Chloe qisha: the pop girlie ready to conquer uk festivals
Forget the endless scroll; a new name is about to dominate your playlists and festival fields. Chloe Qisha, the 27-year-old artist who’s been quietly building momentum, is poised for a major breakout this summer, and UK audiences are about to get a serious dose of charm and catchy hooks.
From supporting sabrina to headlining stages
Qisha’s ascent has been steady, marked by a high-profile support slot for Sabrina Carpenter at BST last year and a coveted spot on BBC’s Sound of 2026 list. Now, she’s setting her sights on the Isle of Wight and Reading festivals, ready to unleash her vibrant sound and captivating stage presence. But don’t expect a standard pop performance; Qisha promises direct engagement with her audience, hinting at a playful flirtation that mirrors the energy of her US shows. “I do a lot of chatting and flirting in between the songs,” she reveals, “and the US crowds will shout stuff at me and they’ll flirt right back. I love that kind of energy.”
Fashion as a clue: decoding the 'qisha' aesthetic
The artist’s recent US tour offered more than just music; it was a curated fashion statement. Each night featured a different slogan tee, seemingly dropping cryptic clues about her evolving artistic identity. “I was really particular about the outfits for this tour,” Qisha explains. “Fashion can be very divisive and used in a very good way, especially for budding artists.” The aesthetic, she says, is about establishing a clear visual identity, a “uniform” as recognizable as Charli XCX’s signature booty shorts and sunglasses. Her tour look? A graphic baby tee paired with chaps—a bold declaration of intent.
Pop music's new echelon & the double standard
Qisha isn’t shy about addressing the lingering stigma surrounding pop music. She points to last year’s collaborative powerhouse, “The Powerpuff Girls” (Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Charli XCX), as a turning point, elevating pop to a new level of cool. “But you will still get your annoying boy who loves ‘insert your British indie band in the 90s here’ kind of vibe,” she concedes with a wry smile. However, she dismisses the negativity with a shrug: “You have to be a different breed of human to be a hater, because, a) who’s got the time? And b) the industry is saturated with so many artists and so many different kinds of music that fit every shade of genre, that if it’s not for you just move on.”
And the expectations? They’re a minefield, especially for young women. “They 1,000 per cent do,” she asserts. “The bar for pop girlies is unusually high. Especially with the virality of TikTok, there’s no grace for growth. People expect Addison Rae to come out of the gate singing like Beyoncé, but then also dancing like Tate McRae and then also giving 20 years’ worth of experience all packed into one.” She contrasts this with the relative leniency afforded to male artists—a simple t-shirt and jeans can launch a male performer into “King” status, while a female artist’s boundary setting is often perceived as diva behavior.
'Surprise, surprise': raw honesty in a catchy package
Qisha’s latest release, “Surprise, Surprise,” is a deeply personal track. It explores the complex emotions of returning to a relationship that’s ultimately unhealthy, and the often-self-inflicted blame that follows.