Isabella Rubi "Izzi" Manfredi (born 1987) is an Australian pop rock singer, songwriter and activist from Sydney, New South Wales. Manfredi is best known as the former lead vocalist of indie rock band the Preatures. Her debut single, "Jealousy", was released on 26 May 2021, and debut album "izzi" released in 2022.

Isabella Manfredi
Manfredi in 2020
Background information
Birth nameIsabella Rubi Manfredi
Born1987 (age 36–37)
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres
Occupations
Years active2010–present
Labels
Websitewww.isabellamanfredi.co Edit this at Wikidata

Early life

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Isabella Rubi Manfredi[1] was born in 1987 to parents Julie Manfredi and Italian-Australian celebrity chef Stefano Manfredi. She was raised in Sydney, New South Wales.[2]

Career

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2010–present: The Preatures

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Manfredi met Thomas Champion and Jack Moffitt at the Australian Institute of Music in 2008. They formed a band together and, in 2010, added Luke Davison and Gideon Bensen, naming themselves The Preachers, a nod to the history of bands in Australia with pseudo religious names, like The Divinyls, The Angels, The Saints, The Choirboys, and The Church.

In 2012, they changed the spelling of their name to the Preatures to avoid legal complications with other bands with similar names, signed with Mercury Records and released the EP Shaking Hands.[3] The EP featured the single "Take a Card", written by Manfredi with Bensen on lead vocals. It was featured on Triple J Unearthed.

In 2013, they released a second EP, Is This How You Feel?, which was preceded by two singles, "Is This How You Feel?" and "Manic Baby". "Is This How You Feel?" attracted considerable success, winning the $50,000 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, receiving an ARIA Award nomination for Best Pop Release[4] and being voted ninth in Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2013.[5]

Blue Planet Eyes, their debut studio album, was released on 30 September 2014.[6] Blue Planet Eyes peaked at number 4 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[7] At the 2015 ARIA Music Awards, the group received nominations in three categories.[8]

Their second and final studio album, Girlhood, was released on 11 August 2017 via Island Records Australia. Girlhood received an ARIA Award nomination for Best Rock Album.[9]

Following a prolonged period of inactivity, Manfredi confirmed the end of the Preatures in 2021. Her relationship with Moffitt had ended some time before, and she was expecting a baby with her partner Rupert. She had done some side projects collaborating with Flume before, but wanted to pursue a solo career, saying it would be better for the band.[10] She spoke at some length about the break-up of the band and her personal relationships with Rolling Stone Australia in 2021.[11]

On 10 December 2024, the band reunited for a one-off performance at Sydney's Lansdowne Hotel, where they had played live for the first time ever, to commemorate their tenth anniversary, and reissued Blue Planet Eyes on vinyl to celebrate the occasion.[12][13]

2019–present: Debut studio album izzi

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On 3 December 2019, Manfredi was announced as the recipient of the Mushroom Music Publishing Recording Grant, winning $10,000 towards the recording of her debut album.[14] Manfredi is the seventh artist to take out the grant, following previous recipients such as Hatchie, D.D Dumbo and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever.[14] On 26 May 2021, Manfredi released her debut solo single "Jealousy"[15]

In September 2022, Manfredi released her debut solo album "izzi".[16] The album was recorded during the covid lockdown period in Australia, a remote co-production between Jonathan Wilson, Chris Collins and Manfredi. It featured prominent musicians Stella Mozgawa, Touch Sensitive, Kirin J Callinan and Drew Erickson.[17]

In 2023, Manfredi dueted with Tina Arena on the reboot of RockWiz,[18] released "Rhinestone 1.7.2" with Flume which remained the most played song on Triple J for 6 weeks.[19] She also supported Marlon Williams,[20] and toured her debut album.[21] In May Manfredi performed "Rhinestone" with Flume at the 10 years of Flume concert at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, marking her third collaboration with Streten in 10 years.[19]

Personal life

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On 27 January 2021, Manfredi revealed her pregnancy and engagement to musician and creative technologist Rupert Parry.[22]

Their daughter, Mina Manfredi, was born in June 2021. Rupert and Isabella married in 2023 with Rupert taking the Manfredi surname. They now live in San Francisco. [23]

Manfredi is a supporter of the Keep Sydney Open campaign.[24]

Discography

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Studio albums

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List of studio albums, with release date and label shown
Title Details
izzi

Soundtrack albums

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List of soundtrack albums, with release date and label shown
Title Details
Plan B

Live albums

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List of live albums, with release date and label shown
Title Live album details
Live at Hubert

Singles

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As lead artist

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List of singles, with year released and album name shown
Title Year Album
"Forever Now"
(with Dan Sultan)[28]
2017 Non-album single
"Jealousy"[15] 2021 TBA
"One Hit Wonder"[29]
"Naive"
(with Pricie)[30]
2022 izzi

Guest appearances

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List of guest appearances, with lead artist(s), year released, and album name shown
Title Year Album
"The Greatest View"
(Flume featuring Isabella Manfredi)
2012 Flume
"Endless"
(Donny Benét featuring Isabella Manfredi)
2014 Weekend at Donny's
"Jealousy"
(San Cisco featuring Isabella Manfredi)
Gracetown
"Trust"
(Flume featuring Isabella Manfredi)
2016 Skin Companion EP 1
"Never Tear Us Apart"
(with Jon Stevens and Andrew Farriss)[31]
2017 Music from the Home Front
"Rhinestone 1.7.2 (2018 Export Wav)"
(Flume featuring Isabella Manfredi)
2023 Things Don't Always Go The Way You Plan

Awards and nominations

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APRA Awards

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The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982.[32]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2015 "Somebody's Talking" (Gideon Bensen, Thomas Champion, Luke Davison, Isabella Manfredi, Jack Mofitt) Song of the Year Shortlisted [33]
The Preatures (Gideon Bensen, Thomas Champion, Luke Davison, Isabella Manfredi, Jack Mofitt) Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year Nominated [34]

Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition

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The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition is an annual competition that "acknowledges great songwriting whilst supporting and raising money for Nordoff-Robbins"; it is coordinated by Albert Music and APRA AMCOS. It commenced in 2009.[35]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2013 Isabella Manfredi for "Is This How You Feel?" Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition 1st [36]

References

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  1. ^ "ACE Repertory – Manfredi, Isabella Rubi". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  2. ^ Decent, Tom (3 March 2015). "Two of us: Isabella and Stefano Manfredi". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 7 June 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  3. ^ Fitzsimons, Scott (27 August 2012). "Exclusive: The Preatures sign to Mercury Records for five album deal". The Music. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  4. ^ "2013 ARIA Awards Winners". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Hottest 100 – 2013". Triple J. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  6. ^ Monger, Timothy (30 September 2014). "Blue Planet Eyes – The Preatures". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 5 October 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Discography: The Preatures". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  8. ^ "2015 ARIA Awards Winners". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  9. ^ Farishta, Gibreel (11 August 2017). "The Preatures – Girlhood". Clash. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  10. ^ "The Preatures break up as Isabella Manfredi goes solo". triple j. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  11. ^ Manfredi, Isabella (25 May 2021). "The secret truth of the soon to be formerly known Preatures frontwoman, Isabella Manfredi". Rolling Stone Australia (Interview). Interviewed by Reid, Poppy. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  12. ^ "The Preatures to reform and play their first ever venue again". noise11.com. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  13. ^ Radojkovic, Mick (11 December 2024). "Review: The Preatures @ The Lansdowne Hotel (Sydney)". scenestr. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  14. ^ a b "The Preatures singer Isabella Manfredi scores recording grant for debut solo album". The Music. 3 December 2019. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  15. ^ a b Bruce, Jasper (26 May 2021). "The Preatures' Isabella Manfredi drops first official solo single, 'Jealousy'". NME Australia. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Ex-Preatures Singer Isabella Manfredi Forges Her Own Path on Debut Solo Album 'izzi'".
  17. ^ "Isabella Manfredi steps out as 'Izzi': "I'm not allowing any one person or entity to define who I am"". NME. 2 September 2022.
  18. ^ "Tina Arena & Isabella Manfredi". IMDb.
  19. ^ a b "Flume Setlist at Kia Forum, Inglewood". setlist.fm.
  20. ^ "Isabella Manfredi to Support Marlon Williams on Australian Tour". 17 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Isabella Manfredi @ the Great Club, 18th Nov". 18 November 2023.
  22. ^ Story, Hannah (27 January 2021). "The Preatures' Isabella Manfredi reveals she's heaps pregnant & also engaged so hello, 2021". Pedestrian.TV. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  23. ^ "Isabella Manfredi & Rupert Parry Welcome Baby Girl". 30 June 2021.
  24. ^ Scardifield, Maggie (8 November 2017). "Isabella Manfredi: How I eat". Gourmet Traveller. Archived from the original on 10 November 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  25. ^ "INTERVIEW: Isabella Manfredi launches debut solo album 'Izzi': "It's a record where I found more of myself rather than let go or said goodbye to somebody that I loved."". Women In Pop. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  26. ^ "Plan B (Original Score) by Isabella Manfredi on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  27. ^ "Live at Hubert – Single by Isabella Manfredi on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  28. ^ "Forever Now (Cover Version) – Single by Dan Sultan & Isabella Manfredi on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  29. ^ "Isabella Manfredi Shares Second Solo Single "One Hit Wonder"". Music Feeds. 11 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  30. ^ Rose, Anna (7 July 2022). "Isabella Manfredi announces debut solo album 'izzi', drops new single "Naive"". NME. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  31. ^ Martin, Josh (29 May 2020). "Music from the Home Front live album announced for release". NME Australia. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  32. ^ "APRA History". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Archived from the original on 20 September 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  33. ^ "APRA's Shortlist Of The Top Aussie Songs Of 2014 Is Hereng of the Year!". Music Feeds. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  34. ^ "Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). 2015. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  35. ^ "About the Vanda & Young Global Song Writing Competition". APRA AMCOS. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  36. ^ "Past Winners". APRA AMCOS. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
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