Born in Sheffield, England in 1973 to a family of musicians and performers, cellist and singer Izzi Dunn (born Isabel Dunn) took up the cello before she was 10 years old. Devoting herself to a musical education that culminated in matriculation at Trinity College of Music. She developed a taste for hip-hop and soul to go along with her deep roots in jazz, and this led to her playing with a variety of acts including Duran Duran and Wookie before launching her solo career with a self-titled 2002 EP. Her debut album, The Big Picture, followed in 2003, earning strong reviews for its sonic variety, as well as for Dunn’s lyrics, which showed the influence of singer/songwriters like Joni Mitchell. She continued to work with such high-powered stars as Madness and Gorillaz while continuing her own sonic experiments on her second LP, 2010’s The Cries & Smiles Album, which leaned heavily into modern beats and rhythms. 2017’s Recycle Love earned praise for its examination of societal ills.
