Brighton-born musician Izzie Derry makes a powerful entry into 2026, as she navigates love, ambition and identity in her self proclaimed break up track, ‘Follow’. Channeling inner-strength and assertiveness through emotive lyrics, Derry’s writing is relatable and self-aware, as she explores the experience of loving someone whose priorities no longer align with your own.
After the previous release of ‘When Will it End‘, which was featured in a BBC Introducing ‘Best of 2025’ show, Derry is on track for a momentous year. With confirmed shows in Brighton and Coventry, dates for her upcoming UK and Europe tour are set to be announced.
‘Follow’ harnesses a distinctive sound, exploring themes of longing, heartbreak and identity. There is a gut-wrenching vulnerability to the track, a defining feature within Derry’s discography. The singer knows what she wants and doesn’t shy from sharing it. The song is radiant and passionate, mournful yet somewhat rejoiceful, allowing a spectrum of emotions to coexist. Derry sings with an air of self-discovery that communicates power and autonomy in a relationship.
Carrying a wistful, folky ambience, a steady acoustic guitar is combined with more robust instrumentals as the chorus approaches. The track’s initially soft rhythm allows Derry’s beautifully honest writing to take charge and create a harmonious piece. The song is produced and written independently by Derry and mastered by Jon Astley, who has worked with Norah Jones. This pairing overall makes for a warm, comforting sound and emotionally charged release.
Derry adopts a conversational tone to explore the happenstance that occurs when you realise that you’re on a different path to your partner. A play on the expression ‘opposites attract’ is what propels the track, as Derry delves into reasons why she is no longer prepared to choose between the needs of herself and someone else.
“You know, I live for tomorrow, and I know you live for today,” acknowledges the differences within a companionship that once felt invincible. This raw honesty and powerful storytelling is ultimately a tale of growing apart.
‘‘Follow’ is about that moment you realise you can’t shrink your dreams to make someone else happy. It’s about loving someone, but knowing you’re heading in completely different directions.’
-Izzie Derry
A testament to her artistry, ‘Follow’ is mellow yet thought-provoking. Listening feels like rocking back and forth, being comforted by a distant memory or reaching a conclusion after relentlessly racking your brain for answers. I appreciate Derry’s ability to master and experiment with elements of her sound, whilst still evoking purposeful storytelling and lyrical relatability. The self-awareness is as refreshing as ever and harnesses a spirit of feminine freedom and empowerment. The singer-songwriter is borrowing from her folky roots, which are prevalent across her 2022 album Till We Reach the Sun but with a complex maturity and contemporary edge.
“Are you willing to grow or drown in your fear?”
My favourite aspect of the song has to be the harmonisation of Derry’s a capella vocals as the track draws to a close. Derry sings: “I can’t follow what does not move, should it be this hard? Is it me and you?” The listening experience feels like a movie; it progresses and moves through the motions as Derry asserts the reality that her partner isn’t willing to grow with her.
Within this moment, Derry’s isolated voice is layered to emphasise assurance in her solitude. This striking metaphor encompasses the agency in her choice to leave a relationship that was ultimately holding her back. The link between the underlying context of the song and the eventual absence of instrumentals is a poignant sentiment that moved me emotionally. These intricate details intertwined within ‘Follow’ make for a lyrically and sonically captivating piece; a reminder of Derry’s masterful talent- both as a songwriter and musician.
‘Follow’ is available now on all major streaming platforms.
Find Izzie Derry on Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | izziederry.com