ISSA – The Call Of Rock
1. “The Call Of Love” is the heaviest song on the new album and draws inspiration from classic bands like Ratt. What made you decide to explore a harder-edged sound for this track, and how does it fit into the overall story of Fire And Ice?
The songs are all written by my Husband and his Brother and when they show me their songs I put my stamp on them. Tom who wrote this song has the job of coming up with more of the rockier songs on the album as he is a guitar player. We all like bands like Ratt, Dokken and the Scorpions and that was his vision. A dark German style track.
2. You mentioned that Fire And Ice could be your most diverse album yet, featuring everything from classic AOR to synthwave rock. Was it a conscious decision to push your musical boundaries this time around?
Well Yes, it was a joint decision to try and experiment with different ideas but keeping in the Rock Genre. Hopefully each song has enough variation to keep the listener interested.
3. Tom and James Martin wrote and produced every song on the album. What makes your creative chemistry with them so special, and how has that partnership evolved over the years?
Well we have worked together so long now that its almost effortless. If James is working on an idea ill encourage him to keep working on it and suggest melodies,keys that might be nice. We’re a good team. The fact I’m Married to James means we do everything from home and Tom lives nearby so we’re always creative together. We still enjoy doing this.
4. You cited influences ranging from Jim Steinman to 1980s melodic rock. Which artists or albums had the biggest impact on your vision for Fire And Ice?
Myself and the Twin Brothers have a very similar taste in music and we love strong hooks and great melodies. Jim steinman is a great songwriter, we also like the classic bands like Journey, Roxette and Heart. During every album we do these acts are at the forefront.
5. The album is described as balancing passion and introspection, ‘fire and ice.’ Does the title also reflect your personal journey during the writing and recording process?
Being honest, No, its just trying to write and record the best 11 songs we can , their is no personal journey involved. We just want great hooks and for the listener to enjoy the songs.
6. Tracks like “Running From The Night,” “Bullet On The Road,” and “Pay The Price” each seem to have their own distinct identity. Was sequencing the album important in creating the listening experience you wanted?
Yes it was, we always look for tempo’s, dark and light melodies, styles when sequencing the album and obviously Frontiers have their imput.
7. You’ve become one of the defining voices of modern European AOR. How do you keep the genre rooted in its classic 1980s sound while making it feel relevant for today’s audience?
I just do my thing and hope people like it. I’m very grateful to have a strong fanbase. Its been such a great journey over the years and I feel like ive been part of a road that has changed so much over the years. When I first started Internet and social media was not really a big part of a release back then, im forever grateful for frontiers believing in me and the great support i have from the scene…
8. Many longtime fans appreciate your powerful vocals and memorable choruses. Did you approach your vocal performances differently on Fire And Ice, or were you simply aiming to capture the emotion of each song?
I just do my best and hope people like it. I always sing songs with emotion and try to show my range off in each track. Ive always been a fan of powerful vocals and songs in that way and its something i love to do.. i grew up watching all the biggest singers like Whitney Houston and Celine dion and I think that combined with my love for rock have created my sound 💕
9. With Fire And Ice arriving on August 28, what are your hopes for this album, and what would you like both longtime fans and first-time listeners to take away after hearing it from start to finish?
Just to enjoy the album and want to play it again. We’ve put so much time into this album and hopefully that shows while listening. I hope everyone will enjoy it as much as we have.
FROM UPCOMING ALBUM
“FIRE AND ICE”
SET FOR RELEASE ON AUGUST 28, 2026,
VIA FRONTIERS MUSIC SRL
PRE-ORDER HERE
