Who are you and what is your role at SITA?

I’m Isabella, and I work as a PR Account Manager at Square in the Air.

2. Tell us about your love of music and how you came to produce your own drum and bass track.

Music has always been a constant in my life. My dad was the one who introduced me and my siblings to drum and bass since we were babies – it was quite literally the soundtrack to our childhood. I’ll never forget he’d have the music blasting so loudly (in a top floor flat by the way – sorry neighbours!) that people would knock on our door thinking there was a house party going on, but it was really just us and our dad.

That early love of music eventually led me to study vocal artistry at Access to Music in Stratford. It was there that I produced my own drum and bass track, which remains one of my proudest achievements because it felt like closing the circle on something I’d been passionate about since day one.

3. You’re often seen with a book in hand. Who is your favourite author?

I’ve always loved reading and for most of my life I’ve leaned towards fiction. One of my favourite authors is Zadie Smith, she seems like an old soul, and I love watching interviews or her online. I remember reading NW while I was living in north-west London, and there was something grounding about seeing familiar streets and places reflected in her writing.

More recently, I’ve been drawn to non-fiction and have just started Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala. He’s a British rapper, poet, and activist whose voice has been hugely influential in conversations around race, class, and identity in the UK. I think it’s important to read as widely as possible about politics and society, and what I like about Akala is that he brings real lived experience to complex issues, speaks incredibly well on important global issues, and always fights for positive change.

4. What links you to the artists Kurt Cobain and Goldie?

My connection to Kurt Cobain is through my time studying music journalism at BIMM London, where one of my tutors was Everett True, one of the most controversial and influential music journalists of his time. He played a huge role in bringing Nirvana and the Seattle grunge scene to Europe and even introduced Cobain to Courtney Love. It was surreal learning about music from someone who had lived through those defining moments.

As for Goldie, the link is much more personal – he’s a drum and bass legend and a huge inspiration. He’s always represented a whole movement with his music, as well as creativity, art, boundary-pushing, and individuality. Those are values I try to carry into my own work and life, and they’re also why I named my daughter Goldie, as a tribute both to him and to my dad, who passed his love of the genre on to me.

5. As SITA’s leading fashionista, describe your wardrobe.

Fashion has always been a bit of a love affair for me. I’ve managed to collect around 200 dresses over the years, and the frockier the better: frills, florals, anything floaty, I just love them. I don’t get to wear them all as much as I’d like these days, but it makes me happy just knowing they’re there, waiting for the right moment. I’ve always leaned towards romantic, playful styles with lots of colour and pattern.

I’ve always adored the designer, Chloé. She balances elegance with frills so perfectly, which is basically my dream combination. Honestly, I think I’ve spent most of my life investing in clothes, and my friends always joke that I have more outfits than anyone they’ve ever met. The truth is, I’ve even got dresses still in their boxes that have never seen the light of day, and the amount of frocks hanging up with tags still on is a little embarrassing.

These days, since having my daughter, I live in leggings most of the time, but the second the sun comes out, it’s always the perfect excuse to dust off a dress.

6. Imagine you’ve just been put in charge of a project to create the ultimate country pub: tell us about your vision.

I absolutely love being out in the countryside. As well as being a city girl, being in the country is my happy place. My dream pub would be somewhere that feels instantly welcoming the moment you arrive, homely, not shabby, and with a really sleek style. Beautiful wooden tables, bookshelves with titles you’d actually want to pick up, and the right glassware – never those chunky stems, always thin and elegant.

The food would be hearty and seasonal, made with local ingredients, and the drinks list would feature small breweries, great wines, and fabulous cocktails. There’d be a log fire burning, just the right amount of seating so it always feels cosy rather than crowded, and really lovely music playing (probably jazz or old blues, maybe Motown).

And, of course, there’d be a never-ending supply of Whispering Angel.

7. Finally, where is your favourite place in the world to visit?

That’s a hard one, because I don’t think I could ever pick just one place. I think my favourite place is somewhere I’ve not visited yet. I’d love to go to Fiji or Bali: somewhere outdoorsy and beautiful, where life is slow and people are warm and welcoming, the total opposite of London’s rush.

But I’ve always been fascinated by New Orleans. As the birthplace of jazz, it’s somewhere I’d love to experience properly, not just for the jazz, but for the blues, soul, funk, and gospel that are everywhere in the city. I’ve watched so many documentaries on the old blues greats that I can only imagine how powerful it would feel to actually be there. My dad loved that kind of music, too. All music in fact, and I guess that has always stayed with me.

One of my favourite things to do is spend time at Ronnie Scott’s and in old jazz bars. So, visiting New Orleans would feel really special for me.