A Chat with ICEBERG (20.04.23)
Easily placed alongside Florence and The Machine in any playlist, singer-songwriter ICEBERG has a mellifluous obscurity to her music. We speak with ICEBERG about her new EP Swim, reincarnation and future plans.
OSR: What drew you to the music industry?
ICEBERG: I’m still not drawn to the industry, I think it has a lot of problems, but Missy Higgins’ songwriting first made me want to make music. She has this way of digging into people’s deepest fears in a really cathartic way. I listened to her music non-stop for about six months before I started writing my own. I’ve also always loved the idea of waking up in a new place every day. I toured for three years while living in Nashville and I loved being on the move and seeing new places.
OSR: Do you have a musical background?
ICEBERG: I took classical piano from 7 and was in school choirs, but I felt like more of an athlete growing up.
OSR: What can you tell us about your EP Swim? Is there a particular theme or backstory?
ICEBERG: Swim is a lot about my love affair with music and navigating the music industry. But the main theme is equality, in both love and work. I received an arts grant a year ago which allowed me to take the time off to write and produce the record.
OSR: Do you think Swim is a true representation of you as a musician?
ICEBERG: I think we’re always evolving. I think it is a true representation of me as an artist, but as soon as I’m done with one project I’m always hungry to do another to change and do things better.
OSR: If you could change anything about the EP, what would it be and why?
ICEBERG: I wouldn’t change anything other than having a much bigger budget. I created the project with very little money and I’m proud of that. It’s a piece of art that I wrote, produced and performed which was a goal of mine. After I worked on the tracks for a few months, I had a few friends retrack and co-produce with me and that was a really great experience. I’m really happy with how it came together and I’m really proud of the songwriting that’s on it.
OSR: What do you hope people take from your music?
ICEBERG: I hope people feel inspired to keep fighting for what they want. Just because it doesn’t happen immediately doesn’t mean it won’t happen. I think too many people settle because they’re afraid to put themselves out there and fail, but we only live once so I hope I can help a few people go for it.
OSR: What do you feel makes you unique as an artist?
ICEBERG: I love words and I’m really picky about how they land in a song. I think my choice of lyrics and also the fact that I play and produce my songs is unique. I’m also unafraid to say uncomfortable things. I think the most beautiful songs are the honest ones and I keep that in mind when I write.
OSR: If you could spend the weekend with any living celebrity (not necessarily a musician), who would it be and why?
ICEBERG: I’d probably rather spend the weekend with my family, but I’ve always wanted to collaborate with Paolo Nutini and Bon Iver, so I’d love to spend a weekend with them and write some music.
OSR: If you were reincarnated into an animal, what animal would you be and why?
ICEBERG: This is the best question. I would be a squirrel. I’ve always had a ridiculous amount of energy. I also love squirrels. I even named my cat Squirrel.
OSR: What can we expect from ICEBERG in the future?
ICEBERG: I’m currently writing an album and I’ve just signed with GOM. I have some big things booked for this year that I can’t talk about yet, but I expect this to be the biggest growth year of my career.
Many thanks to ICEBERG for speaking with us. For more from ICEBERG, check out her official website, Facebook, Twitter and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
