An Old Soul Making Modern Americana | Izzy Mahoubi

Izzy Mahoubi is bringing an old-school musical soul into a new generation of Americana.

The Phoenix, Arizona native joined Heart of the Gulch host Tony Mendoza to talk about moving to Nashville at just 20 years old, finding confidence as a songwriter, and developing a sound that pulls from folk, classic rock, indie and the Western influences beginning to shape her next chapter.

Izzy Mahoubi talks about her songwriting philosophy, classic-rock influences and bringing a Western feel into her new music.

For Izzy, songwriting isn't about trying to sound profound. She describes it much more simply: “talking to a friend.”

Writing Like She's Talking to a Friend

Izzy's music is rooted in vulnerability, but she isn't afraid to bring humor and personality into the uncomfortable parts of life either.

Her influences stretch across generations—from Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac and Paul McCartney to Janis Joplin and Taylor Swift—giving her a musical foundation that doesn't fit neatly into a single genre.

Heart of the Gulch host Tony Mendoza interviews indie-folk and Americana artist Izzy Mahoubi about songwriting, Nashville and her evolving sound.

That freedom allows Izzy to write conversationally about insecurities, relationships and the experiences she's still figuring out herself.

Leaving Phoenix for Nashville

Moving from Arizona to Nashville has introduced an entirely new challenge.

Izzy opens up about being surrounded by Nashville's songwriting community and how living in Music City is pushing her creatively while helping her become more confident in her own artistic instincts.

Rather than abandoning where she came from, she's beginning to bring more of a Western influence into her new music while blending it with folk, rock and indie textures.

Americana singer-songwriter Izzy Mahoubi delivers a stripped-down performance of “Wanted” following her Heart of the Gulch interview.

Already Sharing Some Big Stages

Despite being early in her career, Izzy has already opened for artists including Adam Melchor, Em Beihold, Mt. Joy, Odie Leigh and Sawyer Hill.

Those opportunities have allowed her to develop as a live performer while introducing her music to audiences across the indie-folk and Americana worlds.

But Nashville represents something different: a chance to dig deeper into the songwriter she wants to become.

Izzy Mahoubi performs “Wanted” during the Walk the Line performance segment inside the Heart of the Gulch studio in Nashville.

An Old Soul With a Modern Vision

There's something distinctly throwback about Izzy's influences, but she isn't interested in simply recreating the music of another generation.

She's taking pieces of classic rock, Americana, folk and Western music and filtering them through the experiences of a 20-year-old songwriter finding her place in Nashville.

That combination makes Izzy Mahoubi an artist worth keeping an eye on as her sound continues to evolve.

Watch Izzy Mahoubi on Heart of the Gulch

Watch the full Izzy Mahoubi interview as she joins Tony Mendoza to discuss moving from Phoenix to Nashville, songwriting, her classic-rock influences, bringing a Western edge into her music and finding confidence as a young artist.

The episode concludes with Izzy stepping into the Walk the Line performance segment for a stripped-down performance of “Wanted.”

Tony Mendoza is the Nashville-based host and creator of Heart of the Gulch, featuring conversations with country artists, songwriters and personalities from Nashville and beyond.