Growing up in the suburbs of Amsterdam, Dutch artist Cero Ismael is defining his sound and telling a very personal story with his highly anticipated first EP ‘Blue Man’.
With his melancholic, soulful and dreamy voice the multi talent, songwriter, singer and rapper creates a unique lane. His art is highly influenced by his personal road and the struggles he is facing. Bringing forward a dark raw mix between alternative music, R&B/rap/Hiphop and Electronic music.
Cero shows himself a true poet choosing his words wisely, his writing and performance present a stereotyping breaking pattern. The 6,5 feet giant Cero shows himself fragile and emotional. The heartbreak hiphop/RnB of the Amsterdammer is building momentum with his independently released songs and reaches an audience far beyond the Dutch Border. With only a handful of releases so far he attracts thousands of listeners in the States, UK and France.
Growing up in a mix-culture (Dutch, Surinam, Indonesian) but unfortunately broken home family, Cero did not get a head start in life. Cero was early in finding comfort in love, religion and spirituality. Music was in his life from an early age, with a grandma in gospel and his father a gifted musician, Cero Ismael started making music at the young age of 11 years old. His first real introduction with music started at a young age with selfmade trap artists like Soulja Boy, Lil B, Chief Keef, Atlanta sound. In a search for more depth he discovered R&B, electronic and soul.
“Blue Man” describes a chapter of the last 2 years of his live. Sharing his story about dealing with situation he was is. The main topic is feeling broken hearted and the mourning process that comes with it, every piece of music discusses the disconnection, the isolation, the missing and mourning that comes with heartbreak.
In a question how he would experience his music he says “My music hits hardest, when you’re alone walking home after a late night contemplating about live. If you listen to my music, you will feel the emotion, moments where you miss your ex even more or appreciate friends whatever that emotion is at that moment in your life. Music where you can be honest about yourself, your insecurities and the ugly sides of live”.
Recently Cero Ismael started the campaign for his sophomore project that will be released late 2021.
Making his first steps in the music industry he is still combining this with working dead-end jobs to make sure disappointment doesn’t catch him off-guard.
Performed previously at SXSW, ESNS, Appelsap and Woohah
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MUSIC THEMES
Love, fear, Insecurities, (failed)Relationships, Anger, Growing up, Friends, Loneliness & isolation, Being misunderstood, Self-love, Self-acceptance, Transformation, Mental Health
MUSIC GENRE
Alternative hiphop
INFLUENCES:
Cero Ismael is influenced by many musical influences to name a few;
Indie/alt: Connan Mockasin, Blood Orange , The Omy’s, Frank Ocean, Sonder, River Tiber, Corbin, Joji, Choker , Childish Gambino, Odie, Daniel Caesar, Gus Dapperton ,Dean Blunt, King Kruke ,Dominic Fike, Rex Orange County, Role Model, Omar Apollo ,Yellow Days, Toro Y Moi, Bakar, MorMor, Sunni Colon
Rap/Hip-hop: Sean Leon, Tyler The creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Kendrick lamar ,Amir Obe, Eli Sostre, Brockhampton, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Tierra Whack, Travis Scott, Chance The Rapper, Saba, Dvtch Norris, Baby Keem
