Issey Cross

Issey Cross is a Kent, England-born alt pop singer/songwriter who embraces electronic genres -- dubstep, U.K. garage, drum'n'bass -- adding soul, nuance, and character to her own compositions and those of others. Her debut EP, 2021's Mirrors Don't Lie, was a caustic, attitude-filled deconstruction of a former relationship. However, that year's R&B-inspired, positively toned "M40 (Love Me Now)" and the introspective "Tired of Everybody" betrayed a maturity in her songwriting. "Used to This" -- a liquid drum'n'bass collaboration with Wilkinson -- became Cross' first U.K. Top 40 hit. 2023 brought further success with "Oh Baby" hitting the Top 40, this time alongside Nathan Dawe and Bru-C. Next, writing lyrics for Luude's remix of the Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" brought her most successful single to that point: she had a Top 20 hit with "Bittersweet Goodbye." After working closely with the Bristol drum'n'bass producer Sudley in 2024, she collaborated with Sammy Virji, Punctual, and Hamdi the following year.