The Blooming Journey of Claudia Isaki

Growing up in a musical household in the suburbs of Paris, Claudia describes her style as a blend of Alt-Pop with hints of Jazz, Rock, and Latin influences. 

The rhythms and spontaneity of Congolese rumba, along with the complexities of French classics, have deeply shaped her approach to songwriting. Claudia’s passion for folk music further enriches her artistry, as she admires its simplicity and the way it captures the essence of everyday life.

At just 13 years old, Claudia Isaki, our For The Glory Artist of the Month for October, began to weave her own stories into songs, drawing inspiration from artists like Lucy Rose and Joni Mitchell. With a long-held dream of becoming a musician since childhood, Claudia faced a turning point while creating her latest project, More Flowers, in November 2023. Torn between pursuing a law career and fully dedicating herself to music, she ultimately chose to follow her passion. Embracing the uncertainty of this path, Claudia reflects on the importance of seizing the moment: "Law will always be there, but music is about being in the right place at the right time." This courageous decision has shaped her journey, allowing her to fully embrace her artistic vision and live out her dreams.

Faith also happens to play an important role in her music and songwriting process. While she doesn't solely focus on writing songs about her Christian journey, her faith remains at the heart of everything she creates. Songwriting, for her, becomes a form of meditation and devotion—a space to communicate with God and let Him speak.

“Sometimes, when I don’t know how to pray, I write a song instead, and that ends up being quality devotional time.”  

Claudia’s creative process is always changing as she discovers new tools and technologies in music production. However, something that doesn’t change is that it almost always begins with her picking up a guitar in the comfort of her room, where she feels most secure. She often starts by strumming chords or humming melodies, allowing lyrics to naturally follow. Since releasing her song, My Home, her process has shifted more toward production. During the pandemic, her brother, a major musical influence, introduced her to Reaper (a music production program), allowing her to expand her production skills. She later transitioned to Logic Pro and set up a home studio. For More Flowers, Claudia took a year to write a collection of songs, sharing them with her musician friends to collaborate on arrangements, “It was both the most challenging and rewarding part, as we tried to blend our various musical influences while staying true to the essence of the project.”  After that, they spent a week in the studio recording everything live, before adding background vocals and additional production at Claudia’s home.

Claudia sings in both French and English in her songs, and her choice of language is never premeditated. She initially gravitated toward writing in English because it felt safer to express her feelings in a language that wasn’t as deeply ingrained in her mother tongue.

“Over time, I’ve become more comfortable expressing myself freely, and now it’s more about the musicality of the language and whether the words capture the sentiment, no matter the language.” 

Sometimes, she plays around with gibberish and melodies to see which words fit best. While she occasionally challenges herself to write in French, Spanish, or Portuguese, she never forces it; her priority is to express her ideas authentically.

Transitioning into an independent artist has been both a challenging and rewarding journey for Claudia Isaki. She describes independence as a process of trial and error. The challenge of not having a team or manager has pushed her to rely more on God, both financially and creatively, which she finds exciting. While she collaborates with talented individuals on specific projects—like working with Bridge The Gap for the marketing strategy behind More Flowers—much of the time, she's navigating the music industry solo.

“I’ve discovered that I’m quite resourceful and enjoy making a vision come to life, even when I’m unsure of how it will all come together. I’m grateful for the artistic freedom I have, the spontaneity it allows, and for  the opportunity to work with people I love who share my vision.”  

While challenges naturally arise in life and in the music industry, especially as a young Christian artist, Claudia has remained steadfast in her faith and vision. Expressing her faith hasn’t been a setback; in fact, she’s found that people often admire strong beliefs. Music executives have encouraged her to diversify her topics, and while she’s open to new ideas, her primary focus is to share messages of light and hope through her music.

Claudia is currently excited about her recent release, a spontaneous 4-track project titled Warmhaus/Kalthaus.m4a, which features two acoustic versions of Lalalove, her most popular song, and Even When It’s Grey, along with two demos. She created it in her room, recording on her iPhone and editing the sound on Logic, embracing the freedom of a more immediate and unpolished process. There was a sense of urgency in capturing those raw moments and sharing them with her listeners. 

As Claudia continues to evolve as an artist, her journey remains rooted in her values, pushing boundaries while staying true to herself. Her latest projects, More Flowers and Warmhaus/Kalthaus.m4a, reflect both the raw vulnerability and the bold creativity that define her unique voice. With each new release, Claudia invites listeners to experience the world through her eyes—where faith, music, and purpose converge in a beautiful and harmonious expression of life. As she looks ahead, Claudia remains dedicated to spreading messages of hope and light, knowing that every challenge brings new opportunities for growth, both personally and artistically. 

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