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Skylyne Spotlight: Isaiah Martinez
Unwinding Isaiah Martinez's creative journey, influences, passions, and luminescent approach to composition and storytelling
Skylyne Spotlight: Isaiah Martinez
My introduction to Isaiah began when his one-of-a-kind voice pierced my phone's speakers and broke my streak of continuous scrolling. He blends introspective indie pop with atmospheric singer-songwriter elements to create an emotionally driven soundscape built around storytelling and melodic warmth. Through his lyrical articulation and chosen musical syncopation, he has crafted a unique sound that has left his fans begging for more. His simple yet tremendously effective approach to his composition and content creation has reeled in the attention of over 600K viewers.
Isaiah Martinez is an American independent artist based out of Falcon, Colorado. He crafts his art with an emphasis on storytelling and emotion at the forefront, giving room for his vast plain of creativity. His latest single “Is It OK” dives into a vulnerable state encompassing themes of letting go and moving on. Given the single's success, Isaiah is planning a full 12-song album in which he will put out 4 singles a month and a half apart, leading to its full release! Isaiah is moving into a new territory in life while keeping true to his genuine and personal musicianship side.
I got the chance to speak with Isaiah this past week about a multitude of topics, including his introduction to music, current musical process, and plans to dominate in the future.
SKYLYNE: I hope all has been great in your world. Thank you for setting time aside to have a conversation with me today! Since discovering your sound for the first time, I have wanted to ask you what your introduction to music looked like. Was it an instantaneous connection, or did it take time for the passion to set in?
Isaiah: It definitely was an instant thing. I got put into a guitar class sophomore year of high school, and it became something that I could not take my mind off of almost immediately. Instead of learning the usual songs in my class, I would learn way harder ones. I would play around 3 hours a day, just because I was in love with the guitar. That led to my first band introduction through my buddy, where I was playing lead.
SKYLYNE: That is awesome to hear! I have been a big fan of your single “Is it ok” since I came across it, and I wanted to ask about the release process. Did it come out naturally, or was it constructed over a longer period of time?
Isaiah: That’s a funny story; I first started posting on socials because my buddy Paul and I were racing to 1000 followers. I naturally started posting guitar covers, and one random Sunday night I wrote “Is It Ok” in like 30 minutes, posted it, and it got like 600K views. That was as shocking as it was inspiring, and it drove me to research and post more.
SKYLYNE: What a thing to wake up to! Speaking of your originals, when you are composing, is there a part of your personality that tends to shine through more than the other? Either in your music or regarding lyrics?
Isaiah: My first song was so spontaneous, and at that time I wasn’t able to identify my own sound fully. Since reassuring myself that I can write with the attention from "Is It Ok", I have been trying to write as much as I can. With writing more and more, I have been able to venture and express different thoughts and emotions based on what works best for me.
SKYLYNE: With this single “Is it ok” released, what are the next steps? Are you planning to release more singles towards an EP or maybe a full-blown album?
Isaiah: Yes, I am coming out with a 12-song album! I have been working very hard on crafting a sound that is personal to me, and I am very excited to get recording and share it with the world. The album will consist of songs that encapsulate what it is to tell a story. I will be putting out single by single, month and a half apart, until I release the full album, and I am beyond excited.
SKYLYNE: It is so admirable that you are only (recently) 18 years old and still so productive with posting and creating what you love. What does your balance between school and music look like? Have you found yourself having to sacrifice one more than the other?
Isaiah: My official music career started this past year, which has been my senior year of high school. It has been BUSY! I play varsity baseball, which takes up Mon-Fri after school, plus the games on weekends. The only time I can write or be creative is at night, which, funny enough, has made me like writing at night more. I am going into an electrician apprenticeship this coming fall, and I know I will have some more time to commit to my craft.
SKYLYNE: That is super understandable; high school + sports + music is tough to balance. To venture a little outside of the musical realm, what is your hottest take? Give us your best "hear me out.”
Isaiah: My biggest hot take has to be surrounding the World Cup. It is super overrated! The hype is so prevalent but so undeserving. Maybe it is because I am not a soccer guy, but I don’t like any part of it. Let alone the outrageous prices for everything involved.
SKYLYNE: That is super funny! Venturing back to the sound you have crafted in your music, what does your recording setup look like? Did you commit to an established studio, or are you doing the recording on your own?
Isaiah: This was another spontaneous thing for sure. My dad was researching “best studios near Colorado Springs” and found one that we liked. We get to the studio, and the engineer is super impressed with the song and how it was my first-ever song written. Supposedly, the engineer was supposed to have moved states by now, so he mentioned it was a stars-aligned kind of moment. He also played the bassline that is on the song. We didn’t want to overproduce or change it really from the sound on TikTok that blew up. I think the whole experience was great!
SKYLYNE: Agreed, y’all got a great product out of it! Regarding your collaborative ventures, what does that side look like? I see you work with producer Jacob Thornton. Is that the main collaboration?
Isaiah: Jacob Thornton was the engineer on “Is It Ok” and the head of the studio. He has production credits on the track and was a huge help through the whole arrangement process. I have collaborated with other people my age, however. A guitarist named Jackson and I would write often until an unfortunate fallout between the band. I mainly stick to personal writing, though; it suits me the best.
SKYLYNE: That is good to know for sure. Dipping into the marketing side of things, I love seeing all the promotional videos for “Is It Okay.” I wanted to ask about your specific marketing/promotion plans and how you plan on building on that for your future success.
Isaiah: I have a very spread-out strategy right now. I have taken most of my influence from creators like Dylan Gossett and Waylon Wyatt, while also analyzing the trends of smaller but growing independent artists. These trends include everything from surprise hooks to simply introducing myself to begin every video (which has been working the best). I am trying new things out constantly while typing to remain as genuine as possible!
SKYLYNE: Fantastic! Speaking of the success of certain trends, do you value hitting on trends and more short-term success? Or do you value longevity and growing your genuine fanbase?
Isaiah: Of course I want to grow my fanbase as big as possible, and I want it to be as genuine as possible. However, I would choose to have the short rise to success and try my best to capitalize while I have people's attention. Even though I feel this way, I am a firm believer in going with the flow and letting things happen the way they should, naturally.
SKYLYNE: Thank you, Isaiah, for taking the time to speak with me and answer all of these questions authentically! To close things out, here’s your spotlight: what do you have going on right now, and what should people be looking forward to next?
Isaiah: Of course, and thank you for being so hospitable along the way. I am leading into new singles being dropped, so be on the lookout for those and then all the promotional videos that coincide. The album is coming shortly after that, with many more videos that cover all aspects of my personality.
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