A Quick Chat with ixaras

"This City" is such a powerful and layered track – can you talk us through the inspiration behind it and how the idea first came to life?

My generation is quietly facing a mental health crisis. Overexposure to social media fuels comparison, envy, and self-doubt, it chips away at our self-esteem in subtle but damaging ways. I’ve felt that impact deeply. This City is a cry for identity, a call to break out of the box we've been placed in. It's about letting a stronger, more defiant version of yourself take over when the weight gets too heavy.

You’ve mentioned the influence of Jekyll and Hyde—how did that story shape the song’s emotional tone and lyrical themes?

In day-to-day life, it’s really easy to struggle with a lack of confidence. The duality of human nature in the novel really interested me. It got me thinking about the idea of a delusion-ridden side of you hijacking the body. The song explores the psychological toll of killing off your past self to succeed.

The track blends electronic elements with traditional sounds like didgeridoo – how did that sonic fusion come together in the studio with Roeith Geraghty?

Rowie and I had been making a lot of EDM music together and I think because of that it naturally led us to blending futuristic sounds with more grounding textures like the didgeridoo. I also felt that because the energy in the track was so high, making the song orientated in lower frequencies would be an interesting contrast.

The line “This City Knows My Name” is so evocative. What does that phrase mean to you personally?

It’s bold, and I know some might misinterpret it as arrogance. But for me, it’s about manifestation. It’s a declaration from a version of yourself that normally wouldn’t dare say something so ambitious out loud. It’s not about ego, it's about reclaiming power when you’ve been taught to stay quiet.

The music video directed by Mellow Minh feels like a short film – what was the vision behind it, and what was it like collaborating with Minh?

Being able to work with someone as talented as Minh was such an amazing experience. We quickly gelled and the creative vision came to life before we knew it. The concept centered around transformation: the death of an older version of yourself and the rebirth of a new mindset. It’s about the psychological shift that happens when you stop seeing yourself through others’ eyes and start living for your own truth. That death isn’t literal; it’s death to perception, to fear, to the boxes you’ve been put in.

You’re known for pushing boundaries both musically and within your DIY scene – how does "This City" reflect where you’re at in your journey right now?

This City feels like a marker of evolution. I’ve been part of a community where we do everything ourselves often with nothing but belief and drive. This track reflects a point where I stopped waiting for permission to be loud, to be seen, and to fully own my identity. It's a turning point not just musically, but personally.