Chloe Qisha has spoken to NME about new music, lessons she’s learned from touring with Coldplay and RAYE, and how “authenticity” is the key to being a great songwriter.
The former NME Cover star spoke to us while at the 2026 Ivor Novellos, where she was nominated for the Rising Star Award alongside Kwn, Divorce and BBC Sound of 2026 winner Skye Newman. The award ultimately went to Jacob Alon, who also took home the Best Song Musically and Lyrically trophy for ‘Don’t Fall Asleep’.
Her nod from the Ivors Academy came following the release of her EP ‘Modern Romance’ last year – which saw her turn heads for her intriguing, raw approach to pop.
When asked on the Ivors red carpet about the praise for that EP, the Malaysian-British alt-pop star explained what it is about her music that seems to resonate with listeners.
“I always think of my music – especially my lyrics – to be quite cheeky and quite visceral, so there is more explicitness to it that might be a bit refreshing,” she said. “I am still constantly shocked by seeing the reach of music and how global it is though… I really need to make trips out to everybody everywhere now it seems!”
Since releasing the EP, Qisha has gone on to lock in support slots with huge names like RAYE and Coldplay. speaking to NME about what she has learned from those experiences, she said that she noticed “even the people at the top of their game who’ve been at it for years are still the most down-to-earth and humble human beings.”
“The teams that they curate around them are all just with such wonderful, gorgeous people, and I think it’s so important to remember that, going forward – if I get to do this forever – I’d be wise to keep a good head on myself. Always,” she added.
Teasing more material, the singer said that she is currently planning on “slowly rolling out” a “new chapter”, and is well underway with adding the finishing touches to some new music that she will “100 per cent teasing and trialing” at her upcoming live shows.
“I think the music is going to be a little bit different,” she added, staying tight-lipped about when fans can expect it to drop. “But it’s music that I’ve been rinsing personally nonstop for the last six months, so I’m really excited for it to just be out in the world.”
Speaking about her nomination at the Ivors – which celebrates the craft, cultural impact and enduring importance of songs and screen compositions – Qisha opened up about what makes someone into a great songwriter, sharing that it ultimately boils down to capturing a sense of personality and maturity.
“I think being incredibly authentic to yourself… but also allowing time for that. Sometimes it doesn’t happen immediately, and you have to grow in yourself,” she explained.
“I think you need to have a better understanding of yourself before you start putting yourself out in the world. But as long as you keep putting good music out that feels authentic and important to you, then it will find the right people.”
Qisha faces a packed summer of touring, with live shows including Isle Of Wight Festival, Bristol Pride, Wilderness, Boardmasters, Reading & Leeds and supporting Self Esteem at the opening of London’s new British Airways ARC. Visit here for tickets and more information.
At the end of last year, Qisha’s song ‘21st Century Cool Girl’ was listed as one of NME’s Best Songs Of 2025 and praised for its “euphoric synth-pop instrumentation” and for having “some of the most painfully relatable lyrics”.
Her comments about taking time to find her true self also align with what she told NME in her Cover interview last spring, where she revealed that finding her signature sound came from her “taking my time and not settling for anything I wasn’t totally happy with” for years.
Elsewhere at the 2026 Ivor Novellos, Rosalía was also crowned International Songwriter Of The Year, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke was handed the Academy Fellowship award by Harry Styles, and George Michael posthumously received the Academy Fellowship.
Other winners included CMAT who won Best Album, Fraser T Smith and Kae Tempest who nabbed Best Contemporary Song, and Sam Fender getting the trophy for Songwriter Of The Year.
