Our Lady of Pop
Following in the steps of one of music’s most exciting ladies of tomorrow.
Ella Isaacson. Photographer: Michael Higgins; Creative Direction: Joy Bullard Breitman with Stylebarre; Stylist: Monica Cargile; Makeup: Erik Torppe; Hair: Michael Sebastian.
With her new single “Expectations,” with Gallant, having dropped on Spotify and Apple Music on May 21st, the rising pop star — Ella Isaacson — has been hard at work and immersed in making new music and art during her time indoors. An artist at heart, Isaacson is not letting the home-bound barrier of four walls keep her from connecting to and inspiring her fans. This “Lady of Pop” is pushing the boundaries of today’s creative expectations and forging her path in her musical career.
We started our conversation with vocal talent Isaacson inquiring her vision for herself early in life and her eyes lit up. The young artist grew up knowing what she was destined for and has never wavered that a career in music was in her storyline. “I always knew I wanted to pursue music as a career as far back as I can remember,” shares the New York-born artist, “and my message to my audience is this: that I just want to tell honest stories, and I want people to take something real from my songs.” Along with the same notes, Isaacson hopes to further connect with people through her music, whatever they might be going through, offering a virtual “friend” so they know they are not alone.
Isaacson’s journey into the entertainment industry started at a very young age. Dedicating the last few years of her life to focus on her music, Isaacson has acquired several noteworthy performances and covet-worthy achievements along the way. “My most memorable performance was a set I did at Peppermint Club in LA,” reminisces Isaacson, “the audience was enjoying themselves and singing the lyrics and the energy was electrifying.” She continues, gracious to acknowledge that the outpouring of love from her community and fans upon the release of her song “Naked” was also a pivotal point in her career as a singer.
Now, we all have more or less adjusted and fallen into a day-to-day routine inside these days of pandemic regulations that lend themselves to productivity and self-care; and Isaacson is no different. Her usual day consists of waking up, making breakfast, hitting the “home gym,” and then diving into her emails and zoom meetings for the afternoon. “I’ll have a virtual zoom writing session with co-writers and producers in LA, Canada, or Europe,” Isaacson tells us, “and once the song I’m working on is written, I take a break to have dinner with my family, then spend my evening time recording vocals.” It is this type of focused routine that has kept Isaacson in tune with her content, allowing her to continue to produce songs and connect with her fan base via live performance sessions and posting cover songs that bring the artist comfort during this uncertain time. “The ability to write and record from home has kept me going. This time has also given me an awesome opportunity to connect with my fans more than ever,” heartens Isaacson. No matter the artistic expression, be it writing, painting, baking, or dancing, the vocalist finds ways to smile even on the hardest days.
“At the heart of my music I’m a storyteller,” states Isaacson, “and I like to write songs that are honest, introspective, and make you feel some type of genuine emotion.” Indeed, her soulful voice and poignant lyrics evoke layers of emotion from listeners that inspire them to listen again and again. The artist finds inspiration everywhere around her and tries to relate her songs to her life and her daily experiences. “[Fans] want you to be you and to be authentic,” shares Isaacson, and staying true to herself has been most rewarding for the artist. “I feel like I’ve come to a place where my art feels very ‘me’ so the choices I’m making in digital media and real-life feel really in line with each other and genuine.”
As a female solo artist, Isaacson believes that “learning who to trust with your art and vision” is a big part of the journey as a female artist and solo act. It is important to “recognize who is trying to lift you versus who is trying to bring you down. Some struggles take navigating, but when you find your people and you’re a solo act, you get to flesh out that vision with your team, and there doesn’t have to be a million cooks in the kitchen,” shares the singer.
When not working or recording, Isaacson is most likely spending time with her friends by the water or in the fresh air, dancing, and staying active. Her go-to fashion items are a nice pair of heels, a belt, and a button-down shirt — the true minimalist girl’s dream ensemble. Even though Isaacson has her talented team of creative directors and stylists, the artist also swears by her style inspired by the likes of her mother. “She literally could have been a designer or creative director,” Isaacson beams, “so she’s my go-to if I have a special event.”
At the end of the day, Ella Isaacson is beautifully down to Earth and inspiringly comfortable with just being herself as the artist that she is. Unapologetically, Isaacson stands for honesty, and she carries that through in the honesty of her song lyrics every time she sits down to write. In the spirit of that honesty, the artist leaves us with these words: “With everything happening in the world right now, I’d like to share that these are challenging times, I know. We have fears about health, safety, our future, careers, and we are addressing real issues in our justice system that are long overdue. I have real hope that through all this we can strengthen our humanity and come out better on the other side. That we will listen more, care more, educate ourselves more, protect each other, be peaceful, and be kinder. This is what I hope for the world.”
