"Follow" by Izzie Derry
Review
For the many fans of Izzie Derry who've admired so many of her recent songs while wincing at the true-life hurts which inspired them, the news that today's latest single "Follow" is a break up song will probably sadden. Will she get the romantic breaks she deserves? At least one gets the impression that we are getting a glimpse of an "after" situation in that the song and its composition seem to have been part of her process of working her way through her emotions and that she has by now emerged sad but wiser.
Fortunately (if one dare use the term in this context), we might find a bit of solace in the fact that it's less a story of ill-usage (as too many other ones have been) and instead "just" one of incompatibility. Not that this probably helps the protagonist too much, although it does give the philosopher of romance within her the opportunity to debate "do opposites attract?".
The general theme is however perhaps the easiest element of "Follow" to pin down. Reflecting on the music, it occurred to me how long it has been since I heard Izzie perform anything other than her pre-university with the same musicians & hence the same arrangement as on the released version. Much as one delights in the tracks, Izzie's skill in arranging has developed to such a height over the years that it's easy to overlook just how much thought & care goes into this: she makes it seem so effortless. This is enhanced for Coventry audiences who frequently hear her play the same songs in greatly stripped back versions: either completely solo or with a small ensemble (such as at her Christmas Show which I reported on last month): but even then the parts heard were unique to that performance. For a long time now (arguably forever), Izzie Derry songs have been both inherently strong enough to carry equivalent weight in different formats & flexible enough to allow her to set up shows fairly regardless of any set lineup.
All of which is a bit of a (necessary) digression in order to address what I feel is a key aspect of "Follow". The keys to this key (which I am not sure works terribly well as an idea but you get what I mean) are the two songs ("Down in the Dirt" and "Oh Mama") I reported on from the Christmas gig which she played totally solo: the latter a cappella. Both are even more raw than her most stripped back versions of other songs & seem to indicate her next direction: I'm guessing we'll hear these on record next.
Given the bitingly personal nature of her lyrics plus the fact that she performs solo more than she does with a band, this evolution is both sensible & practical. The icing on the cake is that she is actually a very fine blues singer: it's splendid that her ever-developing career continues to expose such revelations: both to us & I suspect to herself.
But even this isn't the full tale of what "Follow" sounds like. In fact it can either be seen as a hybrid, starting as it does in acoustic mode before expanding rapidly into a very full arrangement, or, as I feel, a transitional song bridging the progression to the forthcoming style from that which has gone before. The lushness which is built up certainly suits the song itself, accentuating regret over recrimination: though the video and artwork, featuring her outdoors in just a flimsy shift do rather portray her as suffering to some degree.
So one might say that "Follow" can be taken as a threshold song for Izzie not only in terms of the emotional journey she is on but her musical one also.
I'm delighted to say that Izzie will be playing her first local gig of 2026 when she headlines our February 20th fundraiser for The Tin with Sophie Hadlum, Croissant & Brass Hip Flask. You can watch & enjoy this superb lineup from the comfort of seats this time, but this does entail limited tickets so I suggest early purchases via:
https://www.universe.com/events/hot-music-live-presents-izzy-derry-sophie-hadlum-croissant-brass-hip-tickets-67FKZM
