Issadora Ava Goes Back to 14 with “Emilia”

Issadora Ava’s newest breezy single brings the magic of a teen crush becoming something real.

Portrait of Issadora Ava
photo by Miguel Mallari

Beginning with the opening lines, “she’s got gold hoops and the green eyes”, Ava transports us back to a pivotal moment when she was 14, seeing the popular girl from the rival school onstage. She shares, “after she was coming off, I went up to her and told her she was really beautiful. She said, “Aw thanks girl.” So pretty sure she didn’t take it as flirting lol. But 8 years later, she became my girlfriend and I booked a one way ticket to NYC and live with her now.”

It’s a quick statement, but a huge one, begetting every one of us with a similar but unrealized teen crush to cheer wildly in the background, and the cinematic quality of their story bleeds into the song itself. It’s beat, chugging guitars, and shimmery panned synths plant Ava in the listener’s mind, and we can feel the streets of New York flashing by as she daydreams about her path to the city and to Emilia. Produced by Ava and Felix Cole in his home studio, recording in a closet covered in blankets, it has all the polish of a commercial studio while retaining its relatable bedroom pop energy. Edwin Estacio’s mixing is textured and creative, worth a listen in good headphones, and people are listening–“Emilia” was graced with a spot on Spotify’s Fresh Finds Pop playlist with its release, and is rightly garnering TikTok fame for Ava.

With a video on the way later this year, “Emilia” is just beginning its hold on our headphones, and ’til then, we’ll all continue to write their story in our heads, and the single will take its place among the best crush songs out today.

Listen to “Emilia” on Spotify.
Follow Issadora Ava on Instagram.
Learn more about Issadora Ava’s projects.

“Emilia” Album Art by Emma McAllister