On new album, Clovis-born songstress Bel is on a quest for her 'Holy Grail'

Plus, Poor Man's Poison teases new EP and some crazy thing happened at The Big Fresno Fair

Oct 19, 2025

Isabel Whelan is on a quest.

It’s the thematic underpinning of her aptly titled debut album, “Holy Grail,” which dropped on Friday via Nettwork Music Group.

“I wanted so many things for my life and career,” says the Clovis-born (now Los Angeles-based) indie-rock songstress, who writes and performs as Bel. “That all seemed so out of reach.”

The album’s dozen songs are an archive of the singer’s hopes, dreams, joys, sorrows, and self-reflections on her “quest for the Holy Grail.”

“Everything is paired to a visual world that references my childhood dreams and my background in theater,” she says. “ ‘Holy Grail’ gives a window into what it feels like to go all in on your dreams and surrender to the unknown.”

Which is what Whelan did when she began her solo career as Bel in 2017.

There have been pay offs.

Since 2021, she’s earned a following with a trio of EP and extensive run of live performances in cities across the country as an opening act for Cold War Kids (among others) and on major festivals like Ocean’s Calling and BottleRock.

“I got to see Green Day live for the first time at Ocean’s Calling and had a spiritual experience,” Whelan says. Her parents didn’t let her see the band when they played at the Save Mart Center in 2005. She was in fourth grade at the time.

“So, this felt like the coolest way to finally get to see them.”

Putting efforts into a full album allowed Whelan to be intentional with her music in a way hadn’t been before. “I’ve released EPs in the past and always wanted them to feel cohesive, but for this album I was especially intentional about telling my story,” she says.

“I had so much fun with the production portion of the album,” and playing with the textures and transitions in between songs.

It also allowed her to work with artists like Sarah Tudzin (Boygenius, Illuminati Hotties), John Mark Nelson (Suki Waterhouse, Shaboozey) and others.

You can check out the video for the title track below.

Even with the album out, the quest continues. There’s promotion to be done and another album to be written.

“I’m hoping to get on a cool tour next year too,” she says.

“It would be great to open for artists playing in big rooms and continue to grow an audience.” Hopefully, that includes her hometown. “I’ve really been wanting to do a hometown show for so long,” she says.

“Strummers would be sick. Fingers crossed, I can make that happen.”

What’s Poor Man Poison got cooking?

Poor Man’s Poison is teasing new music.

In a series of vague Instagram posts, the gothic/Americana/folk band has given us a title (“Promised Land”) and a date (Oct. 24) and not much else.

But sifting through the comments, you’ll find:

1.) The release will be an EP and …

2.) People LOVE this band and want this new music and also for them to go on tour (they haven’t really played live since 2019).

This is the band’s first set of new music since it’s collaboration with Travis Brooks last year and a follow up to “The Great Big Lie,” released in 2023.

‘Get the f**k off the stage,” or what you missed at The Big Fresno Fair

So, Mario was at The Big Fresno Fair on Saturday, heading the R&B Night Out concert, which isn’t something you’d typically catch Vibe reporting.

Of course, we live in a world where everything gets filmed, so we get headlines like this: Mario Apologizes After Telling Cameraman To “Get The F**K Off The Stage” During Show.

According to the story, Mario stopped the performance to berate a cameraman, apparently telling him “Get the f**k off the stage, ni**a.”

The R&B crooner apologized following the show and explained the mental headspace he was in as a performer. He didn’t know anyone would be filming the set when he arrived 10 minutes before showtime. And before the outburst he had, at several points, been distracted trying to keep track of the cameraman in his peripheral vision.

Per a screenshot of the Instagram story: “To the camera man, you got caught in the cross fire my boi and I’m sorry u had to experience that! It was nothing personal. You’re welcomed to come and shoot me on tour it will be ‘Nothing But Us’ tour and we can do it the right way!”

Bandgeeeek!

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