Every now and then, a voice comes along that feels like it stepped out of a storm and brought the rain with it. Irian Darkwood might be new to the scene, but her presence already feels like something ancient—etched in steel and soft ash. With only three songs released, including the freshly lit Light at the End of the Tunnel, she’s already showing us she doesn’t plan to follow any single road. I spoke with Irian to unravel the stories behind the music, the ghosts that whisper through her lyrics, and where this path of many turns might be leading her.
Lucy
Your stage name, Irian Darkwood, sounds like it belongs to a character in a forgotten legend. Is there a story behind it, or did it simply find you?
Irian Darkwood
I read a lot of fantasy novels, so you’re not far off on where it came from haha, I also played a lot of Dungeons and Dragons when I was younger, so the name comes from the fantasy world. There are many stories about Irian Darkwood. Perhaps one day I will write some power metal songs about those.
Lucy
YES PLEASE! Your music carries the bones of classic rock but walks with the weight of something heavier. If you had to explain your sound to someone who’s never heard it before, how would you describe it?
Irian Darkwood
I would describe my sound as an all cylinders heart hitting, emotional, relatable cascade of everything. It is rock with a bit of a metal sound, and it usually carries a message of my personal experiences in life. Music straight from the heart and the source.
Lucy
Light at the End of the Tunnel comes out soon. The title hints at hope. What’s the story you’re telling with this song?
Irian Darkwood
The message in this song is about hope, that even in your darkest days, there are always better things coming, and hope of recovery. And that you’re not alone. In these times I think that is a message that is very important.
Lucy
Some influences shape a musician like a hammer shapes metal, while others seep in like ink through paper. What are the sounds, stories, or artists that have left permanent marks on your music?
Irian Darkwood
Well I used to sing a lot of karaoke, so yeah I have a lot of influences from that kind of thing, I also began “public” singing doing country music, so I have a lot of influences there too, but most of my influencers are in the 80s and 90s hard rock/metal artists, and I have some more recent ones, like Lzzy Hale from Halestorm, as for stories, there’s a lot of stories, but to sum it up it’s just really life experiences that always leave their mark on my music.
Lucy
Some songwriters pull from their own scars, others from the world around them, and some from places even they can’t explain. Where do your songs come from?
Irian Darkwood
I get my influences from my own personal experiences in the world around me. I write from myself so I guess I can tell that the experiences that leave the deepest scars or the happiest moments are also the ones that you start writing about first. For me it’s not only music, it’s a way to tell my side of my experiences. Sometimes you never get to say your part, but when it comes to my music, I speak from my heart and my truth.
Lucy
Three songs in, do you feel like you’re carving a clear path, or are you still discovering where your music wants to take you?
Irian Darkwood
Yeah, I mean, there’s a lot of other songs in the works right now so we’re looking forward to releasing those and getting lots more music out there! And I don’t want to “stay” in one style and sometimes not even in the same genre. If you listen to my three released songs they are very different. And that is what you can expect from upcoming releases too. My music fits the story that they tell. Not conforming to my sound or a specific type of music.
Lucy
The road of an artist is full of quiet battles and small victories. What’s been the moment that made you stop and think, “this is why I do this”?
Irian Darkwood
It’s really when I see people enjoying my music, and knowing that I was the one that brought the smiles to their faces, to help them forget about the old to serious world for a minute, to know that my music is part of their healing journey, that’s when I think that it’s why I do this. I want to leave an impact. I want to make music that means something and hits home every time.
Lucy
Three songs feel like the first pages of a book. Do you see a full album coming into existence anytime soon, or does your music prefer to arrive in fragments for now?
Irian Darkwood
Yes, eventually, right now it is coming in fragments, but I am working on having an album or an EP out soon. It is a dream of mine and would be really cool.
Lucy
The music industry is constantly shifting. What aspect of it do you wish would change, and how do you hope to contribute to that change?
Irian Darkwood
As most musicians will tell you, the streaming industry makes it a little bit difficult for us, so if I could, I would change that, but it is 2025, so I guess I have to crawl out from under my rock and just get with the times haha. I also would love to have more clubs and venues out there. It’s not easy for venues to work and be able to pay the bands now.
Lucy
What musicians do you find yourself returning to for inspiration or simply to lose yourself in their sound?
Irian Darkwood
I’m a big fan of 80s and 90s hard rock/metal artists like Guns N’ Roses, Skid Row, Def Leppard, and a couple more recent artists like Evanescence and Lzzy Hale.
