Article Written by Calum O’Rourke | 13th Oct 2024
Photography by Vided Magazine
Introducing the Artist.
Izabel, the rising artist from Sofia (Bulgaria), has made an eruption in the R&B game with her new EP ‘SCENARIOS’ which is pulling listeners in from around the globe. This article will give you a personal insight into the creative process of this EP and her life-long journey through music. Also, for all you Izabel fans, she teases her next release. From starting her career at only 5 years old with the involvement in hit Bulgarian band ‘Bon Bon’, all the way to moving to London in 2019 to study her craft, expand her audience and make new connections along the way… here is the story of how she became the artist she is today.
Izabel's recent work from the EP 'SCENARIOS’ surprisingly came around by accident. She told Vided that she had been working on music with an array of people within the industry at different times. However, looking at her recent work altogether, it made sense to compile everything into one project. Izabel says: “Afterwards when I saw from the outside, it looked like a whole project because there were connections between the songs.” The EP earned its title from where the stories of the songs originated; the lyrics reflect on stories told to Izabel by her friends and people close to her. She says “This project is not about me only, I’m telling a story”.
Photography by Vided Magazine
When talking about which track on the project she favoured, Izabel said “take 7” and went on further to say “That’s my baby”, clearly showcasing her love for the song. After playing classical guitar while in high school, she has recently picked up the instrument again and found a new love for strings. In this track especially, the simplicity of the guitar and vocals makes it stand above the rest.
To compliment her EP, Izabel has just released a Live Medley of all songs, accompanied by a full band, in a beautiful venue. To add even more personal value, the video was filmed in Pernik, a town in Bulgaria where Izabel spent seven years growing up. Set Designer, Johana Trayanova, transformed this World War ministry building into a gorgeous performance space for this project.
In 2023, Izabel had the incredible opportunity to participate in a SBTV Songwriting Camp where she was able to collaborate with artists such as Jaz Karis, Ashton Sellars and Col3trane. Working with artists such as Col3trane in a studio setting was an unforgettable experience for Izabel. “I got goosebumps! I couldn’t believe it when I realised I was going to be alone with him and a producer in the studio”.
Photography by Vided Magazine
Being an artist in Bulgaria was great for Izabel, but it could only get her so far. “I mainly moved to London because the R&B scene in Bulgaria is not the best”. Although R&B still needs more time to break through in London, this city still provides more opportunities to grow in terms of live events available to perform at and industry professionals that you can meet. The mainstream scene in the UK is still very much, as Izabel puts it, “One Day Tracks”. Commercial Pop is, and has been for a while, at the forefront of mainstream music in the UK. However, there is a wave, a new generation of artist leaving their mark and hoping to bring more genres into the spotlight.
Izabel provided us with an exclusive update for her next release. Her next single ‘Discipline’ will be available on all streaming platforms on 31st October 2024. She will also be appearing at the Hootananny in Brixton for her first-ever opening act performance on October 29th 2024 for, the one and only, Asher Roth. We are sure that Izabel is only going up in her career from this point and we cannot wait to see what she does next.
From working with companies such as Apple Music, Stereofox and Sofar Sounds, to releasing more incredible music, Izabel still strives to better herself as an artist each time she puts pen to paper or stands in front of the microphone. Be sure to keep up to date and show your love because there is plenty more to come in the future.
Listen to Izabel’s music here: https://linktr.ee/izabalien