Name: ISHA
Nationality: Dutch
Occupation: Producer, singer-songwriter, bass player
Current Event: ISHA is one of the artists at the latest edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival Residency, taking place at the Petit Palais of the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace. Other participants include  Antonio Monasterio Ensamble, Bananasoverdose, Wet Enough!?, Den Dala, Rania Yasmine, Aino Salto, and Ramzi Hammad. Tutors include Lizz Wright, Christian Sands, Ida Nielsen, Mádé Kuti, Jas Kayser, Cherise, and Orphy Robinson.

[Read our Ida Nielsen interview]
[Read our Mádé Kuti interview]
[Read our Jas Kayser interview]

If you enjoyed this ISHA interview and would like to find out more about her music, visit her on Instagram, tiktok, and bandcamp.



Where does the impulse to create something come from for you? What role do often-quoted sources of inspiration like dreams, other forms of art, personal relationships, politics etc play?

On the one hand because making music has always been a main source of energy and happiness for me. Both in creating as consuming music I can feel such strong emotions of expression, and I am so grateful that this is now becoming my profession.

Looking at the debut album I am currently working on, the inspiration draws mainly on dynamics in my own life through relations, people, conversations or certain emotions that I need to work through.

Music is a tool to do so.

For you to get started, do there need to be concrete ideas – or what some have called a 'visualisation' of the finished work? What does the balance between planning and chance look like for you?

When working in the studio or on music, I’m never worried or thinking about the “end product” if there even is such a thing.

I’m inspired by random thoughts, ideas, melody lines or songwriting lines that come to me, From there, using these fragmented ideas, I start working on those and build everything out to be a full song. Sometimes I really do not know where the song or music might take me, and what starts as a ballad songwriting idea, might end up in a more uptempo funk tune.

The balance as an independent artist, building this project now over the past three years, consists out of 3 aspects I think; talent, hard work and a chance of luck. The first two I can put my whole heart into and keep moving forward on every day, but the last one is a bit more tricky at times.

Together with my team I am however always thinking about how to create luck and opportunity, and I think this is an essential part of being a (developing) artist; to keep moving forward best you can but take into account some level of strategy.

Is there a preparation phase for your process? Do you require your tools to be laid out in a particular way, for example, do you need to do 'research' or create 'early versions'?

I am now three years into this project, which I started after finishing music school, and I can say so far the process of creation and preparation is forever changing. This for me is also the fun part of growing as an artist.

Every year that goes by, I learn something new about myself, about creating music or building my live set, and by those inspiring creatives and professionals around me, whether that is someone in the studio, someone I meet on tour or an experienced artist I meet backstage.

The forever ongoing challenge of growth as a creating professional and as an individual determines my process every time.

Do you have certain rituals to get you into the right mindset for creating? What role do certain foods or stimulants like coffee, lighting, scents, exercise or reading poetry play?

Not really, in general I try to keep a healthy balance to maintain this lifestyle of an artist who also tours. Getting some healthy snacks and sticking to working out and running is key for me.

But in general there are no strict rituals thus far ... 😉

Tell me a bit about the way the new material developed and gradually took its final form, please.

At the moment I am finishing my debut album. With this project, following my two EPs, I set myself a goal to step out of my comfort zone as a producer and also dive further into songwriting and singing.

Starting out as a producer I did many sessions the first couple of years of my career and always met so many incredibly talented songwriters and other creators. It was equally inspiring to sit down with so many different perspectives, and it often posed as a source of inspiration, but then every now and then it felt a bit limiting.

So for this new project I wanted to be fully in the lead and no longer lean on sessions so much; this meant being in the studio alone and exploring the art of songwriting.

Besides that I also took time to sit down with vocal coaches and singers to work on my own singing - a challenging but equally exciting exploration of my creative freedom.  

What makes lyrics good in your opinion? What are your own ambitions and challenges in this regard?

Good lyrics can resonate with an audience without being too literal. My main ambition and challenge is to find my confidence as a bass player and producer in this perspective.

I admire all-round artists like Jordan Rakei and FKJ a lot for example, these are artists that are in full control of their creative freedom as producers, multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters.

Starting out solely producing and now growing into a singer-songwriter myself, it can feel a bit scary at moments, but it is truly where my ambition lies. It is my mission to create, produce, and perform music that connects people across cultures and inspires collaboration with artists and fans worldwide.

There are many descriptions of the creative state. How would you describe it for you personally? Is there an element of spirituality to what you do?

It is my vision to redefine the jazz-electronic sound by becoming one of the leading producers, bass players, and live performers of my generation—while opening doors for other queer, female creators to thrive.

Once a piece is finished, how important is it for you to let it lie and evaluate it later on? How much improvement and refinement do you personally allow until you're satisfied with a piece?

This is a great question but I have to say so far this has been different with each song and each project.

Sometimes a song just flows out of you in a day, and instantly resonates with myself and my team. Once I then show it to others and receive a similar response, I know it’s just right and it’s easier to move into a finishing state.

Other demos or ideas can linger for a while, and I can sense there is something in there that works, but I also can feel strongly something is still missing. Those are the uncertain ones, but sometimes it is worth investing in getting it across the line.

Sooner or later with all songs, something clicks and I just know it’s supposed to be shared.

How do you think the meaning, or effect of an individual piece is enhanced, clarified or possibly contrasted by the EPs, or albums it is part of? Does each piece, for example, need to be consistent with the larger whole?

When working on a project I often take a couple of months in the studio to write, produce and work on ideas. Within that time frame a certain feeling or concept lingers within myself, and even without trying, all songs often are related.

I love the concept of albums, and am a big fan of listening through an EP or Album project from A to Z myself. These bodies of art can provide a story to the listener, but also service as a time-piece in which you can tune in with the artist or creator who made it.

In that sense I do like to share larger stories throughout the project I put out.

After finishing a piece or album and releasing something into the world, there can be a sense of emptiness. Can you relate to this – and how do you return to the state of creativity after experiencing it?

So far I must say I have not sensed that emptiness post release, but perhaps more so in the creation process before a release date.

The start of a new project (EP or album) can be daunting, and at the very start of this debut album I am currently working on it has taken me a while to find my groove.  

I would love to know a little about the feedback you've received from listeners or critics about what they thought some of your songs are about or the impact it had on them – have there been “misunderstandings” or did you perhaps even gain new “insights?”

In general I am sensitive about sharing my art before it is in my final state, it feels so deeply personal and it can be unconstructive to share ideas too soon.

I am grateful however to have met a couple of amazing producers, instrumentalists and artists I feel super inspired by and who I can trust to share feedback at an earlier state.

Especially when working on a song for a long time and feeling stuck, a comment by a colleague from the outside can be the exact right feedback I need to view the piece of art a little differently and get me back on track to finishing it.

Creativity can reach many different corners of our lives. Do you personally feel as though writing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?  

I can take a lot of satisfaction in cooking an amazing (gluten-free) dish for myself and my friends, or by completing a run in my running schedule.

But creating music for me goes beyond satisfaction or excitement, the expression of oneself through art forces me to look deeper within myself and really dive deep within to observe and translate what goes on within myself on a deeper level.

In that way it goes beyond a “day to day” reality and invites you into a deeper spiritual level. This part can be so confronting and a bit daunting, but is also what draws me back to creating.