Awards

2025 BBC Introducing One to Watch

2024 North East Culture Awards Newcomer of the Year

2024 Alan Hull Award

2023 Northern Writers Award

2022 UK Songwriting Contest Finalist2021 UK Songwriting Contest Finalist

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About

Pen in hand, ribbon in hair, 18 year old singer songwriter Isabel Maria has been shattering expectations since 2021. Having recently won a North East Culture Award - to join the Alan Hull and Northern Writers Awards sitting proudly on her bookshelf - Isabel’s alternative pop dialogues of mental health, human relationships, and self deprecation have earned her international praise from the likes of BBC Radio 1 and Rolling Stone Español.Based in Sunderland, UK - a recently coined ‘music city’ - Isabel’s career had humble beginnings with secret songs written on her grandad’s old Casio. After generous support from the city’s Young Musicians Project, those songs hit the ears of the public, earning Isabel hundreds of thousands of collective streams and a frequent run of shows across the nation and beyond.For fans of Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Gracie Abrams, Isabel’s music is a true showcase of her emotional vulnerability and biting wit. Having just been named a BBC Introducing One to Watch for 2025, it’s a good idea to keep all eyes on Isabel Maria.

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AddictedWith a catchy pop sound akin to Olivia Rodrigo, Lorde or Taylor Swift, Isabel Maria’s new song breezes in jauntily. It’s a stealthy move providing a bright, fresh sound alongside the lyrics focussing on the naivety and ultimate toxicity of a one-sided relationship. The songwriting, aided by production from South Shields’ Harbourmaster, is succinct and Isabel Maria’s voice sparkles as she narrates her cautionary tale.MATT YOUNG ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD, 2023

Holy Smokes!With four striking minutes exploration of emotion, this is just the beginning, shifting from here forward with new additions to the sound and more personal lyrics than before. If you’re searching for a new favourite alike the greats Olivia Rodrigo, Joni Mitchell and Phoebe Bridgers, Isabel Maria will slot perfectly into your playlist of catchy but resonant music with a purpose. Look no further than ‘Holy Smokes!’ for yourself here to really understand the depth it holds.Tatiana Whybrow , Existential Magazine

T ShirtWith “T-Shirt,” Isabel Maria invites listeners into the intimate chambers of her heart. It’s a testament to the power of music to heal, to connect, and to uplift—even in the darkest of moments. So, let yourself be swept away by the stirring beauty of this exquisite ballad, as Isabel pours her soul into every note, reminding us that amidst life’s storms, there’s always a melody waiting to be heard.Desert Island Cloud