Spotlight on is33n

is33n (pronounced eye-seen) is a sound designer, visual artist and music producer who came across us quite early on in their creative music career. They were surprised in 2019 to be offered a place on our DISRUPT residency as they felt their repertoire and portfolio at the time was quite limited.

Under their previous moniker SIBZ, they’d released a few tracks on Soundcloud, created an Instagram account and performed at a few small shows. They didn’t feel like they had an understanding of where they wanted to go, or who they were as an artist yet.

is33n recounts their first day on the residency. Initial nerves were quickly overcome as they realised the other artists in the room were actually closer in their own creative development and career to is33n than they realised. Everyone was excited and willing to create and have a collaborative experience. That level of energy group-wide looked (and sounded) like this…

"Brighter Sound approaches each artist as an individual and really works to meet them where they're at. They really encourage each individual to follow their own path, their own way and feel empowered in their own identity.”

Since DISRUPT, is33n took part in Afro Energy, represented Manchester on the world stage at SPOT Festival in Aarhus, soundtracked the Manchester Fashion Institute's 2024 Graduate Showcase and received some career-changing mentoring which they described as a pivotal moment.

With the help of one mentor they were able to get really specific about short, mid and long-term goals, and that more important than making them all happen was just making some of them happen.

Through all these projects is33n has continued to hone in on their artistic identity and the kind of career that suits them. In other words, finding their own rhythm, narrative and story to tell. No longer are they chasing streams or getting signed. With the support networks and personal epiphanies that is33n has developed along the way, they now have a better sense of the different avenues they can take to find fulfillment in the journey, not the end goal.

At the time of writing they’ve taken a step back from releasing music to avoid rushing into anything. At the same time they’ve been developing their photography and videography skills. In the future they’ll be gearing up to release more music.

Follow is33n on Instagram.