With Spotify streams already in the millions, it’s no wonder 21-year-old Izzy Bizu is in the line-up for the 2016 BRITs Critics’ Choice Award.

The South Londoner is said to be one of the most exciting breakthrough artists of 2015 and is currently rounding up her UK tour with the Grammy award winning Foxes.

We listened to her new single ‘White Tiger’, between that and the fact that she’s a skate board pro…Girl is SERIOUSLY DOPE!

Let’s talk Izzy…

 

After listening to your single, I guess the big question is who is your White Tiger?
Hehe that is about someone I used to love, someone I grew up with and learnt how to be free spirited with!

We love the EP title “Coolbeanz”, how did you come up with the name?
There’s not much to it really, it’s just something that I used to say!

You and Foxes look like best buds in the primary school playground! What has it been like touring with both her and Rudimental?
Haha she’s cute, and is a lot of fun live (*smiley face*)and wow Rudimental’s energy is insane – such a lovely group as people too x

From this experience, what is one thing you have learnt about Foxes you didn’t know before?
That she’s English I thought she was American lol.

Can we expect any future collaboration from the pair of you and who else do you have in mind to work with?
We shall see what happens! She has a dope voice so I would like to write for her one day. I would love to work with Tiggs Da Author, Kiko Bun (I’m a new fan) after hearing him at Rudimental – wow both the singer and the band are in such a good vibe!

Your journey started with performing at open mic nights. How have you developed yourself as artist for the big stage?
Oh I loved those days and I still love going to jams now, well I guess I stumbled my way into it bit by bit. Festivals have prepared me for it the most.

A lot of your sound is credited to your rich cultural background of Ethopian and English heritage. How important is it to embrace where you come from, especially when combining two different backgrounds?
It’s so important man, I guess I love nature so much because I was surrounded by it when I used to visit Ethiopia, there’s one place there that looks like the garden of Eden, makes me feel at peace and I love the English straight up vibe to. I would say the night life in London defo inspired me and the strange and wonderful people I met in bars where we would have deep, meaningful and sometimes pointless conversations that we forget by the morning somehow made me feel a part of a great community.

“ I love nature so much because I was surrounded by it when I used to visit Ethiopia, there’s one place there that looks like the garden of Eden, makes me feel at peace…”

You also like to skate-board, how much are you into other sports?
I love it! Ooh I get called a lad because I love a bit of footie and darts which involves pizza and beer with the band, who are in fact some of my closest friends. I absolutely adore table tennis I will rip my shoes and earrings off to get serious haha!

You describe yourself as jazz fusion, who are your influences on the jazz music scene?
Ahh more soul but I love jazz and sometimes it wonders in and out of my music.

As you round up your UK tour, what’s next for you?
Well I guess the next single will be out which I am so excited for and hopefully more festivals man it’s a jammm!

What advice can you give to a Skool Girl?
Forget the gossip and dance through it, life’s not that serious (*smiley face*)

The winner of the Brits Critics’ Choice Award will be announced on Friday 27 November and will receive a prize at the Brit Awards next February.

All the best Izzy! x