If you’re anything like us, Workhorse by Isabel Pless is an album that has completely taken over your playlists ever since the album’s release! This album is a masterclass in storytelling and puts Isabel in the class of some of our favorite singer-songwriters like Maisie Peters and Taylor Swift. There is such honesty and reflection found throughout these tracks, and we are truly still finding new things to love about each track.
We got to chat with Isabel Pless all about Workhorse, possibly playing these songs live, past music, and so much more! Let’s jump in!
Stream Workhorse here!
Hello Isabel! Thank you for chatting with us! To start us off, how would you describe your music to someone who is tuning in for the first time?
Hi! Thanks for having me! I would describe my music as my internal monologue put to a melody. My writing is very conversational and honest, which is, I assume, why people like it.
Workhorse is your debut album! What emotions were you feeling leading up to the release of the record?
I was nervous, excited, scared, hopeful, etc. You only get to do a debut album once, so while I was trying not to put too much pressure on myself to be perfect, I certainly felt a certain amount of apprehension. I’m really proud of the album, and at the end of the day that’s all that matters to me, but I’m glad it’s finally out and the waiting is over.
The title track and ‘Company,’ the transition track, were the only songs in the record that weren’t pre-released. What went into the decision to keep these specific tracks back so that fans experienced them for the first time as a part of the whole album experience?
I felt it made sense to release ‘Workhorse’ with the album since it was the title track and (I think) sums up the through-line theme of the album. ‘Company’ felt like it would have been a confusing single since listeners wouldn’t have had context for why there’s a crazy transition in the beginning. Sadly, kind of boring answers, but these are the kinds of decisions you make when releasing an album, I guess!
On the other side of that, ‘Isabel’ was the first song we heard off of this record. When you released ‘Isabel,’ did you already know it would be a part of a bigger project? And if so, what made it the perfect song to introduce this album era?
Yes, the album was already done when ‘Isabel’ was released last June. It’s my favorite song on the album and was the one I couldn’t wait to share, so, selfishly, I released it first. I also think that song sets the tone for the project — it’s a self-acceptance anthem. I knew it was going to be the album opener, so I felt it was natural for it to be the first single as well.
Workhorse has been out for a little over a month! How does your relationship with songs change as the general public responds to them?
I love that I get to listen to the songs through a different lens now that I know other people are listening and bringing the music into their own lives. When people share their favorite lines with me or tell me how a song relates to something they’ve gone through, it gives me a new appreciation for the music. Which is such a special experience! I’m so lucky to be able to share my music with the world.
Your first song, ‘Family Tree,’ came out just under five years ago. When you look at the artist who released that song and the artist who just released Workhorse, what do you see as the biggest area of creative growth?
I still love ‘Family Tree,’ but I think my willingness and courage to experiment musically have grown massively over the past 5 years. It’s scary to try new styles of writing and new sounds, but I’ve enjoyed pushing myself to be a better and more expansive writer. I want to be the best writer I can be, so hopefully I will continue to grow. That’s my goal at least.
We have to throw this question in because we have had your song ‘Jude Law’ on repeat since we first heard it back in 2023. If you could rewrite this song highlighting any other 90s-early 2000s rom-com character, who would it be? (Jude Law in The Holiday was a perfect choice, by the way, no notes.)
Ha! Hmmm, I would say Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate About You would be my second choice. Or Mark Ruffalo in 13 Going on 30.
Once again, thank you so much for chatting with us Isabel! Before we let you go, what can fans look forward to as we continue into 2025?
Of course, thanks for the interview! Live shows… headlines hopefully! Can’t wait to play these new songs live, it’s on my mind all the time
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We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite song from Isabel Pless’s new album Workhorse? Let us know by commenting down below or by tweeting @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
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