A Conversation with: yianna

AFTER A FEW DAYS SPENT CRUISING AROUND BROOKLYN AND SITTING IN ON SOME STUDIO SESSIONS WITH YIANNA, I CAN TELL YOU SHE IS THE REAL DEAL. NOT ONLY DOES THIS GIRL HAVE ONE OF THE STRONGEST VOICES I’VE HEARD IN A WHILE, BUT SHE IS ALSO EXTREMELY DETERMINED, HARD-WORKING, AND PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING MUSIC. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN FOR A CONVERSATION WITH YIANNA AND DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO HOW SHE FOUND MUSIC, NEARLY JOINING THE MILITARY, COPING WITH THE UNFORTUNATE REALITIES OF BEING AN EMERGING FEMALE ARTIST, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING VULNERABLE WITH YOUR ART.

COLE JANETEAS: HOW ARE YOU? WHAT ARE YOU UP TO TODAY?

YIANNA: UM, I WOKE UP AT LIKE, 5:45 THIS MORNING BECAUSE MY FRIEND IS STAYING OVER AND SHE GOT LOCKED OUT FROM MY APARTMENT. BUT AFTER THAT I COULDN'T FALL BACK ASLEEP AND SO I JUST STARTED LISTENING TO A BUNCH OF PODCASTS AND DOING RANDOM WORK. I'M NOT IN THE STUDIO TODAY. I WAS IN THE STUDIO YESTERDAY I HAD TWO SESSIONS AND THEN TOMORROW I'M BACK IN AGAIN. I MIGHT GO OUT FOR BRUNCH, I DON'T KNOW YET.

CJ: WHAT DO YOU DO ON YOUR DAYS OFF IF YOU'RE NOT WRITING OR YOU'RE NOT WORKING YOUR DAY JOB?

Y: I LIKE TO GET AS MUCH WORK DONE AS I POSSIBLY CAN ON THOSE DAYS, BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO STEP AWAY FROM TIME TO TIME. SO, FOR ME I REALLY LIKE TO WALK FOR HOURS AND HOURS AROUND BROOKLYN AND I NEVER REALLY HAVE A PLAN AS TO WHERE I'M GOING. BUT I ALWAYS STUMBLE UPON SOME COOL, DIFFERENT SPOTS. SO YEAH THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I DO IN MY SPARE TIME. I SHOULD READ MORE.

CJ: I GUESS BEING IN BROOKLYN IS GOOD FOR THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN ALWAYS WALK OUT AND HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON.

Y: EXACTLY.

CJ: HAS THE MOVE TO BROOKLYN AFFECTED OR INFLUENCED HOW YOU GO ABOUT DOING YOUR THING?

Y: I MEAN, IT'S DEFINITELY MADE MY LIFE LIKE 10 TIMES EASIER, BECAUSE I CAN JUST HIT UP MY FRIEND AT LIKE, NINE O'CLOCK, 10 O'CLOCK, 11 O'CLOCK, YOU KNOW REALLY LATE AT NIGHT AND BE LIKE, HEY, LET'S GET IN THE STUDIO. WHEREAS BEFORE, I WOULD DO THE SAME THING KIND OF, BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO DRIVE BACK AND FORTH TO JERSEY AND I WOULD JUST BE SPENDING SO MUCH TIME TRAVELING. THE TRAVEL DEFINITELY TOOK A TOLL ON ME, SO IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO JUST BE NEARBY. I MOSTLY WORK AT THE STUDIO THAT'S LIKE TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM ME SO IT'S SUPER CONVENIENT. I'M ABLE TO GET MORE WORK DONE HONESTLY AND HANG OUT WITH MY FRIENDS. SO IT'S COOL.

CJ: WHAT KIND OF MUSIC ARE YOU INTO THESE DAYS?

Y: I'M LISTENING TO A LOT OF CLASSIC JAZZ. LAST NIGHT AND THE NIGHT BEFORE I WAS JUST ON REPEAT LISTENING TO NINA SIMONE. I FEEL LIKE FOR A WHILE SINCE I WAS WRITING POP SONGS AND I WAS WRITING THEM FOR PITCH, THAT I KIND OF IN A SENSE, I DON'T WANT TO SAY LOST MY ROOTS, BUT I DEFINITELY GOT SIDETRACKED ON SOME OTHER STUFF. AND SO, I'M DEFINITELY JUST TRYING TO GO BACK TO WHERE I STARTED AND WHY I LOVE MUSIC. SO YEAH, DEFINITELY JUST BEEN LISTENING TO LIKE A LOT OF OLD SCHOOL JAZZ AND R&B LIKE DONNY HATHAWAY.

CJ: WHERE DOES YOUR MUSIC TASTE COME FROM?

Y: SO GROWING UP, MY MOM ALWAYS PLAYED A LOT OF R&B MUSIC. SHE ALSO REALLY LIKED DISCO. SHE WOULD GO TO LIKE STUDIO 54 AND ALL THESE CRAZY PLACES IN NEW YORK. MY DAD WASN'T AROUND A LOT BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS WORKING, BUT WHEN I WAS LIKE PROBABLY AROUND LIKE 15 OR 16 IS WHEN HE WAS THE ONE THAT REALLY PUT ME ON TO EDA JAMES, SAM COOKE, AND ALL THESE SOUL SINGERS. THE REASON MY DAD CAME TO THE STATES IN THE FIRST PLACE IS BECAUSE HIS DREAM WAS TO SEE LIVE JAZZ MUSIC AT THE BLUE NOTE. WHEN HE EVENTUALLY CAME HE ENDED UP MEETING MY MOM, AND YOU KNOW, HE STAYED HERE. MY MOM CAME HERE WHEN SHE WAS SUPER YOUNG. BUT YEAH, I THINK LIKE, INHERENTLY I WAS JUST LIKE, SUPER INSPIRED BY THEM. OBVIOUSLY, I GREW UP LISTENING TO A LOT OF POP MUSIC. AND WHEN I WAS PROBABLY AROUND LIKE 16 I WENT THROUGH A SUPER ANGRY PHASE AND I ONLY LISTENED TO ROCK, LIKE THAT WAS IT. THAT'S ALL I WOULD LISTEN TO. I'VE KIND OF LISTENED TO ALL OF IT. I MEAN I WOULD LISTEN TO LIKE EDM AND WENT TO EDC WHEN I WAS LIKE 17. I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD DO THAT NOW, BUT AT THE TIME IT WAS, IT WAS FUN.

CJ: THAT DIVERSITY SHOWS IN YOUR MUSIC. OF COURSE I'VE HEARD THE TRACKS THAT ARE OUT AND I'VE BEEN LUCKY TO HEAR SOME NEW STUFF IN THE STUDIO, YOU SEEM TO ADAPT VERY WELL TO DIFFERENT SOUNDS AND IT NEVER SEEMS OUT OF PLACE.

Y: I LOVE SO MUCH MUSIC AND SO MANY GENRES. YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ONLY WANT TO LISTEN TO THIS OR ONLY THAT, BUT FOR ME, IF I LIKE IT, I LIKE IT, I DON'T CARE. IT COULD BE THE CATCHIEST, CHEESIEST POP SONG EVER, BUT IF IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD, THEN I'M GOING TO LISTEN TO IT. SO FOR ME, THAT'S KIND OF BEEN A CHALLENGE. I FEEL I COULD GO IN SO MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS WHICH CAN BE DIFFICULT. SO IT'S REALLY JUST BEEN ABOUT DECIDING AND PUTTING MY FOOT DOWN AND BEING LIKE, ALRIGHT, THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO AND WHAT I'M GOING TO SOUND LIKE. SO THAT'S HONESTLY BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF ALL THIS FOR SURE.

CJ: WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A MUSICIAN?

Y: I SANG A LITTLE BIT GROWING UP AND I DID CHOIR A BIT. BUT, TO BE HONEST IT WAS BAD BECAUSE I HAD REALLY BAD STAGE FRIGHT. I ACTUALLY ALMOST PASSED OUT ONCE WHEN I WAS SINGING IN CHOIR. I HAD THIS LIKE SOUND THAT I COULD KIND OF MAKE MY VOICE YOU KNOW, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO USE IT. SO I JUST THOUGHT, I CAN'T SING LIKE THIS. I'M NOT DOING THIS. THEN WHEN I WAS A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, MY FRIENDS WERE LIKE, “YO, YOU SHOULD DO THE TALENT SHOW!” AND I DID AND I SANG "FEELING GOOD" BY NINA SIMONE.

BUT, MY PLAN GROWING UP WAS ACTUALLY TO BECOME A COP. SO WHEN I WAS FINISHING HIGH SCHOOL I WAS PLANNING TO MAYBE DO AN ARMY ROTC PROGRAM OR EVEN ENLIST STRAIGHT AFTER HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE. SO I MET WITH ALL THESE ARMY RECRUITERS AND ONE DAY I CAME HOME AND MY MOM FOUND ALL THESE ARMY MAGAZINES STASHED UNDER MY BED. AND SHE WAS LIKE, "YOU WANT TO GO INTO THE ARMY?! YOU'RE CRAZY!" SO SHE WAS LIKE, “YOU NEED TO GET A HOBBY AND YOU NEED TO GET YOUR MIND OFF THIS.” SO, MY DAD HAD A FRIEND THAT WAS A MUSIC COMPOSER AND BASICALLY HE SAID, "YOU CAN MEET WITH THIS GUY AND HE HAS FRIENDS WHO ARE VOCAL COACHES, SO HE CAN HEAR YOUR VOICE FIGURE OUT WHICH VOCAL COACH HE FEELS IS BEST FOR YOU." SO I REMEMBER I WENT TO THIS GUY'S HOUSE, AND I WAS SO PISSED OFF. THEN I GOT IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE AND I SANG AND IT WAS THE WEIRDEST, MOST INSTANTANEOUS MOMENT WHERE I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOD, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO DO. AND SO I STARTED TO WORK WITH PRODUCERS A BIT THEN, BUT IT WAS MOVING VERY SLOWLY AND SO I DID END UP GOING TO COLLEGE BRIEFLY. I WENT TO SCHOOL IN PENNSYLVANIA AND THERE WAS NO MUSIC PROGRAM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT SO I JUST DROPPED OUT AND THOUGHT I WOULD START MAKING MUSIC ON MY OWN, BUT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING.

CJ: THAT’S A PRETTY WILD JOURNEY.

Y: YEAH I GUESS I WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT EVEN WHEN I TOOK A BIT OF A BREAK AND WENT TO COLLEGE I THINK I KNEW I WOULD ALWAYS COME BACK TO MUSIC.

CJ: DO YOU FIND THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE VULNERABLE WITH YOUR MUSIC? IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ARE CONSCIOUS OF WHEN MAKING MUSIC?

Y: I MEAN, I HAD SUCH A HARD TIME WHEN I FIRST STARTED SONGWRITING WITH ALLOWING MYSELF TO BE VULNERABLE. THEN I REALIZED I KIND OF HAD NO CHOICE. SO THAT'S WHY FOR THIS PROJECT THAT I'M WORKING ON NOW, IT'S VERY VULNERABLE WITH NO FILTER. NOT IN A WAY THAT'S SAD OR, YOU KNOW, SELF-DEPRECATING IT'S MORE OF LIKE THIS IS WHO I AM AND EITHER YOU FUCK WITH IT OR YOU DON'T AND FOR ME, THAT'S BEEN THE MOST VULNERABLE I'VE EVER BEEN.

CJ: IT'S VERY AUTHENTIC AND IT'S THAT AUTHENTICITY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT IN MAKING ANY KIND OF GREAT ART.

Y: YEA THAT'S AT LEAST WHAT I'M TRYING TO AIM FOR.

CJ: DO YOU EVER STRUGGLE TO STAY GROUNDED OR TRUE TO YOURSELF IN A WORLD WHERE IT IS SO EASY TO SEE AND GET CAUGHT UP WITH WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING?

Y: WELL WHEN WRITING A POP SONG THERE ARE FORMULAS TO WRITING, YOU KNOW, YOU START WITH A VERSE, THEN PRE-CHORUS, HOOK AND SO ON. BUT, IF IT'S COMING FROM A GENUINE PLACE AND A GENUINE POINT OF VIEW, THEN I THINK YOU CAN STILL CREATE SOMETHING UNIQUE. A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST TRY TO FOLLOW TRENDS AND THAT DEFINITELY HAS ITS PLACE. SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN STARTING OUT YOU'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON GETTING INTO CERTAIN PLAYLISTS OR TRYING TO WRITE TO WHATEVER SOUNDS POPULAR AT THE TIME AND THAT'S COOL. BUT, FOR ME I FEEL IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO AT LEAST TRY AND WRITE FROM A GENUINE PLACE. I FEEL LIKE THE RESULT FEELS MORE TANGIBLE AND LONG-LASTING IN A WAY. I'M ALSO JUST A PRETTY OUTLANDISH PERSON AND SAY WHATEVER I WANT TO SAY.

CJ: YOU SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT HOW YOU HAD SEVERE STAGE FRIGHT WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG, BUT I KNOW YOU REALLY ENJOY PERFORMING NOW. HOW DID THAT CHANGE COME ABOUT?

Y: I THINK IT'S JUST ABOUT LETTING GO AND NOT CARING WHICH I KNOW SOUNDS REALLY SIMPLE. YOU KIND OF HAVE TO GIVE YOURSELF THIS ULTIMATUM THAT YOU EITHER ARE GOING TO DO IT OR NOT AT ALL. SO FOR ME, IT WAS JUST THIS DECISION WHERE I HAD GIGGED ENOUGH TO EXPERIENCE THOSE BAD NIGHTS, WHETHER IT WAS SOMETHING I WASN'T DOING RIGHT OR SOMETIMES THE SOUND IN THE VENUE IS JUST AWFUL, BUT YOU JUST GOT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD. SO I JUST TRY TO ENJOY THE MOMENT AND EMBRACE EVERYTHING THAT PERFORMING LIVE HAS TO OFFER. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I'M KIND OF AT A PLACE WHERE I'M DOING THESE SMALLER VENUES WHERE I SOMETIMES DON'T KNOW WHAT I’M GETTING INTO. BUT IF YOU'RE A TOURING ARTIST, THE PEOPLE ARE THERE TO INTENTIONALLY SEE YOU AND YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THEIR SUPPORT. BUT, WHEN YOU'RE STARTING OUT YOU KIND OF HAVE TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE WORTHWHILE. THAT'S THE PART I HATE. I'M NOT TRYING TO CONVINCE ANYONE OF ANYTHING, I'M JUST HERE TO SING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO DO. SO YEA, IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO NOT GIVING A FUCK AND TRYING TO EMBRACE ALL THE BAD WITH THE GOOD.

CJ: YOU'RE ONLY HUMAN.

Y: EXACTLY.

CJ: SO OBVIOUSLY THE MUSIC BUSINESS HAS ITS CHALLENGES AT ALL LEVELS. DO YOU FIND BEING A YOUNG, FEMALE ARTIST PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL SET OF CHALLENGES WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A NAME FOR YOURSELF?

Y: HONESTLY YEA. I LOVE THAT QUESTION. I THINK BEING A FEMALE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT. I MEAN, WHEN I STARTED LIKE, REALLY EARLY ON, I WAS STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING. BECAUSE I WAS YOUNG AND BECAUSE I WAS A GIRL PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ME IN REALLY BAD WAYS AND THOUGHT THAT THEY COULD GET AWAY WITH IT. IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRY TO STOP ME OR TRY TO CHANGE ME OR TRY TO SAY ABUSIVE THINGS TO ME THEN YOU DON'T HAVE A PLACE IN MY LIFE. FOR THE MOST PART, 99.9% OF THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH ARE MEN, BUT I REALLY WISH I WORKED WITH MORE FEMALES.

ANY CHANCE I GET TO HAVE A GIRL IN THE STUDIO TO SING WITH EVEN IF IT'S JUST LIKE BACKGROUNDS OR DO ARTWORK OR PHOTOSHOOTS, I'LL ALWAYS TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY. IT'S STRANGE THOUGH BECAUSE I PERSONALLY IF I MEET ANOTHER GIRL WHO'S AN ARTIST, I'M ALL FOR IT, AND I WANT TO WORK TOGETHER AND HELP EACH OTHER AND I'M JUST DOWN TO SUPPORT OTHER FEMALES. BUT I THINK WHEN YOU ARE A FEMALE ARTIST IT CAN BE CHALLENGING BECAUSE EVERYONE SEEMS TO COMPARE YOU TO OTHER FEMALES AND ALMOST FORCE YOU AGAINST EACH OTHER. IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT WHO'S BETTER, WHO'S PRETTIER, AND ALL THAT BULLSHIT, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION. THIS IS NOT AMERICAN IDOL. THAT IS NOT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. THE MORE PEOPLE YOU HAVE ON YOUR SIDE AND THE MORE PEOPLE WHO FUCK WITH YOUR STUFF, THE STRONGER THAT YOU ARE AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU GIVE WHAT YOU GET, AND YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE. SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE SENDING OUT GOOD ENERGY, THEN YOU'LL GET THAT BACK. BEING A FEMALE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS DIFFICULT. I THINK WE'RE HELD TO REALLY HIGH STANDARDS. EVERYTHING MUSICALLY, BUT ALSO THE WAY THAT WE APPEAR THE WAY THAT WE LOOK. OBVIOUSLY VISUALS ARE AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR MUSICIANS AS WELL, BUT IT ISN'T A BEAUTY PAGEANT. IT IS A TOUGH INDUSTRY FOR EVERYONE, BUT I DON'T FEEL THAT MEN HAVE TO FACE THE SAME KIND OF ISSUES IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. I COULD GO ON FOREVER BUT...

CJ: SO HOW DO YOU COMBAT THAT SORT OF THING? DO YOU FIND THAT YOU GAIN MORE RESPECT WHEN YOU STICK UP FOR YOURSELF OR DO YOU FIND YOU GET MORE PUSHBACK BECAUSE YOU HAVE A VOICE AND HAVE A SAY?

Y: IT DEPENDS ON THE PERSON. IF I DEFEND MYSELF OR I SAY SOMETHING IS CLEARLY WHAT I WANT AND WHAT I NEED IN ORDER FOR MY VISION TO COME ACROSS AND THEY WANT TO ARGUE WITH THAT, THEN I KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT THE RIGHT PERSON FOR ME. BUT SOMETIMES THEY ARE TAKEN ABACK IN A GOOD WAY AND THEY SEE THAT I'M NOT FUCKING AROUND AND THEY RESPECT THAT. THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF PEOPLE I KNOW I WANT TO WORK WITH. SADLY I HAVE A LOT OF CRAZY STORIES WITH GUYS BEING PUSHY OR CREEPY AND ALL THAT STUFF. THE STUDIO IS SUPPOSED TO BE MY SAFE SPACE, YOU KNOW? TO BRING THAT KIND OF SHIT INTO THAT ENVIRONMENT IS NOT COOL.

CJ: YEA THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR.

Y: LUCKILY THE GUYS I WORK WITH NOW ARE LIKE MY BROTHERS AND FAMILY. I KNOW THEY HAVE MY BACK.

CJ: WHAT WORDS OF ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR ANY FEMALE ARTISTS THAT ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT GO AT IT RIGHT NOW?

Y: WELL, FIRSTLY, DON'T BE AFRAID. THAT'S REALLY THE FIRST STEP. IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT STEP AND WITH EVERY STEP AFTER THAT, IT GETS EASIER. DON'T EVER COMPROMISE YOUR VISION FOR ANYONE. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY MORE THAN ANYTHING, EDUCATE YOURSELF ON MUSIC, AND EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE MUSIC BUSINESS. KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO. UNDERSTAND, LIKE, I DON'T CARE IF YOU CAN JUST WORK THE BASICS BEHIND LOGIC BUT, UNDERSTAND AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN, SO YOU CAN RELY ON LESS PEOPLE. I'M A BIG ADVOCATE FOR TEAMWORK, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TEAMS, YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH PEOPLE, YOU CAN'T DO IT ALL ON YOUR OWN. BUT MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE INS AND OUTS OF IT AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC BUSINESS SO THAT WAY YOU CAN ENSURE THAT YOU'RE SAFE AND THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING INTO ANY SITUATIONS THAT ARE NOT SAFE. THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT.

CJ: DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AS A BIT OF A ROLE MODEL?

Y: UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY, I WAS ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THIS WITH SOMEONE YESTERDAY. IT'S SO WEIRD BECAUSE, LIKE, PEOPLE WILL HIT ME UP ON INSTAGRAM DMS AND ASK ME FOR ADVICE. AND I'M USED TO GIVING PEOPLE ADVICE TO FRIENDS OF MINE, BUT WHEN RANDOM PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AND ASK FOR ADVICE IT'S A LITTLE STRANGE STILL. BUT I'M DEFINITELY AN ADVICE GIVER. I'M HERE TO HELP EVERYONE, I'M NOT TRYING TO HIDE ANYTHING, YOU KNOW. SO IF I HAVE SOME INFORMATION I CAN SHARE WITH SOMEONE I HAPPILY WILL. JUST BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH AND HOW TERRIBLE IT WAS, AND I REALLY DON'T WISH THAT ON ANYBODY. SO, IF I COULD HELP SOMEONE I'M HAPPY TO. I DON'T BY ANY MEANS HAVE ANYTHING TOGETHER, LIKE, AT ALL, I REALLY DON'T SO WHY ANYONE WOULD COME TO ME FOR ADVICE, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T THINK I'M A ROLE MODEL. I DON'T THINK I'M THERE YET, BUT I DO THINK I'M A LOT WISER AND JUST SHARPER THAN I WAS AND THAT MAKES ME FEEL SAFER AND BETTER.

CJ: DO YOU FEEL ANY PRESSURE AS YOU START TO HAVE A BIGGER AUDIENCE?

Y: I DON'T FEEL PRESSURE FROM THE LISTENER STANDPOINT BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M AT A POINT WHERE I HAVE THAT BIG FOLLOWING, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I DO FEEL PRESSURE FROM MYSELF JUST BECAUSE I'VE REALLY BEEN WORKING SO HARD AND STRUGGLING FOR SO LONG. AND I'M JUST LIKE, FUCK, I JUST NEED ONE MIRACLE. SO I DEFINITELY FEEL PRESSURE FOR MYSELF. I ALSO FEEL PRESSURE TO MAKE THE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH ME AND FOR ME PROUD BECAUSE WE GRIND IT OUT EVERY DAY AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE JUST LIKE HANGING OUT, SMOKING WEED, AND FUCKING AROUND. WE'RE REALLY WORKING AT THIS AND SO I DEFINITELY FEEL PRESSURE TO COME THROUGH FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME THROUGH FOR ME. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I PAY ALL THOSE PEOPLE BACK, YOU KNOW?

CJ: WELL IF WHAT I'VE SEEN IN YOU SO FAR CONTINUES, WHICH I'M SURE IT WILL, I DON'T FEEL YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. IF YOU STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF, AS YOU HAVE BEEN, YOU WILL BE JUST FINE.

Y: THANK YOU I HOPE SO! IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING AT TIMES, BUT LIKE I SAID I HAVE REALLY GOOD PEOPLE AROUND ME TO HELP.

CJ: SO HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT HAVING THESE NEW TRACKS COMING OUT?

Y: AT FIRST I WAS FEELING A BIT RELUCTANT AND HONESTLY SCARED BECAUSE IT’S PRETTY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I HAVE PUT OUT BEFORE. LIKE I SAID EARLIER I’M A LOT MORE VULNERABLE ON THESE TRACKS WHICH DEFINITELY MAKES THEM MORE GENUINE AND AUTHENTIC, BUT IT’S ALSO SCARY TO PUT THAT STUFF OUT THERE.

CJ: WELL I HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO HEAR BOTH SONGS AND I CAN DEFINITELY SAY YOU ARE MORE HONEST VULNERABLE ON THEM WHICH IS WHAT I THINK MAKES THEM SO STRONG.

Y: YEAH AND HONESTLY IT FEELS REALLY GOOD TO HAVE THEM DONE AND READY TO BE RELEASED. I’VE BEEN WORKING ON THEM FOR SO LONG SO IT’S A BIG WEIGHT OFF MY SHOULDERS. AND I’VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON MY NEXT PROJECTS WHICH I’M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SO IT FEELS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THOSE NOW.

CJ: I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT COMES NEXT.

YOU CAN LISTEN TO YIANNA’S NEW MIXTAPE 1-800-SUPERHORNY ON YOUR PREFERRED STREAMING SERVICE AND BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR WHEN I’M LOVING YOU ON YOUTUBE.