Chris Isaak

The Profile

American singer-songwriter and actor known for a retro-leaning blend of rockabilly, pop and country. Debuted with Silvertone (1985) and broke through with Wicked Game (1989); active since the mid-1980s.

Known for the hit Wicked Game, which gained wide attention via David Lynch’s Wild at Heart and an iconic Herb Ritts video; often compared to Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley; also released Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing and fronted The Chris Isaak Show.

Two reviews circle Isaak’s halo around Wicked Game: one revels in its dreamy melancholy and crooner lineage, the other questions the 1991 compilation’s purpose. Influences from Elvis and Roy Orbison loom large, as Isaak’s velvet gloom meets radio sheen. Expect beauty stitched to heartbreak, and a side of skepticism about packaging success.