Isabella Manfredi has announced her debut solo album izzi will be released Friday, September 2. Performing under her own name, today Manfredi has also released second single Naive, featuring rising Nigerian-born-Australian-based singer-songwriter rapper Pricie.
izzi is the culmination of a period of introspection and upheaval. Making the split to go solo after two albums with The Preatures, and stepping into her own as a mother, wife and artist, izzi represents a kind of (re)birth for Manfredi, with all the love, trepidation, guts, and eventual catharsis such an evolution entails.
“This album has been unique in that it felt like an exploration and development of a new artist and also the culmination of a decade’s vision,” she said. “It is like a beginning and an ending in that sense. That’s why I called it izzi. izzi was the chrome-wheel-spinning character onstage when I was with The Preatures. I wanted to capture her essence but also create space for my true adult self to have longevity and move beyond her if I needed to. I am izzi but she is not me.”
The second single Naive, is about the beginning of things, the sweet miracle, before the bone-dry reality of the log hits you. A sparkly little fairytale inspired by Manfredi falling in love again and wanting to live a rich life as a mother and wife, as well as an artist. Accompanying the single, is the official video directed by Rowena Rasmussen who latched on to the idea of how these two seemingly separate worlds of her life – motherhood and being a rockstar – intersect and overlap with each other.
Working with other women was a big part of how the record evolved. The initial co-writes with Emma Louise led to an enduring friendship as well as the songs Sleepwalking, Seasons Change, and Only Child. Lucy Taylor (Dua Lipa) co-wrote Living in the Wind, and plays flute on the record too!
Isabella Manfredi formed a band to cut the singles Jealousy, One Hit Wonder and Naive in Sydney, with producer Chris Collins. Enlisting an all-star line-up of musicians that included Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint) on drums, Mikey di Francesco (Touch Sensitive) on bass, and Kirin J Callinan on guitar made for a true local rhythm machine. And at the 11th hour, Naive was elevated by the contribution of Pricie’s verse, which you can check out below.
Isabella Manfredi’s new single, Naive, featuring Pricie is out now. Isabella Manfredi’s debut solo album izzi is out Friday, September 2, 2022.
