INTERVIEW: ROXANNE IZZO: WHEN THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE COLLABORATE

December 09, 2025

INTERVIEW: ROXANNE IZZO: WHEN THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE COLLABORATE

Shoutout to Phil, host of Le Clash Podcast, for introducing me to Roxanne and her music through an excellent interview. A few minutes in, I already knew I wanted to have a chat of my own with Roxanne. You know, when you watch an interview with an artist and think to yourself: "Damn, that person seems so cool!" Guess what? She is! I vividly remember when she walked into the cafe where the interview was held and thought: "She looks like a star already"! We talked about the very first concert she attended, her experience at Pouzza (Punk music festival), and so much more. Enjoy my conversation with Roxanne Izzo.

Photo of Roxanne at her show at P'tit Ours, August 2025, taken by @wellwoodvisuals

I watched the interview you did with Phil (Le Clash Podcast). You mentioned starting to write songs at the age of 7. Can you remember your very first song or one of your first songs?

Apparently, according to my mom, my first song was written in a crib. I used to have a Yamaha keyboard that had pre-recorded music at my grandma's house. My first songs were inventing nonsensical lyrics over the pre-recorded music of this keyboard. In terms of songs I have now, I wrote the melody to "Disaster" when I was 7. It's among the older ones.

When you wrote that song, did you know you were going to be able to do music later in life?

I think it was always something I did. I grew up in a musical family. Writing songs was always part of my reality. It was never a revelation or a discovery. It was something I just did and kept doing.

You are influenced by movies and literature a lot. Can you think of a book or a movie that inspired you (perhaps a song in particular)?

When it comes to literature, I'm really influenced by Jeanette Winterson She has this way of blending fiction and non-fiction. I also always revert to the classics like Emily Dickinson for poetry. One of my favourite writers is Amy Hempel. She has this story called "In the Cemetery where Al Jolson is buried". James Baldwin as well. I would say writers who get into the human psyche. As for tv shows or movies, I would say "Six Feet Under". I really like the movie "News from Home" by Chantal Akerman. The mundanity of everyday life portrayed in that movie really speaks to me. In terms of literature, the short stories Raymond Carver are also a big influence on me.

You said your family is very musical. When it comes to literature, did you discover it all by yourself? Is everyone in your family a reader?

We are all readers in my family. At the same time, I feel like I found a lot of my favourite writers on my own. I took a literature class in Cegep. That's how I discovered Amy Hempel, Raymond Carver. With writing, I feel like you need to keep your mind alive by reading and staying influenced and inspired.

I have friends who make reading lists and establish reading goals. Are you also that type of person?

I have a Good Reads account where I track books I want to read. At the same time, I always feel like I'm running out of time to read all of the books I want to read. Then, I look at my screentime and I'm like: "Girl, there is time, Trust me." I definitely try to be mindful of what I put into my body to feed my creative mind in a sense.

You grew up loving bands like Good Charlotte, Fall Out Boy, Title Fight, The Story so Far. I know you got to see blink-182 and Fall Out Boy in concert. Can you remember your very first concert?

It was Avril in 2005. I was 5 years old. She played the Bell Centre. I don't remember who opened for her. Then, I saw Fall Out Boy in their "Infinity on High" prime. I saw blink in 2009. All of these artists were super important to me.

Were your parents and brothers also fans of Avril?

My parents took me to the show mainly because I was a fan. But a lot of what was super formative to me definitely originated from what my family was into, from bands like Rancid and AFI, to 90s bands like Eels, Hole and Our Lady Peace, to Suzanne Vega and Sheryl Crow. I also discovered a lot of music by watching MusiquePlus growing up. It was always on in my house. I think it's crazy we could turn on mainstream media and see a music video like "Chop Suey" by System of a Down. I think about it all of the time how Alternative culture was so prominent in the mainstream. That representation was so important to have. It was cool to be 14 years old to open J-14 magazine and see Pete Wentz and Gerard Way next to Zac Efron.

Do you remember how you felt during that first concert? Did you like it right away?

I remember being 5 years old in a little plaid skirt, standing the whole time, and having the time of my life. I felt exhilarated. I would listen to Avril Lavigne on my way to preschool. I knew all of the songs.

At that moment, we started talking about going to shows and realized we went to some of the same shows.

You describe yourself as someone who is shy when it comes to promoting yourself? However, you also said on stage is a release from your anxieties. You have a music video for your song "What have you Learned?" Despite still having to do with the music, the process of shooting a music video is different than playing a show. Was shooting a music video anxiety inducing at all?

Honestly, not at all. During that moment, I was really in the zone. It was my first time being on a set. I was actually shocked at how at ease I was. I actually love being on camera. I really enjoyed the experience. I like the film aspect. I have so many visual ideas when I make music. I feel like having that component is super fun.

Were you stressed before being on set?

It was stressful because it was my first time shooting a music video and I didn't know what to expect but as soon as I was on set, I was in good hands.

Roxanne's music video for her song "What Have you Learned?"

Speaking of music videos, do you have a favourite music video?

I really love the Daft Punk music video for "Da Funk' where it's a dog wearing a mask and the song is being played through a boombox. It's like a short film. It's directed by Spike Jonze. He did a whole bunch of 90s music videos. I love what it captures about New York. It just has a vibe. That video comes up in my mind as visual reference all of the time. Also, the video for "Losing my Religion" by R.E.M is super cool. Having a whole abstract art piece definitely inspires me. I definitely want to make more.

I saw a tweet of yours saying your dream venue to play is the store Brandy Melville on Sainte-Catherine. Is that something you actually want to do; play in a store ot any other place that isn't a traditional music venue?

I’m all for a Brandy Melville concert series 2026.

Any other unusual places to play shows that come to mind?

I feel like I always think about stuff like this but I never thought I would be asked. Maybe a drained swimming pool. It would feel like we are in one of those campy Pop Punk music videos where this is a house party and they're throwing silly strings in the drained swimming pool. Someone needs to take one for the team and drain their pool.

Again, the conversation drifted a bit. Drained swimming pools remind me of Sum 41 and their hilarious music video for their song "In Too Deep". I even wrote about it in an old article of mine on some of my favourite music videos ever. We talked about how we both went to Sum 41's farewell show here in Montreal earlier this year. Okay, back to the interview!

In an article on The Link Newspaper website, you mentioned how "your inclination to be a songwriter translates more as a means to help people". What song or album has helped you during a difficult period whether it was during your teenage years or in more recent times?

Lately, I have been really into "Folker", an album by Paul Westerberg of The Replacements. He has a song called " As Far as I Know" and it's such a feel good song to me. I have also really been into a song called Stars" by The Clean. It's a comfort song to me. It's meditative to listen to that song. Growing up, the music that I listened to in high school was a major source of comfort for me. I feel like all of the bands I listened to such as Modern Baseball, Joyce Manor captured a certain awkwardness that was always very comforting to me. My inclination to create a sense of community has to do with how connected I felt to the music I was into growing up. As I grow older and gain more life experience, I feel like I have a duty to be there for a younger version of myself. That's my main goal. If I could articulate how I felt at a certain time with justice, I have done the job.

Speaking of your younger self, if you could speak to her right now, what would you say?

I feel like we are in that constant impression that we have reached a plateau where I could guide my younger self. At the same time, I feel like if my future self would listen to my current self talk to my past self, she would also have a few comments. My 3 selves just have to work together.

Have you learned any valuable lesson whether it's a personal or musical this past year?

Turning 25, I feel like I'm in a very transitional phase in my life. I have learned to sit with the discomfort and sit with the fact that I'm in a transition. There is a time where you'll feel like you're in a liminal space. There isn't anything you can really do about it besides live through it. It's probably something that would have made me anxious when I was younger because you're always kind of waiting for something to happen. This year, in this strange state of life I'm in, I just learned to flow between timelines and enjoy the ride.

A Roxanne sticker found at Le Ritz, Montreal, picture taken by me (Ariane/Music Breather)

I know a lot of people listen to sad songs when they're sad. Do you also do that?

Rather than listening to sad music, I feel the need to go down hyperspecific wormholes of music that I find funny to lighten the mood. I don’t have specific examples I can explain or single in on because it’s subjective to my brain’s chemistry. Either that or I regress to my old playlists for comfort, which can go so many different ways, but what comes to mind first is anything made by Matthew Lee Cothran or ‘Nintendo 64’ by Alex G or any other painfully sad lo-fi music I discovered on YouTube circa 2015-2018. But I’ve been thinking a lot about feel-good music and how it’s a lost art in the times we live in — honestly it’s kind of what I’ve been pivoting to lately.

You played Pouzza fest back in May, what was your favourite moment of the weekend?

That weekend was really special to me because I played at 5pm on Friday which is a really good slot. I played the first show. I got to enjoy the festival and literally go see so many bands. I spent the weekend running from show to show. Pouzza as a whole is such a nice initiative. It's pure Punk Rock and community. There are so many bands from all over. There are events for kids. There are free shows. There is a little bit of everything. Just being in that environment as a performer was just so fun and so inspiring. It really reminded me why I love what I do and why I want to keep doing it.I saw a lot of bands that I like; local bands and touring bands I grew up listening to. That was really sweet. Definitely a highlight of my year.

So? I told you she was cool! I hope this interview has sparked your curiosity and made you want to listen to her music. If you are going through a rough patch, one of Roxanne’s songs will perhaps make you feel a bit less alone in this big, scary world. Remember, you are loved. Music will always be there for you. Whether this was your 1st time reading any of my articles or your 10th time, thank you. Let’s face it, you could be doing a 1000 other things. Again, thank you! Thank you, Roxanne, for your kindness!

Your favourite interviewer this year (hopefully),

Ariane

@music_breather_95