For Melbourne busking sensation ISHAN, there was only one place he wanted to film his Rolling Stone AU/NZ ‘In My Room’ session.
The rising indie-pop singer-songwriter has become a notable fixture of the city’s CBD streets on weekends, particularly on the bustling Bourke Street Mall, passionately performing his own songs as a one-man band, fuelled by his desire for success in the music industry.
After building up a strong following both online and offline through his busking, ISHAN dropped his debut EP, The Cycle of Codependence, in November. As the title suggests, the EP focuses on ISHAN’s tumultuous first relationship, each song tied together through his anecdotal songwriting.
“The five tracks on this EP tell a connected story that couldn’t be more personal and heartfelt. This is a body of work that steps you through the biggest adventure of my life so far, without sparing the details. There is no vitriol or posturing, only the strongest feelings of love and pain I’ve ever experienced,” he says.
ISHAN previously featured in Rolling Stone AU/NZ in our ‘Song You Need to Know’ series for his 2023 single “Hello”.
“Combining polished production, tender lyrics, and an enthusiastic personality, ISHAN feels primed for commercial success,” we wrote at the time. He was also praised as “one to watch on the Australian pop circuit” by Tone Deaf last year.
ISHAN performed a few songs from The Cycle of Codependence for his ‘In My Room’ session. “This isn’t my room; it’s more like an office of sorts,” the musician told the watching crowd with a smile at the start of his performance.
You can watch ISHAN’s full ‘In My Room’ session above. If you want to catch him busking in Melbourne, follow his Instagram for performance dates and times.
ISHAN’s The Cycle of Codependence EP is out now.
