ILSELENA

Wake up babe, new ilselena just dropped

Tell us a little bit about what the new track means to you?

I think ‘sweet like honey’ makes me feel relaxed and at ease. It’s all about that warm and exciting feeling when a relationship blossoms through the summertime. Painting a tropical atmosphere from the funky production. 

How was the process of making the song?

This song came naturally to me. I wanted to paint a free and relaxed ambience when writing this song. My lyricism paints that summery feel and vibe. 

How has your music developed as you’ve gotten older; how do you think you’ve grown since your first coming of age track, ‘Seventeen’?

I’ve loved seeing my tracks grow and change throughout the years. As much as I love a ballad or singer-songwriter song, I think recently I have leaned towards a feel good track with more going on production-wise. Especially with my two recent singles - ‘he’s so loveable’ and ‘sweet like honey’. ‘Seventeen’ will always mean a lot to me and it will always be one of my favourites, but I do love trying out different styles when it comes to writing music. 

Who would be your dream collaboration?

D’Angelo is the coolest!! 

Has music and writing always been a passion of yours?

Absolutely. I have always sung and performed from a young age. But when I featured on my brother’s (Youngr) album Memories, that’s when I knew I wanted to have a career in music. 

“I wanted to paint a free & relaxed ambience when writing this song. My lyricism paints that summery feel and vibe.”

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

My dad. He’s a musician - Kid Creole and the Coconuts. So I always go to him for advice and look at all his success he’s had from the 80’s to now! 

Recently the subject of your writing has been your partner [Musician Ari Morgan]. What does music mean to you in the context of your relationship?

I love writing about my current relationship, and writing comes especially naturally to me when I’m writing about my partner. ‘Sugar Pink Moon’ definitely reminds me of him the most. I absolutely love performing this track from my EP. 

Would you ever work on a song with Ari?

Absolutely! My boyfriend produces music and does an amazing job with everything he’s worked on so far. We’ve always spoken about doing a project together! 

How does being in a family of musicians affect your music?

It affects my music in all the best ways possible. I am so lucky to have grown up surrounded by so many musicians in my family. I think this is what pushed me to pursue music and performing because they always kept me inspired when growing up. 

What’s dream venue/festival to perform in?

Glastonbury would be insane! And I’d love to perform at Carnegie Hall Hall in New York City. My dad performed there back in 1985 with his idol Cab Calloway!

Photography Oliver Bell