INTERVIEW: Ieuan Discusses His First Tour, Cartoons, Future Plans and More
December 2, 2018
By Tara Bolar
As the new year is about to kick in, R&B/Pop singer, Ieuan, wastes no time in preparing for his brand new musical era VELVET.
Since 2016, the singer has been releasing colored-inspired EPs that will eventually be combined together to create his debut album.
2016 brought us Pink Suburbia (PINK ERA). 2017 gave us Saint California (BLUE ERA), and this year we received Over the Garden Wall (LAVENDER ERA).
But before his spring 2020 VELVET ERA takes full force, the 20-year-old hit the road for his first ever U.S. tour.
The Technicolour Tour expanded across the U.S reaching New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
After his show at Chicago’s Elbo Room, UIC Radio met up with Ieuan at Giradons for some pizza and a chat about his career so far.
Ieuan: Can I eat the cheese off your pizza?
Tara: Go for it.
Tara: Okay so, are we ready for the interview?
Ieuan: Yes ma’am!
Tara: So, you’re on the Technicolour Tour right now. Is the name “Technicolour” a play on your setlist combining songs from all three of your color eras?
Ieuan: Yes, exactly.
Tara: What inspired the color eras and aesthetics?
Ieuan: I’ve always had this thing growing up when I was writing music. When I was writing a song I’d be like “oh, this is like a pink song” or “this is like a blue song” just by the way it sounds. I don’t know if that makes sense-- it’s like when I hear a specific sound, it gives me a specific feeling and then a specific color pops into my head.
Tara: I get that.
Ieuan: And so I just thought “oh, that would be really cool” like making my cover arts the color that matches the overall feeling of the EP. And then I made my Instagram theme match the EP color and that’s where the color eras came from.
Tara: What has been your personal favorite era so far?
Ieuan: Ooooh hmmmm. Well, I think they're all really good in their own ways. Like pink was really cool because that was the year that everything just came into my life, like that’s when I met all the people that I’m best friends with now. Blue was…. uh, alright. It was...a year of learning. But I think lavender, actually, has been the best because everything has gone super well for me during the lavender era. So yeah, probably lavender.
Tara: In regards to your albums titles - or should I say mixtapes?-, you’ve mentioned before how each of them actually tells a story about where you were at the moment?
Ieuan: Yeah, so Pink Suburbia was a reflection of growing up in this teen subculture of going to parties every weekend. Saint California was when I was in a deep reflection. It was the moment I realized I was like… really gay. It was when my first ex-boyfriend and I fell in love when we were in Catholic school. I thought putting Catholic imagery to show a gay love story would be really cool. Over the Garden Wall was about feeling like I was somewhere where I wasn’t supposed to be for an entire year. Like I’m sort of OVER the garden wall. It could be anywhere. It’s also the name of a really cute cartoon that I loved so, yeah.
Tara: Oh, it really is a great cartoon! Love it. So, touring. Can we talk about how touring has been?
Ieuan: Yes let's chat.
Tara: So this Chicago stop is the last leg of the tour. And this has also been your first ever tour. What has the best part been?
Ieuan: Well since this is my first tour, I think I’m gonna just say seeing people who I’ve never seen before and how they like freak out when we meet. It’s like they’ve been following me for years and so they think I’m a celebrity. But, like, to me that’s really weird cause I don’t think I’m that and so to see people run up to me and tell me I saved their life or that they drove 5 hours to come see me just makes me really grateful that I have people like that in my life.
Tara: I noticed that when you were singing, all the kids in the crowd were singing along with you word for word. That made me happy for you. Would you consider this tour to be one of your biggest accomplishments so far in your career?
Ieuan: Yes! But also, I got to perform at San Francisco Pride this year which was really cool. There were like a few thousand people so yeah I think that too.. probably.
Tara: Oh, yes I remember that. Miley Cyrus sent you your pride outfit --- that's major! What else are you hoping to accomplish in your career?
Ieuan: I think it would be to sell out the music venue called The Concord Pavilion. In my town, that’s where like EVERYONE goes. And we had our high school graduation on that stage. When I was a freshman in high school, my friend and I would hop the fence and go like stand on stage at night when no one was there and like talk to each other about how “one day we’re gonna perform here.” And so I think, yeah. SAD! Y’all crying yet?
The conversation pauses as the waitress comes over to hand us our bill.
Ieuan: But also, I think my end goal is like I want to do as much as I can like tour, you know? Hopefully have some stuff on radio and like meet a bunch of people. But like what I really want, like my END END goal is to be able to have my own Cartoon Network show like animated – like Adventure Time. I want to voice a character and make the soundtrack. That shit really inspires me now. I have two albums named after cartoons! So yeah, that’s like the end goal. After all the music stuff dies down, like that’s something that I would want to spend a good portion of my life on.
Tara: Oh my god, I would be so down to watch a cartoon show produced by you. I can't even imagine the type of humor you would put into that. But to flip the script real quick, what has been your biggest struggle so far?
Ieuan: I just think like not comparing myself to other people. I get jealous really easi- “I get so jealous, too easily!” He started to sing. Anyways yeah, I think that I compare myself a lot to other people. It’s not a good thing I do, but I’m getting over it.
At this point in the interview the waitress walked over and announced Ieuan's card had been declined --- but it was okay, his manager covered the bill.
Ieuan: *laughing* It's been declined???? Jesus.
Tara: I'll cut this part out of the interview lmao
Ieuan: No please leave it in! I live for the drama!
Tara: Well on that note, I think we should wrap this up. I do have like two more questions though. Your song writing is soooo good. Do you have a favorite lyric you've written?
Ieuan: IEuAn! My Jason Derulo ass track opening. He laughs and then adds: No but really, here we go! I’m a fucking genius for this one. “Man’s on an east ting. Yellow black diamonds like a bee sting.” Genius!
Tara: Your galaxy mind. Okay so, lastly, what's coming next? What should your fans be expecting?
Ieuan: Well, right now we’re putting a new EP together and were about to change colors (Velvet). We are, you know, looking to do more music videos and get on another opening slot of a tour next year. So I think it’s more of the set up stuff, you know! The fun stuff, business, merch, audible.com/tyleroakley! Sort of taking what I’ve done these past three years where I’ve worked through it on my own, and doing it more like professionally.
Tara: So exciting. I can't wait to see where you're headed. Well thank you for doing this lil interview with me, Ieu. Any last words?
Ieuan: *sings* IeUaN. Haha, kidding, but when I come back to Chicago all the people reading this better be there! It won’t be in two years! It will be… one year. I’m kidding. Goodnight!
Be sure to follow Ieuan on his socials @ieuan and stream his music on Spotify!
