Joanna Chattman
Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter Izzy Heltai has unveiled “Father,” the title track and its accompanying video from his forthcoming debut full-length album, due out October 9th. The video features footage of Heltai as a child - innocent, carefree, and unburdened by the hardships of the world. "Coming of age, as it stands, is one of the most sought after and widely discussed phenomena of life,” said Atwood Magazine in their premiere. “As we get older…we all become subject to the notion that we must humanize our parents. Our parents are the people that have not only given us life, but also nurtured it – and it’s hard, objectively, not to revere that. From day one we look up to our parents and all they have taught us. However, a shifting tide presents itself in the form of singer/songwriter Izzy Heltai’s newest single, ‘Father’…Heltai ushers in the idea that at the end of the day, our parents are people – important people – but people who are nonetheless far from perfect.”
“As a transgender person I have always lived in a world where self-affirmation was necessary for my well being,” Heltai explains. “As a young trans person, I was forced to know myself more than some people ever will. A world that always told me I shouldn’t and couldn’t exist demanded that I have confidence enough in my own identity that I could go out and prove that I knew exactly who I was. Due to my experiences, I was armed with the tools to radically reflect and affirm my identity from a young age. This instilled in me an obsession with knowing myself to the fullest, in any given moment. I am made up of moments. I live in the constant wake of what was,” he continues. “This song is about the people I see myself in. Seeing the roots of where, and who, I come from. The process of sifting through these home videos was a concrete and visual form of processing the amalgamation of all the moments I am made up of."
“Father” follows the release of album track “Songbird,” inspired by life as a troubadour and car-sleeping in Walmart parking lots, and lead single “The Stranger You’ve Become,” a compelling track about betrayal.
LISTEN: “THE STRANGER YOU’VE BECOME”
With brutal honesty towards himself and forgiveness for those around him, Izzy Heltai’s music walks the elusive line between confessional and relatable. On his debut album Father, Heltai dives deep into his fascination with human relationships, and specifically the way that those relationships change and reorganize themselves over time.
Heltai sees his own coming of age reflected in the album, which includes songs written over the past four years. “Finding myself as an adult has largely been about how the people who have always been there for me can fit into my life in a new way,” he explains.
Throughout the record, Heltai braves the exploration of not only interpersonal and societal relationships but also his own relationship to himself, and reckons with the ways that periods of depression have caused him to abandon those he loves. The production is raw and full, with subtle harmonies and guitar lines weaving their way unexpectedly through the mix almost as if they were grown in the song. There is no sign of musical overthought, allowing Heltai’s emotional vocals to shine organically.
At a time when any conversation with a stranger can quickly become a sociopolitical battle, Heltai’s introspective and thought out songs are a breath of fresh air. With an overwhelming empathy for humanity, and willingness to search for personal responsibility, Heltai’s Father will not leave your heart or your ears unchanged.
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