Kirsten Izer isn’t trying to find her sound; she’s already living in it. Her debut EP The Perfect Hire is a genre-blurring, emotionally precise collection that pulls just as much from ambient indie pop as it does from confessional folk and sludgy alt-rock. In this conversation, we unpack how Kirsten built this body of work from the ground up: writing, co-producing, self-directing her visuals, and filtering every choice through her exacting taste. She opens up about moving through heartbreak, making space for imperfection, and the long game of building a real career while holding a full-time job. Through it all, Kirsten shows us what it means to take your time and still show up with something undeniable.

We Chat About:

• The emotional and sonic process behind The Perfect Hire
• Letting go of old versions of songs (and self) to stay true to the vision
• Learning to shut out noise and trust your gut as a young artist
• How heartbreak and mental health show up in her lyrics
• Building a cohesive visual aesthetic without losing authenticity
• The balance between promoting and preserving your mental health
• Why she’s staying active post-release instead of disappearing
• Touring dreams, pop girlies, and what she listens to on repeat

About Kirsten Izer:

Kirsten Izer has been writing songs since she was 11-years-old. Born in New Jersey to visual artist parents, Izer has always felt a deep need to tell stories. Her father taught her the chords to Pink Floyd’s “Vera”, the same chords she used to teach herself a Taylor Swift song. Since then, her inspiration has expanded to the likes of Kate Bush, St. Vincent, Caroline Polachek and more; it is still that same juxtaposition that shows up in her work today—an equal amount of affection for an instrumental break, but also a well-told story. After a five year stint in New York as a music publicist and journalist, Izer decided it was time to tell her own story as an artist and packed her bags for Los Angeles. She’s released various singles and self-directed music videos to much acclaim, and is gearing up to release her debut EP, The Perfect Hire, on June 5, 2025.

Connect with Kirsten Izer:

Instagram: @thekirstenizer

YouTube: Kirsten Izer

TikTok: @thekirstenizer

Spotify: Kirsten Izer

Connect with Julian:

Check out the “loves music” podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/loves-music/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julian.jones.9484

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianjones417/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianjones417

Buy my book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6QYX6RL

Music Mentioned in this Episode:

Songs:

• “The Perfect Hire” – Kirsten Izer
• “The Messenger” – Kirsten Izer
• “Electric Blue” – Kirsten Izer
• “You” – Kirsten...