Isabelle Antena's bio Isabelle has always been singing. As far as her mother can remember she was singing before she could actually say a word. She wrote her first song— a medieval ballade about a prince dying for his princess—when she was just 5 years old; began music studies at the age of 8; clarinet lessons at 10; purchased her first guitar at 12 and her first electric guitar at 17—which she traded in for an electric piano just a year later. At 19 Isabelle left Paris for London to be an au pair with the family of Yes keyboard player Rick Wakeman .There she learned two things: Fluent English, and an understanding that it was possible for her to make a living from music. Isabelle returned to Paris in the early eighties, at which time she decided to put together a band with her friends. The band would be called Antenna—inspired from a Kraftwerk song. After making some demos and sending them out, they received some interest from the chic Belgian label Les disques du Crepuscule (Crepuscule Records), and soon recorded a single for them. Isabelle described her first time in a recording studio as “a brilliant experience.” And why not? With Producer John Foxx and Engineer Gareth Jones, Isabelle and her band were able to make the cover of Jobim’s classic. It was renamed for the occasion, The Boy from Ipanema, and was the first Electro Samba ever. The label was thrilled. There would be an album. The members of Antena moved to a Brussels flat next door to label companions Tuxedo Moon and Paul Haig. It was 1982 when Producer Gilles Martin and Isabelle began work on Camino Del Sol. With a limited budget, the decision was made to release a five song mini album. Shortly after the release of the album, Isabelle’s partners decided it was time to do something else with their lives. Isabelle would persevere, and took the band’s name as her own. She would be known as Isabelle Antena. In 1983 , Isabelle left her label and Brussels to sign with Mercury Records in London. She was awarded a large contract, and for the first time in her career, she had a good record budget. With the help of producer and friend Martin Hayles and engineer Alan Moulder, they began work on En Cavale (On the Run), Isabelle’s first album on her own. They spent two years recording with world class musicians, Trevor Murrell, Camelle Hinds, Tommy Eyre and Danny Cummings, and state of the art British studios Trident 1 and 2, Sarm West, and Jacobs). But in the end, Mercury rejected the album. Isabelle’s music probably wasn’t commercial enough for the major label, and perhaps a bit too “frenchy,” no one knows for sure. Her contract with Mercury was cut short without a release of the album. But Isabelle was not to be dissuaded. She packed the master tapes into her luggage, moved back to Brussels, and asked her friends at Crepuscule Records to take a listen to her labor of love. They would release the album. Much to everyone’s delight, the first single, Seaside Week End, remained on the charts for week, and was the beginning of a lifetime relationship between Isabelle and the people of Belgium. In February of 1986 Isabelle began recording Hoping For Love with brilliant Belgian jazz musicians Michel Hatzigeorgiou , Johnny Dover, and Dutch pianist Diederik Wissels. This album had special significance to Isabelle since it was the first album that she had written, arranged, and produced herself. It was also the first album to break into the Japanese market, where Isabelle now has many followers. It was the song Le Poisson des Mers du Sud—voted as one of the top 100 Belgian songs of the 20th Century— which helped propel the album to sell over 100,000 copies. Isabelle was now a viable and successful Artist. She was also now a mother, giving birth to son Achilles in 1986, and Penelope in 1987. Isabelle was on a roll. She made the three albums Tous mes Caprices, De l'amour et des Hommes Vol.1, and Intemporelle in three years time. Isabelle found herself traveling the world, performing in Japan, Spain, Canada, New York, and Germany. Her success was still growing. Through her travels, Isabelle met Dirk Schoufs—double bass player and composer of Vaya Con Dios. The two fell in love and began recording together. Dirk left Vaya and introduced her to his musician friends Marco De Meersman (drummer of Vaya) and Fritz Sunderman (jazz guitarist and son of Freddy Sunder) .The four of them began work on Les Derniers Guerriers Romantiques , an album entirely written for Dirk. It was an Ode to their love. Then tragedy struck. On May 24th, 1991 Dirk Schoufs died, leaving Isabelle devastated. With June tours scheduled in Europe and Japan, Isabelle worked up the strength, through her children and band mates to keep the tour. The show must go on. Isabelle played in front of the sold out Ancienne Belgique, standing strong before flying to Tokyo. In 1992 Isabelle began work on album Carpe Diem. The album was a personal message to life. The song Corto, a tribute to Dirk. Surrounded by all her friends in the comfortable Caraibes Studios of Brussels, Isabelle finds herself working with engineer Gilles Martin again. It is he who introduces Isabelle to Denis Moulin. A beautiful partnership was born. Denis and Isabelle put together a label called Harlem Moon. For the first time in her life, Isabelle finds herself too busy to record and Antena album. In 1993, the duo remixed some Issy tracks and release them under the title More Acid Than Jazz. In 1994, their partnership expands, as their daughter Agatha was born. I suppose all work and no play makes Denis a dull boy. Son Elliot was born two years later in 1996. With four children, Isabelle diversified, working as a composer, arranger, producer, and of course, a very busy mother of four. Isabelles accomplishments throughout her rich 24 year career are numerous. To name a few of which she is most proud: ♫ She played with Toots Tielmans and Barney Wilen for Jacques Pelzer 's birthday ♫ She won the title for best female singer in Tokyo music festival (in competition with Whitney Houston, Tracey Thorn, and Sade among others) ♫ She played between Earth Wind & Fire and Kool & The Gang at the Tokyo Dome ♫ She’s toured all over the world from Honk Kong to New York; from Montreal to Barcelona. ♫ She is credited for her work on a variety of musically diversified projects, including the following: Pause café (jazz); Powaga sisters (funk); California sunshine (Acid Jazz); Antena (Electro); Shape (House); Zeta Reticuli (Ambient); De l'amour et des Hommes Vol. 1&2 (Cinematic). ♫ She co-wrote and sang two titles with Buscemi for his album Camino Real, including the amazingly successful single Seaside. ♫ In 2002, Yukihiro Fukutomi , famous Japanese DJ , covered Isabelle’s song Play Back also remixed by Jazztronic. In 2005 , she wrote and sang on Yukihiro ’s album titled Equality. ♫ In 2004 Isabelle traveled to Washington D.C., to work with the well known group, Thievery Corporation. ♫ And of course, the career accomplishment for which Isabelle is most proud. The sale of over one million albums around the world. Most importantly of all, Isabelle did it her way. Listen to Isabelle today. If you don’t have an Isabelle album, or if you’re an avid fan looking for something new, I would recommend her newest release, Easy Does It (2005). This remarkably inviting album includes14 Bossa Novas in the purest Brazilian style, recorded in south France with musicians from all over the world. Included and as a bonus, fans will find a second CD titled, Issy Does It, containing remixes and productions of Buscemi, Nicola Conte, and Thievery corporation—just to name a few. While some may compare Isabelle' to Helen Merril, this writer feels there is surely no comparison. The way Isabelle follows her musical instinct; the way she uses her passionately warm voice; the way she can change and masterfully take ownership of any other musical styles; Clearly, Isabelle is one of a kind.