Isabella Eliza Victoria Cross is an English musician. Her three features, on Wilkinson's "Used to This", Luude's "Oh My" featuring Moby, and Nathan Dawe & Bru-C's "Oh Baby" featuring bshp, charted on the UK Singles Chart at numbers 33, 98 and 35 respectively, and her solo single, "Bittersweet Goodbye", charted at No. 19. She is a member of Loud LDN.

Issey Cross
Birth nameIsabella Eliza Victoria Cross
Also known asIssey Cross
Born2000 (age 23–24)
Kent, England
GenresPop, rock, pop-rock
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2021–present
Member ofLoud LDN

Life and career

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Early life

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Isabella Eliza Victoria Cross[1] was born in Kent[2] to two hairdressers, and started making music after being gifted a guitar for her thirteenth birthday. As a teenager, she would perform gigs in local pubs around Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells under the name Issey C;[3] her first gig was in the pub opposite her father's salon.[2] She told 'cene Magazine in June 2021 that she was under eighteen at the time, that both her and her father would lie about her age so that pubs would allow her to perform, and that she would wear "wear loads of make-up so that it made [her] look older". After her GCSEs,[3] she moved to Tottenham on her own[4] to attend music college; in her first year, she took a music performance course, and in her second, she transferred to a music production course.[3]

Solo releases

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Her debut single, "Who", was released on 15 January 2021,[5] and was written after the song's co-writer and producer told Cross about the experience of being cheated on.[4] A second single, "Boys Make Promises", was released on 26 February 2021,[6] and was written about men who make her promises and then disappear.[7] Both tracks appeared on her extended play Mirrors Don't Lie, which was released on 26 March 2021,[8] which had been delayed by COVID-19; she told Popsugar in March 2021 that she "wrote most of [its] songs nearly two years ago".[9]

On 2 April 2021, she released Hot 'N Cold, a cover version of the Katy Perry song. On 24 June 2021, she released "M40 (Love Me Now)",[10] an ode to the extended periods of time she spent driving on the M40 motorway owing to her being in a long-distance relationship.[11] On 13 August 2021, she released "Tired Of Everybody",[12] a song about post-lockdown social anxiety.[13]

Collaborations

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On 19 November 2021, she featured on Wilkinson's Used to This,[14] which charted at number 33 on the UK Singles Chart.[15] On 6 April 2022, she released "Downers" with Jalle.[16] The pair wrote the song in lockdown over Zoom, with it discussing their insecurities and what they would change about themselves.[17] On 12 January 2023, she and Luude released Oh My,[18] which charted at number 98 on the UK Singles Chart.[15] On 3 February 2023, she and bshp featured on Nathan Dawe and Bru-C's "Oh Baby",[19] which charted at #35 on the UK Singles Chart,[15] and on 24 March 2023, she, Hybrid Minds, and Fred V released "Breathe Out". On 30 June 2023, she released "Bittersweet Goodbye",[20] which was produced by Luude, and samples his remix of "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve.[21] The track was intended as a Luude release, but scheduling conflicts meant he could not release it, so Cross took it for herself.[22] The song was promoted with a music video, filmed at a Homebass rave,[23] and charted at No. 19 on the UK Singles Chart.[15]

On 23 February 2024, Cross released "Sleepwalking", a single with British rapper Songer, and produced by Shapes & Sudley.[24]

Artistry

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Her main inspirations are Lorde and Taylor Swift.[3] She is a member of Loud LDN, a collective of female musicians based in London and its suburbs, alongside Piri, Venbee, Charlotte Plank, and Willow Kayne.[25]

Discography

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Extended plays

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Title Details
Mirrors Don't Lie

Singles

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As lead artist

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List of singles as a lead artist, with selected chart positions, certifications, and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
[15]
UK
Dance

[15]
IRE
[26]
"M40 (Love Me Now)"[10] 2021 Non-album singles
"Tired of Everybody"[12]
"Used to This"
(with Wilkinson)[14]
2022 33 11 Cognition
"Oh My"
(with Luude featuring Moby)[18]
2023 98 26 Non-album singles
"Breathe Out"
(with Hybrid Minds and Fred V)[28]
"Bittersweet Goodbye" 19 11 50 TBA
"Sleepwalking"
(featuring Songer)[29]
2024
"Energy in My Town"[30]
"6 Feet Under"
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
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List of singles as a featured artist, with selected chart positions, certifications, and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
[15]
"Downers"
(Jalle featuring Issey Cross)[16]
2022 Non-album single
"Oh Baby"
(Nathan Dawe and Bru-C featuring bshp and Issey Cross)[19]
2023 35 If Heaven Had a Phone Line
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

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  1. ^ "OH BABY (FEAT. BSHP & ISSEY CROSS)". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Issey Cross Introduces Us To Her Eclectic New Sound". Notion Magazine. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d "Issey Cross - Cross Examination". 'cene Magazine. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Issey Cross debuts heartbreak anthem "Who"". Wonderland Magazine. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Who - song and lyrics by Issey Cross". Spotify. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Boys Make Promises - song and lyrics by Issey Cross". Spotify. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Issey Cross Returns With Potent Pop Weapon 'Boys Make Promises'". Clash Music. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Mirrors Don't Lie - EP by Issey Cross". Apple Music. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Issey Cross's First EP, Mirrors Don't Lie, Has Been 2 Years in the Making". Popsugar. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  10. ^ a b "M40 (Love Me Now) - Single by Issey Cross". Apple Music. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Issey Cross – M40 (Love Me Now)". Alfitude.com. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Tired Of Everybody - Single by Issey Cross". Apple Music. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Issey Cross - Tired Of Everybody". Best In New Music. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Used to This - Single by Wilkinson & Issey Cross". Apple Music. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g "ISSEY CROSS | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Downers (feat. Issey Cross) - Single by Jalle". Apple Music. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Jalle and Issey Cross release new single "Downers"". TotalNtertainment. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Oh My - Single by Luude & Issey Cross". Apple Music. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Oh Baby (feat. bshp & Issey Cross) - Single by Nathan Dawe, Bru-C". Apple Music. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  20. ^ Bittersweet Goodbye - Single by Issey Cross on Apple Music, 30 June 2023, retrieved 27 February 2024
  21. ^ "Bittersweet Goodbye". Recordoftheday.com. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  22. ^ "Issey Cross talks solo breakthrough and sampling The Verve on Bittersweet Goodbye". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  23. ^ Music. "Issey Cross | 5 Minutes With". noctismag.com. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  24. ^ Murray, Robin (26 February 2024). "Issey Cross Grabs Songer For New Single 'Sleepwalking'". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  25. ^ "BBC Music Introducing Kent, Live session: In Waves, LOUD LDN spotlight mix". BBC Music. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  26. ^ "Discography Issey Cross". irish-charts.com. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  27. ^ a b c "British certifications – issey cross". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 9 February 2024. Type issey cross in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  28. ^ "Breathe Out - Single by Issey Cross, Hybrid Minds, Fred V". Apple Music. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  29. ^ "Sleepwalking (feat. Songer) - Single by Issey Cross". Apple Music. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  30. ^ "This Week's Best New Music: Air Max '97, DOBBY, merci, mercy & More". Purple Sneakers. 26 April 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.