Issa is due to release her eighth album Another World on June 7th, In the fourteen years since her first album Issa has become a trailblazer in the world of melodic rock and her latest album is her best yet. Issa, As well as her husband and keyboard player James Martin, Was kind enough to talk with us at The Rockpit about the new album and her history with music.
Rob: Good evening Issa! Thank you for talking with The Rockpit, How are you?
Issa: Heeeyyy Rob, Finally we get to chat …
Rob: Yes! Sorry again for the scheduling mix up, I hope you had a wonderful vacation.
Issa: Yes I did indeed, can’t tell you last time I had some sun and sand.. feels lovely ha.
Rob: I bet! So you have the new album coming out in June, Is there a lot of mixed emotions when you are waiting for your albums to release?
Issa: It’s always mixed emotions, You want people to hear the record, But it’s sort of a drip feed throughout a few months.. We recorded and produced the record at home this time so it’s been a different structure this time around. I’ve heard these songs about 1 million times by the time the label receives them and that way you always hope everyone else can hear what you do and love the songs just as much!
Rob: I can’t compliment you enough on how good Another World is, It’s a phenomenal album! One of the incredible things about it is that you just released Lights Of Japan last year and here you are with a brand new album that is even better than the last one and I like that album a lot. Factoring in as well that James and Tom put out a new album with Nitrate last year I just have to ask? Do you and James just continually work on music?
Issa: Thanks so much! Yeah, Lights Of Japan was great and I agree that this one is better. Yeah, We work on stuff a lot and James has a lot of commitments with albums he’s producing or writing and I’m always there to sing or do backup singing. It’s a very musical household ha.
Rob: I’m curious how you decide the subject matter of a song when it comes to writing the lyrics? Does the music and the feeling it gives you help decide the direction you will go?
Issa: I’m actually gonna hand that over to James who is right next to me here in our studio! He together with his brother Tom wrote and produced the record.. All can say is that we are very much on the same wave length when it comes songs as it’s written and produced here and we have great communication when the songs are being written, It’s an honesty in a way that I can let them know if there is parts that don’t suit me vocally and we can work around that rather then receiving a written song from someone else.. It’s great and with the boys it’s a real bonus that they know what I do best… Anyway I’m gonna hand it over to James..
James: Yes, that’s right. Sometimes the music paints a picture in your mind and other times we can start with a song title, I have a notebook of titles I keep and sometimes the right backing track can point you in the direction of a title. “All These Wild Nights” “The Road To Victory” were two titles that I had written down a while before.
Rob: While I have both of you I’d like to ask how you decide which songs go to Issa and which songs go to Nitrate? Some of these songs sound like they were written around the same time as Feel The Heat.
James: Good question. Yes, They were written in the same 12 months, So there will be some similarities. We tend to focus on whatever album we are working on and Issa sang all the Feel The Heat demo’s as well. We work great together and because the keys we write in for Alexander Strandell, Issa, and our current project The Switch are pretty high in key they could all do a great job of singing the songs. So yeah, If we’re working on Nitrate generally any songs written during that time go on that album and so on ..
Issa : It’s super exciting being part of the writing process.. I sing the guy’s songs always if they want me to of course and as with Nitrate it’s amazing seeing the songs shape up, To me demoing them up and then to be sent off to the designated singer… It’s a long journey for these songs and we all contribute in out own way.
Rob: That was actually something I was going to ask you about, Nick Hogg told me you sang all of the demos on Feel The Heat. I think it’s safe to say that many fans, Including myself, Would love to hear even just a few of those. Is there any possibility we might hear any of the demos with you on vocals?
Issa: It’s something I’ve heard a few people mentioning.. Someday I might put some on my YouTube channel, But it’s also a respect thing for Nitrate as it’s their songs out at the moment and until they would want the demos released i just have to wait ha… I bet you didn’t know I also did the Cassidy Paris song “Midnight desire” … It was supposed to be one of my singles, I know Nick liked it too but great to see one of the songs go to a young girl.
Rob: I didn’t actually, Cassidy is great and I like her debut. On the note of the new Nitrate album, You’ve done some great duets over the years, But “One Kiss (To Save My Heart)” tops them all for me. Did you or Alexander record your parts remotely or were you together when that song was recorded?
Issa: Well, I recorded the whole song as a demo, It really suited me and I think that’s how it became a duet.. Strandell then sang the song and we produced it here. I added some harmonies to the song to make it more of a duet at the end, It’s a great song.
Rob: You both are a spectacular match vocally, both of you are absolutely impressive singers. Does it affect your performance in any way when you’re doing a duet? And especially when you are singing with someone with the vocal range Alexander has.
Issa: I’ve been so fortunate to sing with some amazing singers in my time I did “Rain town” with Steve Overland, “Not Alone” with beloved and missed Fergie Fredriksen, “The perfect crime” with Ted Poley, Plus lots more.. I think I’ve been around for a while as I got signed 15 years ago by Frontiers, It’s been a journey for sure and it’s always an honour to work with other amazing musicians… Alexander is super good and I’m super excited to meet him one day in person.
Rob: I was listening to Crossfire today and you really haven’t lost any vocal ability in the years since that came out, What do you do to maintain your vocal range?
Issa: Hmmm that’s a tough one… I used to sing 3 days a week 3 hour shows for years BUT one day I lost my ability to sing just as I signed my deal with Frontiers 15 years ago. I really suffered and could not reach my high notes anymore, This went on for a few years and I was over worked vocally. I think that taught me a lesson and I take care of my voice and slowly warm up, I don’t over do it and drink nice hot stuff! I take it easy and work up to my high notes, I always reflect back to that and just don’t push it vocally too hard live.
Rob: I imagine that’s a risk with how powerful your vocal ability is, How early did you start singing? And did you ever take vocal lessons?
Issa: Never taken any vocal lessons!!! I used to do singing shows to my parents, Basically my parents used to pay me a pound or so to be quiet for a while ha… It was really natural to me. I had a huge interest in singing and vocals. I had a cd player and i use to put tape on the cassettes to record myself.. ha imagine that!! It’s been from within for me as I’ve never had any family members into music.
Rob: I read in an interview that you play piano, Do you play any other instruments as well?
Issa: Ha! yes, I do! this will make you laugh.. when I was about 9/10 I entered into a marching band where I wanted to play the flute.. I did not know I was given the big “Barritone” … I now know how to play most brass instruments!!! Lol
Rob: What bands or artists inspired you to pursue a career In music?
Issa: I started out singing in various bands and mostly a girl band in my early 20s, In a weird way this is where I learned what I liked to sing.. I just loved rock music and it was there I found my foundation. I love great singers, Male or female. Aretha Franklin, Ann Wilson, Blonde ect…
Here I am at early 20s out touring with my then girl group…
Rob: Great picture! It looks like you all were having a great time. What was your band called?
Issa: This was “covergirls” … It was a great starter point for me. I got the chance to gig all around Norway, Large events, and generally learning how to perform and sing live.
Rob: One of the things for me as a listener as it relates to the difference between a singer with great vocal ability verses a truly great singer is their approach to singing. There’s loads of singers who go over the top to show off their vocal ability when the song doesn’t really call for it, But a truly great singer brings that power in a way that serves the song and you really sing in service of the song. Your vocals are powerful and you bring that sort of balanced mastery that you’d see in someone like Ann Wilson or Steve Perry. When it comes to creating the vocal melodies what for you is the most important thing in your approach to a song?
Issa: Great question… I think experience is a huge factor. I live with a songwriter that wants vocals for the song, Not over the top if that makes sense. If i demo or sing a song for Tom and James we generally work for the songs melody and the foundation of the the song. I have 10 years on my back of recording and singing songs (many you have never heard) but it’s taught me to work for the song, A song has to be a workmanship between music and vocals.. I think age has taught me that I don’t need to be the highlight all the time.
Rob: Aside from the fact that you’re married to James, You both have great musical chemistry. You’ve been working together basically your whole recording career, Although I’m not sure of he worked with you on your first album. How did you both meet if you don’t mind me asking?
Issa: Its interesting.. Tom and James wrote a few songs on my first record. I remember us chatting after my first record and we really got along..that was it! We always wanted to just work together as us, But I think back then Frontiers wanted me to work with their producers and writers, Something we found odd as the best music comes from true relationships!! So we did Crossfire with huge hesitation from the label and with little attention to the record I got told it was not a success and I needed to to go back to working with their team. I’ve never agreed on that and now here we are, We finally have done another record together and I love where it is going.
Rob: In my personal opinion Crossfire is one of your best albums, But Another World is definitely your best album and I’m excited for the world to hear it. I have to say “Only In The Dark” is a spectacular ballad! Absolutely breathtaking. Is it possible that song will get the music video treatment?
Issa: Hmm ha I love my balads, It’s something that comes much easier then any other songs. “Only In The Dark” is an understated song with great built up, It’s singing for the song! My next video I have done myself so it’s definitely not out of the question to do a video to “Only In The Dark” .. I wanted a ballad for one of the main videos, But we have discussed doing a 3rd video.
Rob: It definitely has my vote, You’ve done some great ballads but that song is my favorite of the lot.
Issa: Thank you Rob x
Rob: You’re very welcome. In my view you’re a trailblazer in the world of melodic rock, When you released Sign Of Angels fourteen years ago there really wasn’t many women doing this style of rock music. There’s definitely a greater presence of women in melodic rock these days, Especially with Frontiers leading the market in this style of music. What was it like for you when you first started out and do you have anyone tell you that you inspired them to pursue music.
Issa: When I first started there wasn’t many women out there doing rock music. I had so many great friends in hard rock in Norway and it was actually the singer of Circus Maximus who put me forward to the label at that time. It was supposed to be duet with another singer through the label but Frontiers contacted me and signed me shortly after.. It’s been a 15 year marriage with them ha! The music industry has changed so much over the years and now days we have so much music out there it’s hard to stand out.. But if you have the passion you should pursue it!!
Rob: At the rockpit we have a couple of traditional questions we like to ask at the end of an interview, One of which I’ve altered a bit.
First, If you could be there to witness the recording of one album recorded before the turn of the millennium and one recorded afterwards, which two are you picking and why?
Issa: So, Queen – A Night At The Opera, Especially to see Freddie arranging the vocal harmonies and stuff and the other would be a Shania Twain album with Mutt Lange just to see how it all comes together, James talks about him a lot and he’s obviously a legend.
Rob: Great picks! Mutt is definitely one of those magical producers who elevates the artists he works with. His work with Def Leppard is landmark stuff.
Issa: Absolutely
Rob: Ok, last question: what is the meaning of life?
Issa: Definitely family. To have children and watch them grow.
Rob: As a parent myself I 100% agree. Thank you very much for your time Issa, and also to James. It’s been a pleasure talking with you.
Issa: Thanks Rob, A pleasure for us also x