Introspective, lyrically driven and as much a master with funky synth as they are on electric guitar, Dreamer Isioma is a modern-day musical storyteller who’s carrying the torch of Tierra Whack and Coco & Clair Clair. After finding critical acclaim – and personal fame – with their 2020 hit “Sensitive,” Isioma proceeded to throw away the rulebook and embark on their own path of self-exploration and musical experimentation.
First, there was the declarative and alternative 2020 EP, The Leo Sun Sets. Then, the Nigerian-American singer-songwriter released their debut album, last year’s Goodnight Dreamer, a genre-spanning account of probing one’s own identity — from embracing gender fluidity to grappling with the existential crises typical of a twenty-something.
Princess Forever, the latest sonic offering from Isioma, was conceptualized by the artist post-transition and sees them continue to build on the array of genres in their arsenal – dipping into rock, funk, R&B and Afrobeats while delving even deeper into themes of love, self-worth and community. Subtly woven throughout the tracks is the outer space-set story of the album’s namesake narrator, charting a journey similar to Isioma’s own evolution over the past few years.
Following the release of Princess Forever and in between the first few stops of their headlining LOVE & RAGE tour, Isioma sat down with HYPEBEAST to talk about the process behind putting together the album.
Listening to Princess Forever, I was surprised to hear how different it sounded from the bedroom pop sound of The Leo Sun Sets EP and the Goodnight Dreamer LP. Still, it felt like there was an interconnectedness between the two projects. Was that change in sound and style a conscious choice?
I guess my music is growing up with me. There were definitely some songs on the album that were written during the “Sensitive” era that I saved. I was able to record in an actual studio, lock in hella hard with The Celestials and other producers, artists, and instrumentalists. I’d say Princess Forever is more thought-out and cohesive than any project I’ve put out.
Walk me through the process of writing and recording Princess Forever.
It was mad work but so worth it. I was rolling out Goodnight Dreamer while putting Princess Forever together. After writing out the storylines, I set out to adventure and shoot the music videos. Everything was kind of done at the same time and all finished around the same time. The visuals and audio are almost 2-in-1.
“I was able to take my time and think about how I wanted to tell this story.”
The time between your debut and sophomore albums was only a little over two years. Still, as a listener, there was a tangible maturation in your music. What changed for you during this time?
A lot of things in my life changed. A new body, new mind, more money, same bitch, same friends. I was able to take my time and think about how I wanted to tell this story.
As a concept album, Princess Forever takes listeners along the journey of a sci-fi leader defending their tribe from an oppressive regime. What inspired this storyline and how did you translate it into songs?
It’s inspired by life today. Our governments were built on oppression. I just wanted to shed light on it in a more artistic way. Sonically, I wanted to focus on why we fight instead of focusing on the oppressors. We fight for love, so, this is a love album at its core.
You also recently made your directorial debut for your own music video “Gimme A Chance.” I’m curious about how the process of creative directing an album differs from that of a music video.
It’s all the same really. From the music to the videos to the clothes to the makeup. I creative direct pretty much everything I put out. “Gimme A Chance” was fun because we chose some crazy beautiful landmarks. It looks like a green screen but nope. That’s just Mother Earth doing her thing.
Next week, you’ll be headed on tour, kicking off at 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis. After such an aesthetic, concept-driven album release, do you have anything special in store for your live performances?
The shows are gonna be sick as fuck. From the set design to our costumes and even down to the lights. Of course, it’s gonna sound amazing too. I just want to give people an experience that they’ll never forget. And then hopefully they’ll come back when I go on tour again.
Listen to Dreamer Isioma’s sophomore album Princess Forever.
