LA-based indie-pop artist BEL (Isabel Whelan), originally hailing from the small town of Clovis, CA, blends a folk songwriter's heart with the alluring polish of a classic pop artist. Raised in a bilingual household as the youngest of five, she first found her creative footing in theater, choir, violin, and harmonizing in the car with her Argentine mother to '70s icons like Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, and Stevie Nicks. Her journey from DIY beginnings to full-time musician wasn’t seamless——quitting a 9-to-5 came with plenty of doubt——but BEL’s leap of faith now defines her journey.

Well before she ever earned accolades from Sirius XM, Rolling Stone, NPR, numerous Spotify playlists (for her Muscle Memory, Jet Lag, and Read the Room EPs), BEL’s validation came from the fans she’d meet while performing live as a UCLA undergrad — and later, opening for indie acts such as Cold War Kids, Boyish, Gatlin, Girlhouse, BAILEN, and The Rare Occasions.

Now with her debut full-length, Holy Grail (via Nettwerk), reflects this ascent, centered on "letting go of expectations and trusting the process of chasing your dreams." The album, featuring collaborators like labelmate Miya Folick, Sarah Tudzin of Illuminati Hotties, John Mark Nelson (Suki Waterhouse, Shaboozey), and executive producer Jason Vance Harris (Role Model, Juliet Ivy), explores navigating doubt and finding optimism, as heard on tracks like "Fresh Start" and "Parachute." 

Inspired by life on the road and life's lessons, her songs, like the bilingual "Amor," are drawn from personal experiences. Despite challenges, BEL's inherent hope, informed in part by her brother’s rare genetic condition, carves a resilient spirit into her art and outlook. Holy Grail is a testament to perseverance and finding fulfillment in what you have while chasing your aspirations.