Professional vocalist, singing teacher & conservatoire graduate based in London, offering singing lessons to all age groups in jazz, pop and musical theatre.

Find out more about Issey

• When did you first develop a passion for music and your favourite instrument?

  I’ve been passionate about singing and music for as long as I can remember as I grew up surrounded by it. My mum taught singing from the house when I was growing up and I would copy things that I was hearing. This led to me getting involved in music at school, teaching myself piano/guitar parts to accompany my singing and later studying pop music at college and then jazz at university.

• Is there a particular type of music or artist that you listen to on a loop without it driving you crazy?

  I enjoy so many types of music! I especially love jazz, soul and singer-songwriter/folk. Some artists that I could listen to on a loop are Ella Fitzgerald, Amy Winehouse, Laura Marling, The Breath or Paolo Nutini.

• Explain to us the most difficult or riveting course you could personally give to a student of music.

  I think it’s most useful and enjoyable for singers to work on building confidence in both the technical and creative areas of singing, as at the heart of what we do is trying to find ways to express emotions and tell stories through music - without technical barriers holding us back.

• What do you think is the most complicated instrument to master, and why?

  I think all instruments, including voice, require a huge amount of effort, patience and dedication in order to reach “mastery”. I like to think of singing as a life-long craft as there will always be areas that we can develop.
  
  I also think it’s really important to appreciate where we are at in our musical journey when learning so we don’t become overwhelmed or get caught up in a negative mindset about our singing/playing. We should appreciate all of the things that we can do and the skills and knowledge that we already have, despite the fact that there is always room to grow.

• What are your keys to success?

  Practice, patience, passion and positivity!

• Name three musicians you dream of meeting in your favourite bar in the early hours of the morning. Explain why.

  I think it would be wonderful to meet Samara Joy, Stevie Wonder or Raye - they each have incredible individual artistry and have paved careers that I admire through creativity and dedication to their craft. Each of them have released songs that seem so “timeless” and authentic. It would be truly inspiring to hear about their journey, navigating the industry and their approaches to writing songs.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to music or your days at music school.

  Studying jazz at university was a hugely eye-opening experience for me. I learnt a great deal about opening up creatively as a singer - steering away from learning songs and working to sing them in the same polished or ’perfected’ way every time.
  
  Instead, I learnt about improvising, making songs my own by changing things like the phrasing, the notes and the dynamic choices within a song and generally being open to more “fluidity” when singing - not needing things to be as planned or rigidly set in place.

• What are the little touches that make you a Superprof in music?

  I am encouraging, empathetic and knowledgeable as a teacher. I work hard to create a comfortable space for each of my students through patience and positivity, and understand that singing can feel extremely vulnerable no matter what stage we are at in our singing journey. With our instrument being a part of our body, it is truly so personal to us and vital that we feel mentally and physically empowered to sing. As a teacher, I am always working to continue studying and growing in my craft.