Following her top four finish on this year’s season of Australian Idol, singer IVANA is gearing up for the release of her dancefloor-ready debut single ‘Ooh La La La’.
And she’s doing it all on her own!
As the song gains popularity across all platforms, Peter Gray talks to the budding artist about her career aspirations as an independent artist, what she’s learned from her time as an Idol, and what we can expect from her sound in the future. I told her about her talent.
Congratulations on the release of “Ooh La La La.” Does releasing songs get easier with each release, or do you pretty much just let the universe take over when it comes to putting yourself out there?
To be honest, I was literally so nervous because this song is my first release from (Australian) Idol. It was my first time doing a song that took a different direction from what I usually do, so it was definitely scary. But like you said, we just have to leave it to the universe and see what happens. I just hope everything goes well. It was a big dream to create and release this song. So I’m really happy that it’s now available.
I am a person who grew up with original idols. Back to the days of Guy Sebastian. Now, I myself am aging. Of course he has success, but winning a show like this often doesn’t guarantee success. Is there an end in sight when you’re approaching something like an idol? Do you see it as a platform first and foremost?
That’s exactly right. I could have sat at home and continued being a singer nobody knew, or I could have gone on a show like Australian Idol and hopefully progressed and gained a bit of a platform and a following. You want to expose yourself to different people. I wasn’t expecting anything. I was like, “Let’s go and have fun and see how far we can go.” It worked amazingly well. I couldn’t be happier.
Let’s take a look at the performance on the show. You’ve been singing cuts by Rihanna and Becky Hill, and your voice fits that house/dance sound really well. But at the same time, you were also covering Anastasia and Miley Cyrus. You have a very eclectic pop voice. Was the “Ooh La La La” sound the kind of thing you always wanted to explore?
When I joined Idol, I was a ballad singer. Adele was my go-to, and then there was Alicia Keys. Everything sad and heartfelt. For “Idol,” Becky Hill’s song “Remember” was pushed onto me, but I thought it was a ballad version. I was a little surprised because I never thought I could sing that kind of (dance) style of music because I had never tried it before. Once I got up and did it, it honestly changed everything for me. It was like a light bulb went off and I felt like I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
I continue my journey singing Rihanna, Becky Hill, and their upbeat, funky dance music…I’m totally hooked on it. And when “Ooh La La La” happened, I knew that was exactly the path I wanted to take.
Like you said, Adele and Alicia Keys were your go-to artists. Were they musicians you particularly admired as a child?
When I was young, I didn’t really think I wanted to be a singer. Of course, both little girls and boys dream of becoming singers, but it was never something serious (for me). I’ve always had a lot of respect for Adele. She was always someone I loved dearly. I love her music. I love her as a person. And I love how her music touches people’s heartstrings. It’s just beautiful.
When I first started thinking about becoming a singer, I think I thought, “What if I could be like the person I love?” That was kind of the direction I was going. But then there was Rihanna. And I love Rihanna. I don’t even know if it was her music, I think it was just her style and how cool she was with everything. I think her influence is clearly reflected in the music I’m doing now. I want to keep Adele’s heartfelt voice (and I do), so I try to combine that.
Without giving too much away, do you have any ideas for the next song after “Ooh La La La”?
Actually, since Idol, I’ve put quite a few songs into my bank. I have been composing and working hard. They all belong to the dance/pop world, but they’re all very different sounds, if that makes sense. There are also songs that will liven up Ibiza’s clubs, as well as songs that have a place in the festival space, so I’m really looking forward to them. And it also has a chill vibe, like a rooftop beach. I also made some drum and bass tracks.
Earlier this year I spoke to Ricky Lee about her album, which was an independent release. I believe you also release music independently? We’re hearing more and more about song ownership, and artists are taking more prominent steps to own their masters. That was obviously an important step in releasing music on your own terms.
You obviously hear a lot about labels and everything. And, you know, being independent and being on a label has its benefits and it also has its downsides to both, but I’m independent and I’m able to build a great team around me. That’s what I think. , and it’s all about releasing the music I want with their 100% support. If you meet someone and it doesn’t work out, you don’t want to continue working with them. I want to work with people who have my best interests at heart. So the team we’ve built around me is amazing.
That’s great. Because if I write these songs and I don’t like them when I hear them after three months, I won’t release them. So far, I haven’t been affected by anything. It’s been really great to see everything develop. Obviously, the first season of Idol was very different, signing with labels and releasing songs that you didn’t want. That’s the worst. why do you want to do that?
The release date has been decided, but are there any plans to make an EP? Album? single? How do you think your body of work is expressed?
Currently, my manager and I are talking about doing singles. I just need to release a single, grow my Spotify and listeners, and give people time to find out who I want to be as an artist. Once that’s done, I think the plan is to release an EP or an album. But I think at this point it’s just going to be single after single after single. I want to get my music out there and have people listen to it. I think that’s the quickest way. Of course nothing is rushed. Everything will happen in its own good time. I just want people to hear what I have to offer.
Oh La La La is available now.
