Interview: Issac Ryan Brown on Leaving His Mark
Interview & Photos by Yising Kao
Read our April issue featuring Issac Ryan Brown on the cover HERE!
Raised in Detroit, Issac Ryan Brown has been making a name for himself as an accomplished actor and artist. From starring in America’s Got Talent to the hit Disney series Raven’s Home, and other shows such as Blackish and How To Get Away with Murder, Brown is a remarkable, multi-faceted performer. In addition to acting, Issac Ryan Brown is also passionate about creating music inspired by Pop and R&B artists such as Michael Jackson and Usher. With his new singles, “Lipstick” and “End of the Season,” Brown has kicked off a new chapter with songs that are electrifying and energetic.
First of all, I want to talk about your latest single “Lipstick.” It’s an amazing single and your music is just so positive and always puts me in a good mood. You’ve mentioned it’s about asking your crush to leave their mark on you like a logo where everyone can see it. So how do you want to make your mark in the music industry and what message do you want fans to take from listening to your music?
That’s such a good question. I just want my sound to be unique and to touch people in a unique type of way. Obviously, there’s only so many different notes and so many different ways records can be assembled. I want my music to definitely impact people on a different wave and hopefully that’s what we’re doing.
You’ve also incorporated a lot of choreography into your music videos. How did you get started with dancing and is that something you want to continue to incorporate into your music and performances?
Yeah, I started dancing when I was maybe 12 or 13. I was a little bit chubby at 12 or 13 and put on a little weight so I was looking for ways to stay active and do different things. And also at the time, like with Raven’s Home I started doing musical episodes and I started doing music videos on my own, and just putting my myself in class. I never was a consistent dance class go-er and that’s how you get better at dance. That’s the next step, going to Millenium and just grabbing a package, you know what I’m saying, just locking in. For me, it was more so I just picked up things I saw and things that I learned. I watched a lot of Michael Jackson, watched a lot of Usher. And then at some point I just started dancing. But I’ll tell you why I really started dancing, it was at Amazing Grace Conservatory, when I turned like 13 over that course of that one summer. Because we did so many types of dance; It’s a conservatory not far from here so make sure you guys check it out. We went over tap and hip-hop and ballet and I just got to dabble in a whole bunch of different styles of dance.
That’s amazing, it’s always fun to try new things and take dance classes.
Yeah I’ll try to be honest, sometimes I forget what happened in my life, I’ll be having to put the pieces together, but that’s where I really started dancing, that summer.
I also want to talk about “End Of The Season”, your other recent single. I love it and the way you combine pop and R&B elements into your music. How did you craft your sound from your debut EP My Eyes Only to your new music?
Like I said, I’m always just trying new things, looking to evolve and grow. With My Eyes Only, I made that when I was like 18, I was fresh out, just had got my money, I was in the gym, you know what I’m saying, trying to do a lot. And I still love that EP. I actually performed, not really toured, it was around the country doing different schools and things, more so in the South. The new music kind of arose over a process that was happening over two years. I started working with those guys in late ’23 or ’24. And that’s when we started cutting our first records and I was just so busy creating my own stuff and finding my own vibe as an artist, which I needed about 6 months to a year to do, to really find out who I am and what I wanted my music to sound like. So that, once I did start working with the fellas and we started having serious conversations about the project and maybe an album and doing things the right way and scheduling releases, that kind of developed on its own.
I love how you posted videos about your recording process in the studio and mentioned how you’ve been taking a new approach. How do you constantly challenge yourself with any co-writers or co-producers and take new inspirations from?
Yeah, I would say, just honestly, being super humble and knowing nothing. Like having experience but when you’re working with people who have been doing things and, that’s why it’s important to have a trust and rapport with your team as well. Like, I work with these guys – Wayne and Ally, we write songs, and we develop melodies and things like that. And I have producers like Arnold and Chris. We’re so open-versed with our communication that those types of relationships just develop automatically. And when you feel the information and the musical knowledge coming from people that you feel like you can trust – I feel like I can go sings a music note but y’all tell me to go sings a music note in a different key so I’ll go that way.
Yeah, it definitely helps having an amazing team you can trust.
Raven’s Home is an iconic spin-off of That’s So Raven. What was it like working on such an impactful show for people who grew up watching Raven’s Home and also inspiring the younger generation of this new Disney era?
You know what, it was very strange, probably for the first season of our show. Because people would always compare me to Orlando and always compare our show to That’s So Raven. But I want to say around Season 2 or 3, I really started to feel the love from our generation, ‘cause that’s when we were doing a lot of the D23 stuff and going and reading in schools and going to participate in all the anti-bullying events and stuff. And events like those, made me feel like, ok people recognize our show for our show. Obviously, the experience was incredible for me. I basically grew up on that series. We did 6 seasons, I started when I was 11 and ended when I was 18. I was a fresh 18 so it was strange going into the world as a man now out of high school. Love that show, love that crew and everybody involved in that project.
And obviously you got an Emmy nomination for that, so that’s an incredible accomplishment.
Yeah that was one of my favorite weekend Los Angeles trips ever. It was just a quick turnaround, I was here for 2 days but it was the best 2 days of my life.
You were on America’s Got Talent at age 6. Was there a specific moment where you fell in love with singing and acting growing up that made you want to turn this into a career?
I don’t really look back on my preparation on my stuff very fondly ‘cause my mom was like, very strict on me rehearsing. Rehearsals only became fun to me when I started running my own rehearsals and like, having music that I wanted to perform and do constantly. But before that, it was kind of just, even acting-wise, just me going into a corner and just focusing on locking in. Except with music, you just have to sing and perform and do it. But I would say a moment when I knew I fell in love with music, was probably, I want to say around 2009 when Michael Jackson passed away. From just kind of being around old people in the house and my granny’s house and stuff, I knew Motown music. But when Michael passed away, it came back in a flood and it just, I don’t know, it was nuts. I had to be 4 years old but when I was 6 I did AGT so you can see I’ve been watching him for a little bit at that point. I think that’s kind of what inspired my love.
You’ve also acted on a variety of shows such as Blackish and The Sex Lives of College Girls. What types of shows or films would you want to act in next?
You know what, this industry is so picky. Like, when I was younger, I was like, I only want to do this or I only want to do that. But now I feel like, the most beautiful part about being an actor, or the most important part about being an actor, is longevity. So I just want to be part of productions that stay with people. I feel like Raven’s Home stayed with people just because of how iconic it was. So, I mean, maybe it’s another sitcom, maybe it's movies, but whatever it is, I will humbly await the blessings that God has awaiting me.
I love that, it’s important to take on projects that mean a lot to you.
Yeah, and hopefully projects that are done well and mean a lot to other people as well. Beggars can’t be choosers!
Do you have a favorite show right now?
Right now, I’m watching My Hero Academia from top to bottom.
I haven’t watched it but I’ll have to check it out.
What upcoming projects can we look forward to?
I don’t have any details or specifics on anything just yet but definitely check out “Lipstick.” The visualizer is out right now, it’s all on my Instagram and TikTok, @issacryanbrown and I don’t know when this comes out, but I’m on a new episode of NCIS on the 31st of March!
