What happens when a psychology grad takes a detour into the world of pop? Check out our latest Hype digital cover feature.
Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
Flying back from her first Los Angeles writing trip, Chloe Qisha has already had a whirlwind year. In just over twelve months or so, she’s transformed from a psychology graduate with musical ambitions into one of British pop’s most intriguing new voices, crafting a debut EP that sparkles with both playful charm and emotional depth.
“I don’t come from a family of musicians, but my parents constantly played music,” she explains, settling into conversation about her somewhat unconventional route to pop stardom. “I was definitely more of a ‘listener’ than a ‘player’ of music for most of my life – I was a pretty shy kid. I didn’t start songwriting or playing guitar till later on in my teens, and that was through learning chords off YouTube.”
That late start hasn’t held her back. Since emerging with the stunning ‘VCR Home Video’ in summer 2023, each release has shown new facets to her artistry, while her self-titled EP promises to showcase even more sides to her musical personality.
“Dancing! I can dance now! Kind of… but who would’ve thought it?”
The Malaysian-born artist’s journey from international school student to London-based pop upstart reads like a plot that even the most optimistic guidance counsellor wouldn’t have dared suggest. Yet watching her command attention with each release, it’s clear this isn’t just another case of musical happenstance – it’s what happens when careful observation meets natural instinct.
The path to finding her sound wasn’t entirely straightforward. “I thought I was going to be a therapist for the longest time, so I did a bachelor’s degree in Psychology,” she recalls. “But very quickly realised after that it probably wasn’t the career path for me. I got into music sometime at the end of that course, so I was slowly developing my songwriting alongside studying, but being the Capricorn I was, I still wanted to have something to fall back on – so after that, I went and did a Masters in Media and Comms, which was actually an incredible experience. Even though I’m doing something completely different now, I’m so happy I did that degree.”
If you’re wondering whether analysing Freud’s theories helped shape her songwriting, think again. “I actually did a whole module in music as a means for communication, which was interesting,” she notes. “But to be very honest, ‘doing music’ was always a completely separate world for me to studying. It felt like I was leading a double life sometimes. I don’t regret the path that I took, but as far as my education impacting my career now – I think that it was definitely more the people I met along the way than the actual course material that had any impact on my life.”
Perhaps most surprising has been her transformation from shy psychology student to confident performer – like watching a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis wearing sequins and sensible shoes. “The things that I was the most scared about are now the things I absolutely love doing,” she beams. “Dancing! I can dance now! Kind of… but who would’ve thought it? Definitely not adolescent Chloe with two left feet. Live stuff, too – putting on a show – I absolutely love it, in fact, it’s not scary at all! I’ve caught the bug!”
Working with producer Rob Milton (who discovered her through a TikTok cover of Rachel Chinouriri), Qisha has developed a sound that manages to feel both studied and spontaneous. Their partnership has grown into one of those rare creative relationships where playfulness and proficiency go hand in hand.
“The lyrics were the most fun to write; we definitely went 10/10 silly with it”
That newfound confidence radiates through ‘Sexy Goodbye’, a track that sparkles with wit and hooks sharper than a PhD student’s coffee habit. “It kind of started like any other session where we were just messing around with some sounds, and Rob landed on this super infectious loop, and we sort of built the world from there! The lyrics were the most fun to write; we definitely went 10/10 silly with it – I remember we were sitting on a train back from Leeds writing a list of girl names that we could use for the pre-choruses – it was like we were naming a child!”
This playful approach isn’t just a one-off – it’s the secret ingredient in Qisha’s pop recipe. “I think it just adds another layer of fun to the music and the ‘Chloe Qisha’ world,” she reflects. “In a weird way, she’s like the version of myself that doesn’t take things too seriously, who can have fun and not overthink too much. She definitely balances out ‘everyday Chloe’ very well. I also really love artists’ projects that don’t take themselves too seriously; it just feels more authentic to me.”
Her creative process draws inspiration from a cultural buffet that would make any pop culture connoisseur dribble involuntarily. “I’m always saving cool stuff I come across – whether that be movies, music videos, or photography,” she shares. “I wouldn’t say there’s any specific category that I draw inspiration from – but I’ve realised with writing now, I often have a very strong visual basis that informs the song. Imagining the music video or visuals around it really helps flesh out its character.”
From Talking Heads to LCD Soundsystem, her influences suggest someone more interested in pushing pop’s boundaries than colouring within its lines. It’s there in the way she approaches arrangement and structure – traditional enough to feel familiar but with enough left turns to keep listeners guessing.
“I feel like I’m catching the wave of an iconic year for pop queens”
The new EP represents both a milestone and a foundation for her technicolour pop world. Chloe describes it as “a collection of songs that really set the foundation for the world that we’re creating. It’s fun and playful but also has elements of darkness and vulnerability. It also perfectly documents our journey over a year – the last two songs that are being released in November were written last year – with ‘Scary Movie’ being the first song Rob and I wrote together in our very first session. So, it shows our growth and what a wild ride it’s been, and it’s really special that people get to hear that.”
Arriving at a moment when pop feels like it’s having a vital reinjection of personality, Qisha is conscious of her contemporaries raising the bar to stratospheric heights. “I feel like I’m catching the wave of an iconic year for pop queens – Chappell, Charli, Sabrina, Addison are all setting the bar of excellence,” she enthuses. “They have me and my friends all sat begging for more.”
Her self-taught approach to musicianship has proven more blessing than curse, like stumbling into a secret passage that leads straight to pop’s heart. “I kind of taught myself the basics of guitar through tabs when I was 16, and then, by extension, learned to play chords on piano – and, to be fair, that hasn’t changed very much over the years,” she admits. “I think it helps me write purely because I’m learning as I go, and sometimes I think if I was classically trained in music, I wouldn’t be willing to take as many risks.”
With a growing live schedule that includes stops at The Great Escape and ESNS Eurosonic, 2025 is shaping up to be the year Qisha’s world expands beyond bedroom pop dreams into something bigger. “I’m so excited; there’s going to be a lot more shows, a lot more songs, and a lot more of the world of Chloe Qisha for everyone to dig into.”
As for longer-term aspirations? “I definitely have a bucket list of things I want to achieve long-term, but ultimately, it’s that I get to do this for a long, long time and that I continue to write songs that feel authentic to me and that I’m passionate about!”
Back on that plane from LA, those aspirations feel increasingly within reach. For an artist who once thought she’d be analysing other people’s stories, Chloe Qisha is now crafting narratives of her own – and they’re proving impossible to resist.
Chloe Qisha’s self-titled new EP is out now. Follow Dork’s Hype Spotify playlist here.
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