Weaving Stories Through Words and Music with Iris ten Have '18

Raised in the Netherlands and France, Iris ten Have '18 combines multicultural influences to create heartfelt music and evocative writing. Now based in Berlin, she blends personal experiences with poetic and sensory storytelling, exploring themes of love, identity, and home.

Iris’s journey as a singer-songwriter began at age seven. Her latest single, Letting You Go, pairs folk influences with introspective lyrics, showcasing her ability to turn personal stories into universal emotions. We connected with Iris to talk about her creative process, inspirations, and what’s next for her.

Can you share where your passion for singing and songwriting first began, and how that journey has shaped the music you create today?

I think it was always there, but the moment I remember becoming conscious of it was during a car ride back home from the musical Sleeping Beauty. The show and the music deeply impressed me, and on my way home I felt strongly that this was what I wanted to do too in my future – to sing my feelings. I was seven years then – the age of reason ;)

As far as songwriting concerns, this is something I did not feel myself capable of for a long time. I always considered myself a writer, writing short stories and poetry in my free time, but it was not until my move to Berlin in 2022 that I managed to combine writing and music together. The lyrics and melody kind of came to me, and with some time and a self-imposed deadline, I wrote my first song – When I Wake.

What was the inspiration behind Letting You Go, and how did you decide to incorporate the folk element into your music?

The inspiration behind Letting You Go was my first and only breakup, back in 2022. It has been positive in the sense that the pain became my muse for composing music.

I wanted to add a folk element to this song, because I listen to a lot of pop/folk music myself – Lizzy McAlpine, Alice Phoebe Lou and Dolly Parton. Folk has this storytelling element which I admire very much, it is able to turn niche, personal stories into something universal. It is the best music genre for me at the moment, as it allows space for both my inner-writer and my inner-singer to coexist.

Outside of your work as a singer-songwriter, what other passions or activities do you pursue?

I like to meet with other musicians and play or write songs together, and going to open mics. Some really feel like a community. Besides music I like to write stories, flash fiction and poetry. I enjoy spending time alone, listening to music or learning about spiritual topics.

What’s next for you creatively?

We are done with the sad love songs, for now, as Letting You Go was the final part in a three window series about heartbreak. Writing about other topics will be out of my comfort zone, but I look forward to it.

Furthermore, I have a few collaborations with folk artists lined up in Berlin, and some paid gigs (finally). I hope to grow a bigger audience, but I know that’s a gradual process.