In Conversation with Isabel Dumaa: Navigating young adulthood and reflection.

We sat down with rising star Isabel Dumaa to chat about her brand new EP and much more. She's developed a passionate social media following, racking up millions of likes on her acoustic covers - one of which has accumulated over 11.8 million views across platforms. Izzy's debut EP finds her working with acclaimed producers including Tyler Chester, Brandon Shoop (Role Model) Jed Jones (Post Malone), Oscar Neidhardt (Kacey Musgraves), to name a few, with mixing and mastering from James Krause (Beyonce).

Manny:

How did it feel when ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ was getting so much love?

Isabel:

Proud and overwhelmed! When I finished Quarter Life Crisis, I just had a gut feeling that it would be an important song. I was so proud of it and excited to release it into the world – but you really never know until it’s out in the world! So, it brought me so much joy to see it resonating with others.

Manny:

What were you feeling the exact moment this project was officially released into the world?

Isabel:

A weird sense of relief. It is such a strange and particular experience to release music into the world. Because for months and sometimes even years, the song or songs have been so present in my life. Even after the recording process, you’re listening to them over and over again throughout mixing and mastering, and then even more after the fact. So it’s funny because there is all this build up for everyone else for this intangible product, that is already so real in my life. And so the second the clock strikes midnight (or 9pm if you are like me on the West Coast) there is this sense of relief and also almost confusion, because for months there has been so much time and energy building to it, and then once it’s out, the world keeps on turning just the same. But I’m also so proud and grateful to have it out in the world. I’m so happy with how it came out and I’m so appreciative of all my collaborators that helped me get the project to this point. The overall reception so far has been great and I’m so thankful for all my fans who are listening and supporting me – I cannot wait to get out on the road and play it for everyone!

Manny:

What do you feel like this EP represents?

Isabel:

I think self-reflection and personal development are the two biggest themes of the EP. It is just a very honest retelling and reflecting on my life over the past few years, as well as my relationship with myself. I feel it really represents young adulthood and acknowledging the difficult situations, while getting through them.

Manny:

Do you have a personal favourite from this record?

Isabel:

Quarter Life Crisis will always have a special place in my heart, but I love Everything At Once. That was an idea I had for awhile and I’m so happy David, Liv, and I were able to bring it to life. We finally did it and I couldn’t be happier with how it came out.

Manny:

When/Where is the perfect time and place to listen to this all the way through?

Isabel:

While writing it, I always pictured myself on the highway, with the windows down. As a California girl, I always picture the coast, but I think anywhere you can just let the music and lyrics overwhelm you is perfect. I definitely see it as more of a personal experience than a party record of sorts haha.

Manny:

What fictional character do you feel would resonate with these songs? From maybe a favourite movie/TV show?

Isabel:

Haha great questions. My mind goes to Gilmore Girls, but I feel as though different songs off the project relate to different characters. C’est La Vie is for sure for Rory Gilmore, but then a song like Enough For You I feel like I would dedicate to Lindsey, and then Different for Lorelei! The Gilmore Girls is such a comfort show for me. I always love to just have it on in the background.

Manny:

A personal favourite is ‘Everything At Once’. How did that one come about?

Isabel:

Yay – its mine too! ‘Everything At Once’, as I mentioned earlier, was a compositional idea I had for a while. A few years back I was making the drive from SF to LA and really just having a moment, and then someone cut me off on the freeway and I just lost it. I took a voice memo at the time highlighting that feeling of everything bubbling up and then the final drop in the bucket that opens the floodgates, and had been wanting to find a way to translate that into a song for a while. I loved the idea of a slow song building and building until a breaking point and then the stark change in vibe for the ending! There’s a word painting element – where the lyrics of the song match or explain the music – in the last chorus when I sing “..everything at once” and all the music comes in at once. I thought that was really cool and I’m so happy that came to life!

Manny:

What is Isabel Dumaa’s current go to coffee order? And what’s the perfect morning coffee song?

Isabel:

Recently, I’ve been loving an unsweetened iced matcha (with a splash of lavender syrup if available)! And currently I’ve been relistening to Bewitched by Laufey, so my current perfect morning coffee song is Lovesick off that album.