“Make Me Watch” has plenty going on beneath its infectious beat. izzi’s latest single takes on coercion, pornography and the degradation of women, but does so through a dance-infused sound that keeps the song moving.
The lyrics are built around sharp visual details. Short phrases return throughout the song, while references to a laptop screen, a mirror and being held still create a series of vivid moments. Rather than laying everything out in a neat sequence, izzi lets those details build the picture piece by piece.
The song becomes particularly affecting when it moves into ideas of performance and expectation. She describes trying to become what someone else wants, before the lyrics turn towards financial pressure, dependency and the promise of love.
Musically, izzi keeps the pace up. The arrangement starts slow and gradually builds to an upbeat, enthralling experience, while the lyrics introduce a much heavier perspective. That pairing gives “Make Me Watch” its own character and stops the subject matter from being treated as something separate from the music.
There is also plenty of craft behind the recording. izzi wrote, recorded and produced the single herself, shaping the vocals, lyrical details and instrumental around the same central idea.
With radio airplay on the BBC and sharing stages with the likes of Paris Paloma, izzi has been making a name for herself, and with songs such as “Make Me Watch”, her star will only continue to rise.
