TØP, Solo Ventures, and Inequities: A Conversation with Isabella Osborne
Interview ★ Kenzie Gay ★ @kenzwrites ★ 4 Minutes
Did you know that this magazine wasn’t always the vintage-inspired entertainment and music outlet it is now? We’ve been around for nearly 3 years (can you believe that?!) and we initially started as a publication centered around alternative and rock music, particularly the underdogs - heavy emphasis on women and non binary folks. It warms my heart when we get the chance to cover these types of creatives nowadays so when the name Isabella Osborne popped up on my radar, I knew I had to jump onboard.
Isabella Osborne. The 21 year old alternative musician based out of Denver, Colorado has been the lead singer of rock group Ipecac for the last six years. In the Fall of 2025, she began to carve her own path through her solo project. To dig into this new chapter and more, we recently sat down to discuss her work.
Isabella Osborne, photos via John McSweeney
Who are your musical heroes? Are there any that some would be surprised to hear about?
TWENTY ONE PILOTS! Anyone who knows me will not be surprised by my saying so. I am a massive fan of Tyler Joseph's early work and the band's most recent releases. Other influences include Shayfer James, The Toxhards, My Chemical Romance, Green Day, The Beatles, Queen, and P!nk; all of which influence the composition, singing, and humor of my music!
What are your expectations/predictions for the future of rock music?
I expect that rock music will become more mainstream and pop-focused. I've noticed more young people gaining an interest in rock, particularly rock that has elements of phonk (or vice versa) and rock that has more ambiguous genre classifications or has assimilated into pop. Music by Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan are great examples of the latter while bands like The Toxhards blur the lines between rock genres. I've also seen a resurgence of "dad rock" among younger folks and it is very cool to see. I know Gen X also finds that to be pretty cool too. Additionally I anticipate the use of backing tracks to become more widespread for lower-level bands as a means of easier promotion and enhancement of shows.
As a woman in music, what are some practices you’d like to see that would even the playing field or garner respect at the very least?
As a woman in music, I would like to see more acceptance and have women in music become more normal. I've seen so many videos about women loading into a venue for THEIR SHOW and venue staff presuming they are the girlfriend of the performer rather than the performer themselves...it's disappointing more than anything. Most of all, though, I don't want women in music to feel like they need to be put into a box. I think being a woman in music is an asset, but I don't think it should define a performer nor come with terms and conditions. Performers who identify as women should be able to be as sexy or loud or humble or crazy or tame as they want without being negatively labeled on the basis of their gender.
Also, if people could stop hugging/touching me and trying to kiss me at shows without my consent, that would be nice. Just a lil PSA for y'all.
Building off of that, what does being a woman in music specifically mean to you?
Being a woman in music is just a natural consequence of who I am. It's really that simple. I think that being in music allows me to embrace different parts of my gender identity, masculine, feminine and ambiguous, but thinking about the legacy I am a part of and I am leaving for future women and girls is intimidating. It's a loaded topic and I wish the world would just catch up already and quit telling me I can do anything a man can do. I already know I can. In the meantime I'll keep secretly writing songs about what it's like (spoiler alert).
In September, you launched your solo project. What led you to this and what are your future plans for it?
Originally I started my solo project because I had songs that didn't quite fit with my band, Ipecac,'s sound. I started playing guitar at age 6 and have been writing songs for quite some time. I wanted to grow as a musician both for my solo project and for Ipecac and even have quit school for a bit to focus on music specifically so I can do both. I have an album I'm recording at the moment, I am already writing more songs for the next few releases, and I am working with a few different artists on collaborations! The goal of the project is to never constrain myself in this world that has constantly told me to conform. I want to make tons of mistakes along the way because I'm tired of perfection and write as many songs as I want, all while wearing strange makeup and hopefully making something my fellow weirdos find cool.
Is there anything you’d like to promote, plug, or say on the record at this time?
I will be releasing my first single "Bug Song" in February off of my upcoming album! This song means so much to me given that it is both about my love life and my fears surrounding the current state of the world. You can check out my social media to keep up with my artist journey and help support my music.
Also, I have a show coming up singing backing vocals for my good friend Gentleman Deluxe at the Federal Theatre in Denver on February 14th for all the lonely single folks out there! Be sure to check it out by going to my page!
Lastly, I would like to leave people with this:
Things are uncertain in the world right now, as they so often become, but music, art, and kindness have more power than we like to admit. Use that.
