Iyla Elise - Jet Plane

​Iyla Elise

Jet Plane
self-released; 2025

By Jamie Funk

​Iyla Elise’s latest single “Jet Plane” landed with the kind of warmth and clarity that made me pause what I was doing and just listen. Elise, who hails from a small town in Virginia’s Northern Neck and has spent the past several years recording in Charlottesville with producer Tim Ryan, brings a polished yet deeply personal touch to her blend of Americana, country, and blues. There is something comforting in the way her music immediately feels lived in, like it is coming from someone who has been paying attention for years.

“Jet Plane” is inspired by John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” but Elise flips the perspective. Instead of the person walking toward the terminal, she is the one left behind. It is a familiar story, but she delivers it with enough honesty and restraint that it avoids slipping into cliché. The mix is sharp. Every instrument has its own space, and her voice sits right where it should, front and center, clear and unforced.

The track leans into bluesy rock, and it has that barroom glow you hope to catch walking past a place with the door half open and a band already in full swing. I was struck by the control in Elise’s voice. She never belts, never pushes too hard, but the emotion is all there. There is a quiet conviction in her delivery that pulls you in. I did find myself wondering what she might sound like if she let it all out. There is clearly more power behind that voice, and I would be curious to hear her tap into it on a future track.

“Jet Plane” does not break the mold, but it does not need to. It is confident in its simplicity. No sudden twists, no production gimmicks, just a solidly written and well performed song about heartbreak, distance, and the small details that make those moments feel real. It is a promising glimpse into Elise’s world, and I will be keeping an ear out for what she does next.

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