How to Build an Artist Brand Without Losing Yourself, with Kirsten Izer

Author: Julian Jones
Published: Thu 26 Jun 2025
Episode Link: https://www.podpage.com/loves-music/

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: