“There’s loads going on here”

Singer-songwriter Isabel Maria has shot to prominence in recent months. Backed by a prestigious Alan Hull Award and buoyed by rave reviews for her debut EP, the Melodramatic Milers, it’s hard to believe she’s only just turned 18.

This week she’s playing Durham’s Fringe Festival on Wednesday and Thursday, and audiences are in for a treat. Ahead of the gigs, we had a quick chat about everything from the value of a crappy old keyboard to the importance of spreading the word about the exciting music being made in the northeast.

“There’s so much going on in the region, but unless people are looking for it they maybe don’t know what’s out there. I’d love to see it pushed a bit more. I think Durham Fringe has done a good job of that, and the Sunderland Music City project is really cool.

“But there’s still loads happening that people have no idea about.”

Part of raising awareness depends on funding. Isabel’s own career got a big boost this year with that Alan Hull Award and other grants to support her music.

“I’ve been lucky enough to get a few grants and awards recently. That’s definitely helped me meet new people and widen my network.

“I don’t think I would be able to do nearly as much work without that, so let’s hope they can keep coming.”

A big part of that networking revolves around the Young Musicians Project, set up by We Make Culture, a CIC based in Isabel’s native Sunderland. A mixture of networking, mentoring and mutual support, it goes a long way towards sustaining a local scene that is determinedly doing it’s own thing - and doing it better than ever.

“The Young Musicians Project really helped me learn what the local industry is like. When you’re just starting out, you think everything happens in London. In reality, there’s loads going on here as well – including things like Durham Fringe.”

Meanwhile, what about that dodgy kid’s keyboard?

“I started writing when I was 11 and I went into my first studio when I was 14. I was just a baby really.

“But one of the first things was when my grandad found an old crappy Casio in his attic and asked if I wanted it. I said OK, and that definitely helped get me started. Then it was all the usual things: I’d see a songwriter on TV and think that was cool, so I tried to do something like that myself.”

Influences include Joni Mitchell and Taylor Swift, but there’s nothing derivative about Isabel’s music. When many teenage musicians come across as manufactured or imitative, her songs are the real deal. It’s not just “mature for her age”, it’s mature, well-rounded chamber pop by any standards.

And Durham audiences are in for a rare treat, with a stripped-back voice-and-keyboard set promising to reduce her songs to the essentials.

“The set runs for about an hour, and it’s just me on the keyboard. I don’t do this very often, so it will be really nice to play a cosy set. I’ve got a mix of some new stuff and some older songs, and it’s mostly originals.

“It’s my first time at the Durham Fringe and I’m very excited. We’ve got a really pretty venue, right on Palace Green.”

A busy summer continues with another single release next month before the final song of the year drops in October, accompanied by a big gig. There are also plans to get back in the studio, and having recently completed her studies at East Durham College, Isabel is hoping to study music at university. But don’t expect her to be seduced by the bright lights just yet: “I’m hoping to study in Newcastle, because I love the local music scene too much to leave!”

Isabel Maria plays the Pemberton Rooms, Durham, on July 24 and 25. The shows start at 8:15. Tickets are £9 for adults, and can be booked here.