NTRODUCING 15-YR-OLD SOUL FORCE ISABELLE BROWN

by the partae December 6, 2018

written by the partae December 6, 2018

“It’s hard to believe that the full, raspy, deep voice – almost of the same calibre as Etta James, Aretha Franklin and the soul greats – belongs to a Brighton-based, 15-year-old girl whose next big chapter of life involves completing her GCSE’s next summer.” – Vogue

“nostalgic and fresh at the same time…this British teenager’s soulful voice will blow you away” – The FADER

“a sound that’s bursting with the soul of a seasoned woman” – Nylon

“It’s not just the maturity in the vocals that stands out…but also just the confidence of the arrangement, the lyrics, and the entire package” – Uproxx

Isabelle Brown is an old soul trapped in the body of a fearless fifteen year-old. Inspired by the rich emotions of Nina Simone and the force-of-nature energy of Tina Turner, her mature perspective and deep found artistry in soulful songwriting is reminiscent of the old-school R&B, jazz and hip-hop influences found in A Tribe Called Quest.

Already making fans out of taste-makers at Vogue, The FADER, Nylon, The Line Of Best Fit, Hypebeast and more, the Brighton, UK native has shared the music video for her new single “Places”, released via True Panther / EQT / Caroline Australia. The video is an intimate look into the artist’s world – shot mainly via iPhone at Isabelle’s Dad’s 50th birthday party the video moves between clips of her friends, family and the London streets – to the beat of her song.

Hoop earrings swinging, the scenes skirt from Isabelle’s home to cruising the streets of London joking with strangers and friends alike, as she innocently relishes on love and laughter. “’Places’ is about a place you can go where you don’t have to pretend to be something you’re not,” Isabelle shared. “You can be yourself and be loved and accepted. When people hear it I’d love it if they got an overwhelming feeling of warmth and happiness, but that’s a bit of a reach so as long as they think the tune is decent then that’s alright with me.”

Isabelle Brown’s story thus far is not that of your typical precocious teen star-in-waiting: hard graft, grit and vulnerability, those core values of true Soul music, underpin her powerhouse vocals.

She wrote her first love song at the age of seven (“which when you think back,” she says now, “is an absolute laugh, as I’d never even kissed a boy but thought I was the number one romance guru”). Brought up between two creative, unconventional households – her parents separated around the same time – Brown’s irrepressible voice slowly began to draw on experiences of her own. She has spent the last few years singing, writing, performing and recording every weekend or school-holiday, with a close-knit circle of friends, collaborators and family protecting her (largely from her own furious ambition to “get on with it”) every step of the way.

Her curious, contemporary twist on these classic sounds is explored across her first mixtape ‘Only Having A Laugh,’ released in February 2018. Largely written and recorded when she was just twelve years old. With the release of “Places”, Brown embodies the soul and voice of a seasoned songwriter and vocalist beyond her years and confirms her status as an artist with boundless promise.