Wed, Jan. 10 2007



Today's "Indie International" is with female French Pop Star artist Etissem Isa; from the streets of France burning the streets with her hot new single "Et_si_c_etait." Etissem’s style is opening doors in Europe and now taking her style across the Atlantic.

JK: Etissem .... first thank you for giving us the "IndieStreet" fans an opportunity to interview you. My first question to you: What have you been up to lately?

Etissem: I am working on my new album for France. We are about to finish it and I m very impatient to see the result!

JK: With the Compilation CD coming up. What are your thoughts and feeling about the project?

Etissem: I think it's something really new for me. I had sung sometimes in english but it's a challenge for me to make a song in english. The music business in France is completely different from in the US. We do not speak in the same
word about the hip hop culture. Rnb and rap, sounds more like pop music. So I just hope that you will really enjoy my track...

JK: If your song was to go to another level, what will be your next step?

Etissem: Maybe to do an album in english. My producer and I was thinking about this some times ago. It's a little bit hard to export French rnb even in Europe. So it's one of my dream to make an album in english.

JK: Who influence you to become the artist you are today?

Etissem: I am the first fan of Whitney Houston. From the beginning to the end...! Her music is always with me. But I am very open minded and I like all style of music. I think we have to listen to the music of all culture. It makes us grow up and learn about one another.

JK: Where did you grow up?

Etissem: First in Paris and than in a smaller town in France. But I am half Lebanese and half from Vietnam.

JK: What kind of music inspired you?

Etissem: Every kind of music. But I used to listen older school sounds. Some music producer inspire me more than other and one of my favorites are Timbaland and also Babyface. Slow and mid tempo songs are what a like the best.

JK: What were the BIGGEST and most exciting show you’ve ever done?

Etissem: It was a show for one of the biggest radio in France with many other great artist. A lot of people comes to see us, and to sing for so many people was a wonderful experience. I hope to do the same this year!

JK: Ok…. my next question: who are you sign with?

Etissem: I am signed with a small label. My producer is from Switzerland but they work for the French and European music business. They are very open minded and usually they let me do what I m feeling.

JK: Would you sign with an independent company if the deal was right?

Etissem: Yes, of course. I think that a lot of times independent companies develop much better your project and album than majors. They used to care more about you because you are not one amongst a hundred of singers. So if they sign you it's that they really believe in your successful.

JK: When is the next SHOW?

Etissem: I hope before this summer. It takes me a lot of time to finish this album and I really want to go out of the studio to make people hear my new songs. I think its the best to estimate the work we did! And one of my wish is to make people dream on my music so i do not want to keep it for me...

JK: Are you excited?

Etissem: Always! And excited is really the good word. Some artists have fear before their show, but I never think that. One of my music producers feel more insecure before my shows than I. It makes me always laugh to see him like this.

JK: What were some of the challenges you came across when coming up in the music world?

Etissem: I will be really honest, I think it was to prove people that you can be beautiful and not doing music only to be famous, but just because it's one of the best way to express my feelings and like I said before to make people dream.

JK: If you had to do it all over again would you take the same route?

Etissem: Yes! I do some good and some bad things but it gives me a lot of experience and i do not regret anything. I think a have a lot of chance in my life and I am a very lucky person so I try to share this with my music and gives people what I can.

JK: Etissem what advice do you have for upcoming, struggling artists/producers trying to be the next SMOKING thing on the streets?

Etissem: Be careful! Music it's a beautiful world on cd but on backstage it can be different. Otherwise I will tell them: Believe in your dream and do what you feel!

JK: Being Etissem….. Where do you see yourself in the next few years?
Etissem: On stage and absolutely not at home...

JK: All right.... Where can your fans pick up a Etissem Isa CD?

Etissem: I just released songs on some compilation or some featuring. They have to wait some month. I think in may they can find my cd in France.

JK: Etissem before I let you go, is there anything you would like to say?

Etissem: Just Thank you!

JK: This is another "IndieStreet" debut with hot Pop Star French artist Etissem Isa. Now tell your friends and their friends to spread the word. PEACE from yours truly Jason Knight keeping it real. To read more of my interviews and to to learn more about my "R.U.M ON DA STREETZ" project, visit me at http://www.jasonknight.net. If you are an international artist and you want to be interviewed for the "R.U.M ON DA STREETZ" articles, just send an e-mail to info@jasonknight.net and we will e-mail you back as soon as possible. Thank you for you support.
This is Jason Knight reporting for IndieStreet Magazine.