Although she is only a junior in high school, singer, actress, model, and humanitarian Isabelle Dubroy has already had quite the journey. The bubbly creative sat down with PositiveVibes Magazine to talk about her early beginnings and current aspirations, sharing details like who it is that fuels her purpose and what route she hopes to take next in her career.
“Coconut Mama” and “Confidence”
Dubroy grew up in Greenville, North Carolina — a long way from Los Angeles and its entertainment scene. But, in a house full of music, moving, and grooving, the young creative quickly found her love for the entertainment industry, even while 3,000 miles away from its heart. Dubroy shares that, at just six years old, she was inspired by her musical environment and tough yet kind-hearted mother to write the song “Coconut Mama.” A giggling Dubroy explains to PVM that her younger self chose to compare her mother to a coconut because, like the tropical fruit, she is “hard on the outside and soft on the inside.” Later, at around ten years old, Dubroy wrote the song “Confidence”; she cites this as the project that pushed her to pursue music seriously, kickstarting her journey.
A Big Heart and “Super Big Hair”
According to Dubroy, her mother inspired not only her music but also her humanitarianism. The creative describes her mother as a genuine soul and someone who is always looking to give back. Thus, witnessing this “soft” side of her mother when she was just a child, a young Dubroy decided she wanted to be a part of her mother’s humanitarian efforts. So, she and her mother began working together within the Greenville community to provide donations and services. These acts quickly evolved and led to the establishment of Dubroy’s foundation, Isabelle’s Heart Foundation.
However, while Dubroy was busy making positive changes in her community, she was also experiencing negativity at school. Dubroy recounts her time in middle school, where she was bullied because she looked different from most other students. She had “super big hair” that attracted attention; she sometimes felt excluded or pressured to change herself. As one might expect, Dubroy turned to music for comfort. Indeed, she wrote a song during this time called “Flawless,” which “is all about accepting your flaws and who you are.” The young creative notes that her personal experiences and this particular song marked the beginning of her anti-bullying activism. After the release of the “Flawless” music video, Dubroy started gaining more exposure. Though she admits she still has a long way to go in her career, she is pleased knowing that her music affects people, no matter how many; a positive effect on one person can positively impact the world. “I feel like we all have to look out for each other in this world and try to spread as much love as we can,” she says.
Junior Year and Juggling a Career
Today, Dubroy is a junior in high school residing in Los Angeles. As her journey continues, so does her altruism. For example, Dubroy and her foundation now work with local homeless shelters and food banks. One specific place the caring creative frequently volunteers at is LA’s Alexandria House, a transitional residence for women and children facing homelessness. There, Dubroy performs several acts of kindness, such as donating clothes and engaging in fun activities with the children. In fact, despite being so young herself, Dubroy states that one of her primary passions is helping youths. Therefore, she often visits and donates to underserved elementary schools as well. All of her humanitarian work, Dubroy mentions, ties in with her uplifting music. She is ultimately trying to help people in different ways.
Of course, as a teenage girl, Dubroy still has to attend school. Luckily, she is enrolled at a small private school for individuals in the entertainment industry. Dubroy explains that her school is flexible, adjusting to students’ lives and dismissing them earlier than the typical school might. This lax schedule allows time for students’ professional obligations, such as events, performances, and auditions.
Dubroy’s “Why?” and “What’s Next?”
Certainly, working performers know every audition will not be perfect and that they cannot get every role or secure every gig. On this topic, Dubroy offers advice to those who may struggle with rejection and its effects on their mental health. She understands rejection is difficult to handle, as it can prompt questions harmful to one’s self-image: Why am I not good enough? Why didn’t they choose me? When these and other negative thoughts arise, Dubroy says she tries to remember that everything happens for a reason and that something better will be offered to her later on in her journey. Additionally, she reminds herself of her fundamental “why?” That is, she refocuses on why she began working in the industry and in her community: to help others. In some cases, she simply has to stop and give herself a break. During this break, she may paint, sketch, or even talk to someone about her struggles to relax and ease her mind.
Ultimately, Dubroy recognizes the importance of mental health in aspects of life beyond one’s career. Mental health is “everything for everyone of all ages” and “not something to be ignored” because it is “what makes you try to be your best self,” expresses Dubroy. For that reason, she strongly believes that mental health should be discussed more in schools, especially with children’s growing access to social media and the Internet, where cyberbullying becomes an issue. In the future, then, the young creative hopes to talk more about mental health when visiting elementary schools. Like this, on the road to success and superstardom, Dubroy wishes to continue serving her community in a way that promotes a more self- and socially-aware generation with a new perspective on mental health.
