Get to know: ISSIE - One Sensational Singer to Watch Before the Debut
- QH SOUND
- Sep 23
- 3 min read
Some artists spend a lifetime chasing their sound. For ISSIE, it came by chance.. through poetry, a pandemic, and a bold leap across the Atlantic.
Originally from Southern California, ISSIE didn’t grow up chasing stages or studios. “I’ve consistently grown up in a loud household with a lot of love and people. But music was never really on my radar - I always classed myself as a bookworm,” she admits. Instead, her path was meant to lead to medicine. That was until COVID lockdowns turned her attention inward and onto the records that would shape her future.
Diving into Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and Bill Withers’ +'Justments, she discovered a kind of music that not only moved her, but made her believe in new possibilities. “I wanted to be a doctor…so after taking a hard right turn, I decided I would take my love for writing poetry/songs and apply to some music schools on a whim.” That whim paid off. She was accepted into LIPA, Paul McCartney’s prestigious Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, and swapped sunny California for rainy Merseyside to pursue music seriously.
ISSIE is refreshingly honest about being at the beginning of her career. She’s yet to release a track, but she’s already making waves live across Liverpool’s music scene. “Since I’ve only been playing live within the last year, I’ve been eternally grateful for every opportunity that has come my way,” she explains. From intimate shows with just a few audience members to a packed house at Frederick’s Jazz Club with the Liverpool Jazz Society, she’s embraced every gig as a chance to grow.
Those milestones alongside her invitation to American Songwriter’s Camp in Nashville, mentored by Julia Michaels signal a rising career worth watching. “I was really shocked when I got the email and still am somewhat shocked, so it’s a pretty significant milestone to me!”
Trying to pin down ISSIE’s sound is like catching a film in motion - it’s cinematic, textured, and rooted in feeling. She puts it best herself: “Most of my music feels like a ‘Sex and the City’ outro song or a girly 2000s coming-of-age song - vibrant, warm, youthful, with your headphones on, and walking through a big city on your own.”
Her influences range from Carole King’s Tapestry to Jeff Buckley’s Grace, but her songwriting voice is uniquely hers.. sometimes witty, always heartfelt. “My writing sets me apart. As an artist and songwriter, I’ve been pursuing two careers. While playing live and building my own, I’ve also been writing for other artists and continue to do so.”
If there’s one theme that defines ISSIE’s artistry, it’s her devotion to songwriting. She doesn’t treat it as a byproduct of being a performer but as its own craft. “I just love everything about songwriting. Through the craft, the challenges that come with it, and hearing it come to life with certain artists.”
Her process is both meticulous and instinctive. Whether she’s chasing an overcomplicated chord progression on guitar until it collapses into something simple, or letting subconscious free writing shape her lyrics, she trusts in the push and pull of creation. “Whether the lyrics come to mind instantly or three months after that point, it's something I think about all the time, every day.”
Though her debut isn’t slated until late 2026, anticipation is already building. One of her unreleased tracks, Lost in Translation, has become a fan-favorite at live shows. “It’s one of those songs that just came to life so quickly and felt so good and natural while writing it. So when I brought it to band to play live, I knew it was gonna be a good one.”
And while she sharpens her identity as an artist, she’s also writing for others. Future dream collaborations include Sienna Spiro and RAYE - two artists she admires for their timeless yet modern touch.
Whether she’s commanding a stage at DEVA Fest, where a young fan told her how much they loved her music, or quietly shaping songs that may never bear her own name, ISSIE is building her career in public. With her dual path as both artist and songwriter, she’s positioning herself for longevity in an industry that often chases the fleeting.
Her story is only beginning - but it’s already compelling.
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