JAKE ISAAC is at the forefront of a British soul renaissance.
Fusing a soul voice and sensibility with the craftsmanship of classic songwriting, he expresses through his art the vulnerabilities that men rarely feel comfortable discussing.
A proud south Londoner, Isaac’s father is Rev Les Isaac OBE, the founder of the community charity initiative Street Pastors. Isaac started drumming in his father’s church in Crystal Palace at the seemingly impossibly young age of three.
Inspired by Paul Simon’s Graceland album, Isaac’s talents continued to develop and he completed his grade eight drum exam by his mid-teens while also teaching himself bass, keys and guitar as well as songwriting.
No newcomer to the heady heights of the music industry, his artistry has connected with fans (150 million-plus streams to date) and iconic artists such as Sir Elton John and Sting.
Explaining why he dropped the single Start Again last month in the lead up to his new 2023 album, When It Hurts, he told the Voice: “I grew up in Crystal Palace, south London, and I think growing up there was the evolution of garage music, the legacy of reggae music, those types of genres always around.
“Somewhere in my journey though, being British, whether we like it or not you’re not going to get away from elements of rock and roll or indie music. I think sonically Start Again was an ode to that part of my life.
“It’s what you would hear on the radio or what some of my mates at school would listen to. Lyrically, I kind of talk about a man’s inadequacies, a man’s lack of ability to communicate the need for forgiveness or communicate that we got it wrong in a relationship.
“That’s where the song came from fundamentally, just my expression of wanting the chance to start again in a relationship with my other half and what that looks like for not just me, but men that struggle to communicate those sensitive topics.”
By the age of 19, Isaac was working as a session musician and a songwriter, while also holding down a job as a marketing manager, all valuable experiences for a life in music.
One simple truth stood out to him; making a connection with listeners is of far greater importance than the opinions of the industry around him.
And as he embarked upon a solo career, that’s precisely what he did, with landmark moments including a set at Glastonbury’s Other Stage as well as the release of his 2021 album Honesty.
“I always see it as a privilege to release music let alone have people that listen to my music,” Isaac enthused.
“I’ve been doing this music journey for a while now and over the years there have been some great highlights.Playing Galstonbury, touring the US, Europe and the UK, being signed to Sir Elton John, all of that was great but as I release a third album, I feel like a massive sense of gratitude.
“I made the album from my little space at home and collaborated remotely with some other musician. I had some great friends come and join me on the album and it’s just a real privilege really.”
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