Iyla Elise’s brand new singles “Better Days”, “Silly Me”,”True North”,
“Dark Side of My Heart”, “Stringing Me Along”, “Mother of My Mother”, and “Jet Plane”
are out now on all major music streaming platforms!

Listen to “Better Days” here!
Listen to “Silly Me” here!
Listen to “True North” here!
Listen to “Dark Side of My Heart” here!
Listen to “Stringing Me Along” here!
Listen to “Mother of My Mother” here!
Listen to “Jet Plane” here!
Listen to “Already Miss You” here!
Listen to “Worse or Better” here!
Check out Iyla’s debut EP, Outlier, here!

Music Blog Articles-
Check out Iyla’s full interview with music blog, Pitch Perfect, here.

 

Check out coverage on “Better Days” below:

– Review from Dave Franklin, Big Takeover Magazine: “Better Days” is a neat slice of country music, but one that rides on some more driving rock urges…the sort of Americana that transcends its genre, a song that isn’t burdened by such a precise geographical tag. It’s bigger than that. It’s better than that.

– Review from Buzz Slayers: “It’s the kind of song that reminds you simplicity can still cut deep, proof that she’s growing into one of the more quietly compelling voices in Americana today.”

– Review from Pitch Perfect: “Elise has been quietly building a catalog that rewards close listening. Each new release expands her range without abandoning the heart that defines her writing. “Better Days” continues that streak, a reminder that great songwriting doesn’t need embellishment; it just needs honesty…I get the sense this is just the beginning of a much larger story, and Elise seems fully ready to tell it.”

– Article from Recording Artists Guild Digital Magazine: “From the first few bars, I could tell the production aimed for something organic…There is a quiet power in that choice, a sense of patience that speaks to her maturity as a songwriter.”

– Article from A&R Factory: “in Better Days, the sound is unmistakably her own. Her 2023 release Outlier already cemented her lyrical reach, and Better Days proves she’s still tapping deeper into her well of truth, resilience, and hard-won clarity.”

– Article from The Sounds Won’t Stop: “““Better Days” is one of those songs that reminds me why authenticity still matters in modern music…What stands out is how “Better Days” bridges Americana and rock without losing its intimacy.”

Check out coverage on “Silly Me” below:

– Article from Mike Mineo, founder/editor of Obscure Sound: “Full of heart and palpable emotion, “Silly Me” is a quality showcase in songwriting from Iyla Elise.”

– Article from Recording Artists Guild Digital Magazine: “For longtime listeners, it’s a glimpse of Elise refusing to be boxed into a single genre; for newcomers, it’s a striking introduction to a storyteller who can make vulnerability feel like rebellion.”

– Article from A&R Factory: “Iyla Elise was humbler in the title of her latest single, Silly Me, than some singer-songwriters are in their entire discography… ‘Silly Me’ reaffirms Elise’s place as a songwriter who turns her lived experiences into emotionally resonant moments worth holding on to.”

– Review from Pitch Perfect: “For listeners who have followed her through her more introspective, folk-leaning tracks, this will feel like a different shade of the same emotional core. And for fans of energetic, polished rock pop, “Silly Me” is likely to land squarely in your sweet spot.”

– Review from Buzz Slayers: “The whole track has the kind of staying power that makes you want to sit with it more than once. For me, that consistency made the song land. It’s a track I’ll keep coming back to.”

– Review from Mesmerized: “‘Silly Me’ doesn’t just rely on its chorus; it earns it. And by the time that hook returns, I’m already waiting for the next replay.”

Check out coverage on “True North” below:

– Coverage from Mesmerized: “The ballad “True North” shows why Iyla Elise has quickly become one of the most compelling new voices in Americana…“True North” is not just a great song; it also offers a window into an artist who values authenticity and musical craftsmanship.”
– Review from Pitch Perfect: “I walked away from it feeling like “True North” was less about scale and more about direction, a song that points you back to something essential. It is one of her simplest tracks, and also one of her strongest.”

– Review from Buzz Slayers: “The vocals have this clarity that never feels forced, and the recording itself captures every detail without sanding away the emotion. It’s stripped back but still cinematic, and that’s not an easy balance to strike. For me, “True North” is one of those songs that quietly grows bigger the more you sit with it, and I think that’s what makes it so compelling… It feels like a track that will stay with me for a long time.”

– Article from A&R Factory: “Her deeply entrenched Americana roots bed down in an indie piano ballad that resists genre constraints with unflinching authenticity. It’s less a performance and more a quiet act of rebellion…”

– Article from Recording Artists Guild Digital Magazine: “The performance feels honest in a way that makes its simplicity resonate even more. By the end, I wasn’t thinking about how minimal the arrangement was. I was thinking about the persistence in her delivery and how it made the theme of perseverance feel earned.”

 

Check out reviews on “Dark Side of My Heart” below:

– Review from Pitch Perfect: ““Dark Side of My Heart” doesn’t abandon what she’s done before. It stretches the frame and reveals new dimensions to her songwriting. It is a reminder that evolution does not have to mean erasure. Sometimes it just means turning the lights up in a room you have only seen by candlelight.”

– Review from Buzz Slayers: “The writing steers clear of tired phrases and instead leans into something more personal, more lived in. The emotions do not shout. They move in waves.”

– Article from The Sounds Won’t Stop: ““Dark Side of My Heart” finds Iyla Elise threading the needle between vulnerability and control, and I felt every second of it…There is a quiet complexity to this track. It holds both melancholy and hope without forcing either one…Iyla Elise is not trying to dazzle with production tricks or vocal gymnastics. She is simply letting the song speak, and it does.”

– Article from Recording Artists Guild Digital Magazine: “The confessional tone in Elise’s voice carries the whole thing, offering a strange kind of comfort even as it circles around heavier emotions.”

 

Check out coverage on “Mother of My Mother” below:

– Review from Buzz Slayers: “Iyla Elise is one of those artists whose voice doesn’t just carry a melody; it feels like it’s carrying history.”

– Article from Recording Artists Guild Digital Magazine: “Iyla Elise’s latest single, “Mother of My Mother,” hit me in a way I didn’t expect. The song leans into Americana, country, and blues, but it doesn’t rest on genre conventions. Instead, it tells a multi-generational story through rich arrangements and a vocal performance that’s both powerful and tender. It is life affirming in the most grounded sense, never cloying, never overreaching. Just a clear eyed reflection on gratitude, memory, and the weight of the women who came before.”

– Review from The Sounds Won’t Stop: “Iyla Elise traces the thread of generational memory on her new single “Mother of My Mother,” a quietly powerful song that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant.”

 

 Check out reviews on “Stringing Me Along” below:

– Article from Recording Artists Guild Digital Magazine: “The lyrics felt grounded and relatable, but what really sold them was her delivery. It understands its lineage and settles into it comfortably, with just enough modern polish to feel fresh. There is no pretending here, no studio gloss trying to cover anything up. Just solid songwriting, a compelling voice, and a sound that feels timeless. I will be keeping an eye out for what Iyla Elise does next.”

– Review from Pitch Perfect: “It’s the kind of track that feels carefully shaped but never rigid. Elise has a way of making vulnerability feel like strength, and that quiet intensity makes the track feel surprisingly intimate. It’s not flashy, but it’s honest, and that makes all the difference.”

– Article from A&R Factory: “She set the bar high with Stringing Me Along, not only for herself but for any singer-songwriter intent on transposing pain into powerful consolation.”

 

Check out a review on “Jet Plane” below:

– Review from Pitch Perfect: “….brings a polished yet deeply personal touch to her blend of Americana, country, and blues. There is something comforting in the way her music immediately feels lived in, like it is coming from someone who has been paying attention for years.“

 

 

2023 Finalist for the 25th Annual Great American Song Contest