Carrying It Into Song

I’m issi, a Melbourne born singer-songwriter and Master’s research candidate with Greek and Italian roots. I’m the first artist signed to Clarice Records, the label founded by the iconic and legendary Rick Price and we’ve been creating and performing together across Australia and internationally.

I write and perform music that’s honest, emotional and story-driven.

Working with Rick has shaped me immensely as both a writer and a performer and this April I’ll be joining him on tour across Asia, bringing our music to new audiences and new corners of the world.

But when I’m not issi on stage, I’m Isabella Ciccone. I’m a Master’s student researching cancer detection using custom artificial intelligence, deep learning and computer vision, particularly across colorectal and breast cancer. I also work in the legal and compliance space within technology. I’ve always proudly considered myself a nerd. My heart belongs equally to music and to research, to creativity and to science.

My heritage is a mix of Greek and Italian and even though I was born in Australia, those roots have always been present in my life. Both cultures are built around family, food, music and storytelling, so creativity, conversation and connection have always felt natural to me. I grew up surrounded by big personalities, loud kitchens, constant dancing and strong traditions and that warmth and emotion naturally finds its way into my music. It reminds me that who I am today is part of a much bigger story that started long before me.

Culture, to me, is about connection. Connection to family, to history and to the values you carry with you. I keep it alive through small everyday things: family recipes, listening to the music my grandparents and parents loved, spending time with family and friends and staying close to my traditions.

In my own way, I also carry it into my art. Music is a universal language and I believe that the passion, drama and heart of my heritage live inside every song I write and every performance I give. I’m carrying the love, experiences, heartache and stories of my ancestors across the sea. I channel their lives through my songs and my greatest wish is that anyone who comes across my art feels seen, heard and appreciated. I know I have done my job as an artist if someone becomes inspired, reassured, comforted or vulnerable because of my music.

Con Amore,
Isabella Ciccone