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In
a genre that needs new blood injected into it if it’s going to strive
forward it's great to see a new name around the Melodic Rock world, and
when this is female, it just adds to the anticipation of what’s to
come. Then when the scenes premier label Frontiers Records puts
something together you just know it's all good.
So who is this new
star in waiting? Well it's Issa, a new name who is currently
breathing new life into the genre. I caught up with lead singer Isabell
Oversveen to find out how it all got started and why we should take
notice of the next big thing to come out of Norway.
MM
- Thank you for taking the time out to do the interview and
congratulations on the new album.
Issa
- Thanks, that’s awesome.
MM
- So tell me how did you get involved with Frontiers and how did the
album come about?
Issa
- I have been contributing to some albums in Norway and also with a band
called Illusion Trip, amongst other things. It was Michael from Circus
Maximus who called me and asked me if I would be interested in duetting
on an album he was working on at the time. I did that then Frontiers got
back to him and said they’d like to do a full album with me.
MM
- The breaks just come when you least expect them and you’ve gotta take them when they
come knocking at your door.
Issa
- Yes, you’ve got to grasp these opportunities when they come. I’ve
been doing music since I was very young and I thought that this was the
right time, now that I’m a bit older and I know what direction I
want to go.
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MM
- So how did the process go for the album, did you just get a list of
songs to sing? Did you contribute to the song writing? How did it all
come together?
Issa
- How it all started? Well even though I’m a song writer myself we decided
that
for this album we would go with other songwriters, because I
didn’t feel my songs were quite good enough yet, so we had a list of
songwriters that we thought would be perfect for this album. The good
thing about this is that I’ve got to work with the Marcus brothers who
wrote two of the songs on the album. Now we are writing a lot
together and they will be contributing on my next album. So that’s
exciting.
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MM
- You’ve been singing since you were seventeen, did you originally start singing
rock or was it more on the pop side of things?
Issa
- When I started I did a lot of different things. I was in cover bands
and I did a lot of backing vocals. I also did some original stuff and a lot of
live stuff, but I didn’t really get into rock until I was about twenty
two when I sang the TNT song '10.000 Lovers',
that’s when I thought ... yes this is what I
want to do! I like singing songs with a lot of energy.
MM
- When I was looking at your bio that came with the album I noticed you
did a lot of work with the Norwegian Idols shows.
Issa - Yes, Gaute Ormaasen he’s a great guy. When I was
watching the show on my TV I said to myself one day I’m going to
sing with him. Then one day one of the producers of the show said ... Can
you come over and do some backing vocals for this Idol guy?
... and I was so
excited. After that I got to do some small guest parts on his second
album I think it was. Some years later, when I was doing some of my live
shows, we had the same booking agency and they really wanted us to do
some things together, so we did and they’ve been great. I’m trying
to get him to sing things that are a bit more rockier, like 'The Final
Countdown' and he’s more down to earth. We've done a lot of things
together and it's been great.
MM
- Are you looking to continue with
the guys you worked with on the first album and have you thought about a
second album yet?
Issa
- Yes, I’m thinking about the second album.
I’ve started working on the material now. I’ve learned a lot from
the first album. We have a great team, all the guys are great to work
with so I think I’m going to stick with that. I’m going to
contribute more material to the second album, but keep the core of the guys that worked on
the first album. I think that’s important; they are great guys.
MM
- Are you looking to take this on the road with Peter and
Nobby and the rest of the band?
Issa - We were talking about maybe a release show, Uli
has been like a mentor to me, but he’s injured right now and he won't
be back playing till around November now. Peter Huss he’s definitely
in, he’s really excited, he’s been practicing the songs already, and
Nobby has his band, so we will have to wait to find out his schedule.
We will have
to wait and see how things turn out.
We
are working on a schedule right now, we have some people working on
things in Europe and the UK, I’m just waiting for confirmation of that.
I’m a live artist and I want to take this band on the road.
MM
- The album itself has some great
tracks, if you take something like 'River of Love' I’ve compared it to
the Wilson sisters of Heart.
Issa
- Thank you, that song was actually written by the
guys I’m working with now. It’s a great song. I love
Heart. People hear things in different ways, some people hear one thing and some
hear something else, but I take the Heart similarity as a huge
complement.
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MM
- So how long did the album take to put together from the
initial inception to the finished product?
Issa - Oh I would say from the beginning to the end
about a year. I guess we started around August last year and we did
all the vocals in January, so I would say about a year.
MM
- The album and yourself have come
as a bit of surprise to many. You're seen as an unknown quantity in the whole
Melodic Rock scene but the impact the album has made has surprised a few
of the cynics in the scene itself.
Issa
- I guess in some ways it's because I’m a girl. I
think that’s what this scene needs more of really, just because of the
way I look with my blonde hair and pop star looks, why shouldn’t I play
rock n' roll? People are very judging because of the way you look, they
think because you look a certain way you should be doing something
different and more pop. just want to do what I want to do and I just
follow my heart.
MM
- So when you were approached by Frontiers to do the
album, did they want it to sound a certain way or were you given a free
reign to make the album your way?
Issa
- I guess they had their views, but I had great
cooperation with Frontiers on picking the songs and they never came back
and said they didn’t like certain songs, or to say ... you shouldn’t do
this or you should do that ... which was pretty cool.
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MM
- So have you set yourself a plan
of how you want your career to progress over the next couple of years?
Issa - You know, I want to focus on the next album.
Music has always been a part of me, I definitely want to go on tour and
try to build myself a career and not be a one record artist. I love
music anyway and I couldn’t quit it. I know a lot of bands, a lot of
Metal and Rock bands, and there are a lot that are very serious about
the whole thing and are at times very dramatic. I don’t believe in
that, I think it's important to have fun with music and that’s what I
want to show the most. I don’t care if I get the biggest dressing room
backstage and all of that, have fun, as long as you can any enjoy the
moment, that’s my philosophy.
MM
- So you've hinted at touring, what do you do when you're on
tour? Is it covers, original material or a mix of both?
Issa
- When I go on tour now it will be with the new
album, but the things I have done before I’ve done guest spots with
Illusion Suite. I’ve been doing concerts as support where I have done
a mixture of covers and my own stuff. But I’m hoping now the album is out that I
will be doing that and maybe some new songs as well. That's the cool thing
about playing live.
MM
- I think you’re the kind of
artist this scene needs, someone with a kick-ass attitude who want to put
on a rock show.
Issa
- OH thank you! I hope so.
MM
- I like a little bit of kick-ass, a
little bit of stage presence.
Issa
- Yes, I want to do the things that the guys do.
MM
- Well thank you Issa, it's been a pleasure talking to
you
and I would love to hear the album played live, it deserves a live
arena.
Issa - We're probably going to do a lot of things in
England, because I’m working with a lot of people over there at the
moment. I'm going to put everything on my website www.myspace.com/isabelloversveen and
I’m gonna post everything on there, including tour dates, so if you have
the chance to see me, email me and I’ll put you on the guest list and
come up an say hi!
MM
- Thank you. If you come over this
way I’ll make sure to get to see you and the band somehow. Issa
- I’ll get you a VIP pass
MM
- I’ll hold you to that mind you! (laughs)
So have you any final words and anything you’d like to add?
Issa
- I’d just like to say thank you for taking the time
out to talk to me and also I would like everyone to buy the album, and I
hope to see you all very soon.
We'd
like to thank the lovely Isabell for taking the time out to chat with us
this evening and wish her and the band every success with the new album
and their forthcoming tour plans. If you're a fan of good melodic
music then check this band out, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
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