Isabel Novella
Isabel Novella is a singer, songwriter and composer. Unique in style and performance, Isabel carved her own niche as a performing and recording artist.
Her music is best described as a balance between the African rhythms and the western influences (Jazz, afro-pop, soul).
In 2009 she was one of the singers chosen to feature in the album ”Beyond Borders” released in USA, which involved musicians from the 4 continents , where the only singers representing Africa were Isabel Novella ( Mozambique) and Marie Dualne of Zap mama ( Congo-Belgium).
Born in Mozambique and growing up on music stages around the world, Isabel Novella has been fortunate enough to be part of celebrated World music and Jazz festivals.
In 2013, she released her debut album self-titled “Isabel Novella” through Native Rhythms Productions and Sony Music Entertainment Africa. With this album, she graced renowned Jazz and African Music Events and Festivals around the world. And her first international collaboration was with Bob James (Fourplay) playing piano on her song “Voices” featured on her debut album.
With this album she was nominated for the RFI Discoveries Awards 2013, and her song Moya was nominated for the 2014 AFRIMMA song of the year.
Her second album ”Metamorfose” (Metamorphosis), was released in 2019 under Native Rhythms Productions and Universal Music Africa, and had her brother Isildo Novela on board as a producer and bassist on some of the songs. This album got her a nomination to the SAMMA’s (South African Music Awards) in 2020.
„Her beautiful voice is what first hits you. It ranges from deep and soulful to playful and flirtatious to seductive and then mournful. her vocal range follows sweet . The music is afro-pop with neo-soul and shades of Euro-pop influenced folk” – The Star Newspaper SA
„Each vocal instrument has its particularity, so does Isabel Novella, but beyond her voice what else invites us is the way she delivers on stage and make people prostrate themselves before her music and presence” . – Jornal O País – Mozambique
Opening up for Ricardo Lemvo will be Isabel Novella, an upand- coming singer from Mozambique who is not yet well known in America. We are pleased to present an artist who is representative of the young Afropolitan movement in African music.” – Par Neiburger World Music Institute, Lusophone Festival Director – New York
Isabel Novella was elected Cultural Figure of the Year 2015 in Mozambique, by the Mozambican National Radio (Radio Moçambique) , due to her work promoting and spreading a culture of peace, and for representing Mozambique beyond borders.
At the same year she won the 3rd place at the ISC (International songwriting competition), with her single “Ntsumi”, which portrays the situation of discrimination and human organ trafficking.
Due to her remarkable track record an immense work and engagement in promoting African arts, history and social causes, she was nominated as one of the Ambassadors for the AAPI * African Artists Pace Initiative) alongside other 14 female artists from 14 African countries.
In 2017 she was selected to be the first ever Artist in Residence for the Women in Jazz Festival in Germany, where she conducted workshops for kids, the youth and adults and performed concerts with her band , with the University Big Band and with the Berlin Jazz Orchestra.
In 2021 her latest single Oraçāo ( prayer) was release to bring awareness to the war conflicts in the North of Mozambique and as a scream for help and prayers as the world was facing a pandemic. This single was produced by Isildo Novela and marks the beginning of the her 3rd album which is currently being recorded .
For the past years, since 2020 Isabel got also involved with theater and performance projects , and has been touring in renowned theaters all over Europe with “The lingering now” from Christiane Jatahy . She is also part of “The Boat” ensemble, a live art installation performance by Grada Kilomba and was part of the “Sun & Sea Opera” presentations in Lisbon.