Every now and then you come across a promising young hopeful who is so talented that it’s not fair. Melbourne pop-rock songwriter ISHAN is one of those people, back again with a fresh tune and video in “Her Boyfriend’s House”. At just 21 years old, he’s already got a bunch of music out including the 2023 EP The Cycle of Codependence and previous single “My Mouth (la la la)”.
This latest offering is an infectious singalong of silken vocals over muted riffs and upbeat rhythms, telling the unfortunate story of a wild night out with an alluring love interest who is revealed to be taken. The accompanying video shows ISHAN performing the song in a vibrant alleyway and the backseat of a car, a representation of the fun venue and the awkward ride home. Having played a headline show at The Workers Club in Melbourne and seen support from the likes of NOVA and triple j Unearthed, “Her Boyfriend’s House” is proof of his bright future.
We asked ISHAN to share five fun facts about himself with us so that you can get to know him better before the name is everywhere.
- I write most of my songs with an acoustic guitar and voice memos, usually in the space of an hour or two. I tend to write lyrics and melody at the same time; it starts off with mumbling and a vague tune until all of a sudden the first line just comes out. Some people who’ve been following my socials might recognise the newest one which is called “The Anarchist”.
- I have two kelpies, Milo and Teddy. They’re super intelligent dogs and they just happen to be insanely cute. I probably won’t be writing songs about them any time soon, but they’ve been some of the first to hear my unreleased music over the years, so they’re very much part of the creative process.
- I speak Swiss German. My mum is half Swiss/half Spanish, and somehow I’ve lost most of my Spanish but maintained the Swiss German. I like to joke about how frustrating this is, given the large number of people who speak Spanish relative to the very small number of people who speak Swiss German. That said, I am very grateful that I’m able to speak to my grandparents and aunties, and carry their language with me wherever I go.
- I’m not much of a cook but my tiramisu is elite. The recipe was passed down to me from my grandma and for the longest time I thought it was particularly special and secret. However, I’ve since learned that the recipe came from a popular website… It still tastes great.
- Wii Sports and Super Mario Galaxy 2 made up about 40% of my childhood. I remember when my family first bought a Wii. Everyone sat around the living room as I loaded up Super Mario Galaxy 2; I’d never played a video game before so this was a momentous occasion. It ended up being an incredibly intense experience; I was so scared that I would let Mario die that I almost couldn’t play the game. In the months that followed, I got over that fear and went on to develop a love for video games that has stayed with me ever since.
Like what you hear? Follow ISHAN on Facebook and Instagram for more of those demos, and add “Her Boyfriend’s House” to your playlist!
