Interview: ise
“ise” (pronounced as “ice”) is an R&B singer-songwriter based in LA. Marking her debut single “your loss, baby” under her former artist name, Denise Rosete, ise took on the challenge to pursue a career in the American music industry hoping to inspire other Asian Americans in the creative space. Since then, she has pulled inspiration from artists such as Ariana Grande, Kehlani, and many more, and released multiple singles including “feelin’ blessed” and her latest single, “Can You.” To this day, she hopes to release more music and reach numerous others who love her sound.
Preview ise’s music!
What led to you becoming an artist?
I’ve always loved singing since I was a little girl and I’d even hold small concerts for my relatives while I sang the latest ballad from the TV shows we watched lol! The first time I realized I wanted to become an artist was when I saw this Filipino celebrity, Sarah Geronimo, on TV as a 4-year-old and was just in awe with everything about her. Since then, I have started singing almost every day. My mom noticed this and enrolled me in singing lessons when I was 9!
What inspires your music?
Like other artists, my experiences and my friends’ experiences inspire my music the most. When it comes to writing a song, I think the emotional connection a listener feels while listening to my music is really important.
Who are some of your influences?
Ariana Grande, Kehlani, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, and Beyoncé to name a few!
What are some of your favorite memories from your career?
It’s definitely been around the time I rebranded myself from “Denise Rosete” to “ise.” To make my rebranding successful, I planned and creatively directed my own video and photoshoots with a new song that aligned with my brand perfectly. I reached out to friends for this and to me, it was just a fun time because we were all just doing the things we love and it was like my first little team.
What have been some of the greatest challenges of your career?
One of the greatest challenges I’ve faced during my career is definitely finding the “right” path to pursue my music career. I auditioned for many shows, competitions, etc. since I was 9, but it never really seemed to work out for me. When the opportunity to make my own song popped up, I realized that I should just pave my own path rather than relying on others to pave it for me.
Which of your songs/eps or albums is your favorite? Why is it your favorite?
My favorite so far is “F U.” With every song I put out, I try to improve on my tone and songwriting, but with “F U” I think it showed a lot through its catchy tune. It’s also the first song that landed on Spotify-curated playlists and the one that’s gotten a lot of feedback from others. I realized, “Oh wow, people actually like my music!”
Who are some of the collaborators who helped you create your favorite work?
I owe it a lot to my producer friend, Anton, (@actually_anton) because he’s the one that pretty much introduced and allowed me to dip my feet in the songwriting/self-producing music path. He gives me a lot of tips that allow me to get better and better by the day!
What are you most excited to bring to your fans in the next year?
Hopefully an EP, more singles, and more live performances! I’m just working hard toward bringing in more content for them.
What are your goals for this upcoming year?
My short-term goals include releasing more songs for my fans to listen to and building my fanbase to at least 5K on Instagram and Tiktok, collectively! Small successes are important! :)
How can your fans best support you right now?
All the support means everything— sharing and playlisting is the most important to me right now since I still feel as if I have so much more to share regarding my talent! Thank you for all the support thus far <3
ise’s Links: