Just when you think you have The Ivy all figured out as a dreamy synth-pop band, they’ll throw a curve ball, incorporating lo-fi bedroom sounds, rock guitars or R&B-inspired instrumental interludes into their indie pop. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based duo comprising singer/songwriter/guitarist Wyatt Clem and songwriter/synth player/bassist Shawn Abhari always keeps you guessing. Dubbed by Earmilk as “one of the most promising indie pop acts to come out of Oklahoma,” The Ivy burst onto the scene in 2017 when their songs “Gold” and “Have You Ever Been in Love” went viral, climbing the Spotify charts & receiving millions of streams, winning over critics and drawing comparisons to The 1975. The Ivy’s 2023 debut full-length album, A Door Still Open, showcases their knack for writing inviting pop hooks that are utterly catchy without being saccharine and their ability to construct enticing melodies within a pop framework. The album touches on themes of self-reflection, personal growth and transcending the limiting beliefs and mindsets we’re often indoctrinated into during our upbringing. Case in point: lead single “Good Faith.” With its groovy opening bass line and Wyatt’s dreamy, ethereal vocals, “Good Faith” combines pop, R&B and indie rock elements to great effect. The song’s lyrics encourage us to take a break from the hustle culture that tells us we should constantly be striving. “It’s about realizing there’s value and worth in being present and keeping your attention on what exists right here and now,” Wyatt says. Wyatt and Shawn met studying at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Oklahoma City & discovered their musical styles complemented each other. Shawn loved emo and pop punk like Green Day and Blink-182 and Wyatt was influenced by R&B and the blues. When they came together, these disparate influences balanced out beautifully. Both Shawn and Wyatt grew up playing music from a very young age. “My parents are both first-generation immigrants,” Shawn says. “My dad is Iranian and emigrated to the U.S. during the Iranian Revolution, and my mom is from France. They encouraged us to express ourselves creatively, but academics always came first.” Shawn played in several punk bands with friends growing up in Tulsa and ended up studying engineering and music production before focusing his attentions on songwriting and creating music with The Ivy. Wyatt grew up in Amber, Oklahoma, a small town about 40 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. “Where I grew up it was all about baseball and sports,” Wyatt says. “You weren’t supposed to express yourself too much. It had to be within the confines of what was perceived as ‘normal.’” Wyatt got his first acoustic guitar when he was 12, and his father—who’d often blast Van Halen, Bon Jovi and old country music in his truck—noticed that Wyatt had an aptitude for guitar and encouraged him to take lessons. Wyatt soon took up the electric guitar and found himself studying the early music of Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Coldplay. “Music provided something spiritual for me—almost like a religious experience,” Wyatt says. With three critically acclaimed EPs and A Door Still Open under their belts, The Ivy have amassed fans around the world, shared the stage with LANY and the Band Camino, performed at Lollapalooza and are making indelible waves in the indie pop scene.