Making waves with the release of her single ‘Las Mariposas’ earlier in the year, Ivelisse del Carmen is back as she spotlights her latest single, ‘An Ocean in Between’. A seamless blend of Puerto Rican passion and Latin American beauty, the track looks to propel Ivelisse as a rising talent. The London-based artist’s latest offering is her first release performed in English, marking the beginning of a bold new chapter.
Navigating the singles acoustic strums with finesse and charm, ‘An Ocean In Between’ offers a world brimming with charisma and magic. Keeping the track light-hearted and detailed, the single couples the pop-tinged nature of indie with the heart-laced texture of contemporary folk. Genres have never tied Ivelisse down, and ‘An Ocean In Between’ showcases her unfiltered creativity and rawness in her writing. In addition to vulnerability, the track is underpinned by its triumphant chorus, complete with singable melodies and feel-good Spanish guitar lines.
Discussing the track, Ivelisse explains:
“‘An Ocean in Between’ is about that space in a connection where you’re already emotionally involved, caught up in the daydream, but still unsure of what it really means or where it’s going. I wanted it to feel like the moment in the photo that inspired it – sweet, silly, full of possibility. I wanted it to make people dance.”
Drawing on sonic references from Spain and Latin America, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Ivelisse del Carmen is a distinctive artist whose passionate approach to music-making has garnered the attention of listeners worldwide. Now based in London, her work has been praised in the past for its evocative melodies and sensual vocals, toeing the line between ecstasy-filled energisers and romantic, sensual ballads. Her classically trained soprano – light, expressive, and fluid across genres – embodies her refusal to conform. “I will not be boxed in,” she says, not as a brand slogan, but as a personal manifesto.
After more than a decade in New York—performing everywhere from open mics to libraries to festivals – her most pivotal transformation came after a difficult period in Brussels, where she stopped making music altogether. “I didn’t bring my guitar. I lost my voice – literally and metaphorically.” Moving to London marked the beginning of a slow and deliberate return to herself, supported by medication, therapy, and EMDR treatment. “The medication turned the volume down. Therapy helped me listen again”. Mental health became not just a theme, but a foundation. “You can’t write honestly unless you know yourself,” she says. “You have to be brave enough to sit with your own mess. To ask for help. To start again.” It’s no coincidence that her most authentic music emerged in London, during her Master’s studies at ICMP, where she stripped away years of external judgment. “Now I write with intention. Not for validation. Not to fit in. Just to be heard”. She emerges in 2025 with new music on the horizon, looking to cement herself as a unique, defiant talent.
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