22 OCTOBER 2023 By Mallory Gleich Ask any 8-year-old what they want to be when they grow up, and the answers will probably vary from doctor to astronaut, from ballerina to singer. Phoenix resident Izzy Mahoubi wanted to be the latter, and her dream came true: her debut EP, How to Run, is now available on various platforms. Izzy’s earliest foray into the music industry came in second grade, when she discovered her father was part of an alternative rock band. “I thought to myself, ‘Oh, I want to do that, too!’” Izzy said. “It wasn’t until middle school that I started thinking that I could actually make music.” She started writing songs when she was 11 and even participated in an open mic night. She also decided to learn an instrument and now plays guitar, piano, drums, mandolin and ukulele. Izzy said that even though she started writing at a young age, she didn’t “find her voice and fine-tune her craft” until 2022 at age 18. In September of that year, she was signed to Rude Records, an international independent music label. “I’m proud of the work that I put in. I have to keep reminding myself that it happened, that it’s real,” Izzy said. She’s played in restaurants and coffee shops, sharing her craft with Arizonans and folks in Nashville, where she spent time honing her songwriting. Those initial tunes weren’t about broken hearts – unless she was trying to be dramatic, she said – but more focused on middle school and life in general. Growing up, she felt out of place in that environment, so she’d write about her experiences. When Izzy was 16, she was composing songs about personal topics and things she witnessed. How to Run is an indie-pop tune that Izzy wrote at the end of her senior year in high school, when she contemplated sharing her art with the world. She was ready but recalled a fear – that she feels lots of people experience – that stopped her. The song emphasizes learning to grow and becoming who you want to be. Another song, Cool Guy, focuses on musicians who feel they are “too cool for everyone.” When Izzy got wholly involved in the music industry last year, she said it was strange to experience how people acted and worked within the industry. This was her inspiration. “I was like, ‘What is with this population of musicians who think they’re too cool for people? We’re literally all the same.’ That song is about my first experience in the industry,” Izzy said. Her writing process starts with a session in the morning – she jots down her thoughts and sees if inspiration strikes. She said that she writes a ton and tends to leave songs unfinished, so part of the process includes going back and completing those incomplete thoughts. “I try to write from different points of view, things that are common topics, but making them as specific as possible. Cool Guy is a good example of that. Okay, a guy broke your heart – but what kind of guy? What did he do to you? That’s kind of how I do it,” Izzy said. Growing up, she listened to various music genres and artists like Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell and The Beatles. She also listened to many jazz and soul singers – Adele is one artist at the top of the list. “I’m inspired by women songwriters who have been different, iconic and are not afraid to be weird,” Izzy said. The Rebel Lounge was the first stage Izzy performed on, but she’s played the Nile Theater, Valley Bar, Marquee Theater, Last Exit Live and Crescent Ballroom, mentioning that she loves the Phoenix music scene. She’s opened for artists like California- based singer Adam Melchor and sang with Sophia Rankin & The Sound, Sidney Bird and more. Regarding stage fright, Izzy said she had zero fear the first time she stepped up to the mic. “I didn’t care about messing up. I wasn’t worried about all the outside factors,” she said. These days, she takes a few moments before the show starts to set her intentions: “What do I want to get out of this show? What do I want to give? Why am I doing this? I want to remember why I like this, and not ‘okay, I need to win these people over,” she said. “It’s been an amazing journey watching Izzy grow as an artist from that first coffeehouse open mic at 11 to developing into the artist she is today. Her love of music, work ethic and dedication to her craft is truly something to see,” Izzy’s dad said. “The ‘proud papa’ moment is when she hits the stage with a fire and passion that draws you in from the first note and doesn’t let you go for the entire set.” In between performing and writing, Izzy enjoys reading, writing poetry and rock climbing. She said that her main life goal is to keep developing as a musician and songwriter and to watch herself improve. She’s excited to go on tour someday, but for now, folks can catch her next performance at Rebel Lounge on November 8. Find out more @izzymahoubi Valley songstress is taking her art…and running with it Izzy Mahoubi’s debut EP, How to Run, is now available on music platforms. PHOTO: MORGAN MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHY SUMMER BREAK WHO? Scan here to browse our featured listings. With nearly $12 MILLION SOLD over summer break, who says Summer SlowDown? If you are currently working with an agent, please disregard. NATHAN ANDERSON + PAUL NICOLETTI 480.888.5800 | NATEANDPAUL.COM YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO! SCAN HERE or Call 602.730.0668 Today ROC #314154 4244 E CATALINA DRIVE ARCADIA | CLOSED 5141 E EARLL DRIVE ARCADIA | CLOSED 5151 E EARLL DRIVE ARCADIA | CLOSED 3538 E GLENROSA AVENUE ARCADIA | CLOSED THE REBUILD THE BLOCK DIFFERENCE When you build a home with Rebuild The Block, our goal is to make your life easy. You already have a full-time job and don’t need another one. 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