Isobel Akpobire
, who performs under the name
Bellah
, is carving out a place in the UK R&B scene by combining her Nigerian roots with a love for 90s R&B. Raised in North London, her musical path started in childhood, nurtured by family influences and a pivotal Beyoncé concert that helped shape her direction.
She has also moved into acting, portraying Kyazike Mayagenda in the series
Queenie
. In the show she appears with Dionne Brown, who takes the lead, alongside Samuel Adewunmi as Frank Ssebendeke II, and Tilly Keeper as Darcy Pike.
The Family Roots That Launched Her Into Music
Bellah’s early life set the course for her musical path. She was born in Enfield, North London, on November 15, 1996, and grew up with her single mother. Her uncles frequently played 1990s R&B — artists such as Destiny’s Child and SWV — which left a lasting mark on her tastes.
Her formal introduction to performing came at age four, when her
mother signed her up for musical theatre
. That early training fueled her enthusiasm for music and led to her first studio visit at ten, where she recorded a cover of Mary J. Blige’s
Be Without You
.
Her mother and uncles played a big role in shaping her musical interests
A pivotal experience came when she attended a Beyoncé concert; the performance had a profound impact and convinced her to commit fully to pursuing music.
Her determination soon opened doors: after performing at a local festival she was offered management on the spot. That team enrolled her in artist development, providing the structure she needed to grow.
Bellah
, and her honest, melodic writing style quickly gained attention. She has since worked with producers and artists including Conducta, Liv Dawson, and Courage.
With guidance from her management, she refined her songwriting and developed as an artist, and in 2019 she began putting out music.
Breakthrough Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
During the global COVID-19 lockdowns, Bellah’s career accelerated rather than stalled. She put out an EP and two singles in that period, releases that helped raise her profile significantly.
In 2020 she issued the single
Something U Like
, a track that fuses modern sonics with the classic feel of R&B. It
received tremendous support from Spotify
and landed on multiple official playlists, bringing attention from outlets including British Vogue, BBC Radio 1Xtra, and Capital Xtra.
Her 2022 EP,
The Art of Conversation,
tackles intimate subject matter—most notably her experience with Sickle Cell Disease on the song
Cause U Can
—and showcases collaborations with producers such as Ari PenSmith and Sons of Sonix.
With her most recent project,
Adultsville
, Bellah has continued to assert herself as a distinctive voice and a leading figure in the UK R&B scene.
Aiming to Be the UK’s Leading R&B Voice
She wants to establish herself as a standout figure in the UK R&B landscape. Motivated by her Nigerian background, she hopes to build a success story that can inspire young Black girls.
She highlights clear contrasts between the R&B industries in the US and the UK. In her view, the UK’s limited size and tightly knit scene can sometimes make public support between artists less forthcoming.
She also notes that a number of gifted songwriters choose to move to the US, where their talents are more readily acknowledged and rewarded.
Moreover, she feels that a reluctance to work together and unnecessary rivalries are holding the UK scene back. For R&B in Britain to reach its potential, she argues, there must be stronger collaboration and a greater sense of unity among artists.
Bellah in Three Self-Descriptive Words
How Bellah Separates Her Stage Identity from Isobel
In a recent interview, Bellah described a clear split between her onstage persona, Bellah, and her offstage self, Isobel. On stage she’s purposeful and strategic, carefully shaping her career with the goal of becoming a household name.
Offstage, Isobel is more tender and reflective, guided by a wish to uplift others. That sensitive, inner part of her imagination fuels the ambitions she pursues as Bellah, creating a push-and-pull that informs both her art and her life.
She separates her public image from her private self. (Source: Instagram)
Bellah also frames her creative work around faith and contemplation. She
starts every session with a prayer
, a ritual she says helps set a calm, focused tone. Beyond that, she finds ideas in shared meals and deep conversations, drawing on everyday moments and honest exchanges. Working with a close circle of producers and songwriters, those conversations frequently become the seed for her songs.
Turning Her Music Career Toward Acting
Bellah, celebrated for her moving lyrics and engaging performances, has been a professional presence in the music scene for many years. She recently expanded her creative pursuits to include acting, announcing on Instagram on May 16, 2023, that she would appear in the series
Queenie
.
Now that the series has been released, both longtime fans and new viewers are looking forward to seeing her on screen. After winning listeners over with her music, Bellah is poised to make an equally memorable impact with her acting.
How She Uses Music to Reveal Herself
For Bellah, songwriting is an intimate, personal practice. She says the process often begins around food and conversation rather than with a plan.
“I never go into a session and say, ‘Let’s write a song,'”
she explains.
Rather than starting with a hook or a concept, she prefers to talk—asking,
“How’s your day been? What are you going through? Who’s hurt you?”
Those questions help her tap into feelings people might not otherwise voice and give her material to shape into music.
She channels her emotions through her music. (Source: Instagram)
Her aim is to write songs that make listeners feel recognized and to address the loneliness many people carry. She cites SZA’s album
Ctrl
as a key influence for its honesty and emotional impact.
