#216 - yaya bey INTERVIEW

Listen/Watch on: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube

Today’s guest, New York's yaya bey, is as talented as they come. Her unique take on R&B is propelled by a gorgeous voice, and the ability to shift to smooth effortless raps whenever she feels like it. But it’s the intangibles with her music that really make her art special to me.

Throughout her entire catalogue, she carries a grounded, worldly perspective to her music that feels both intelligent and authentically her own. She possesses an innate ability to infuse so much soul, vulnerability, and emotion into her songs - she really gets me in my feels to say the least.

In this episode, we discuss lessons she’s learnt about the industry so far in her music career, the public perception of her art, and the making of 2025’s do it afraid, and her brand new album, Fidelity, dropping April 17... two albums serving as companions to one and other, that are surely some of the best R&B I’ve heard in recent memory.

—

*timestamps provided for YouTube version

The Plug (1:20).

The Interview (2:49).

yaya’s musical background (4:12).

Most important lessons about the music industry (8:10).

yaya’s political consciousness in her art (13:01).

Key R&B inspirations (19:02).

Conveying emotion in music (23:53).

Finding her voice (27:34).

yaya’s rap abilities (32:34).

yaya’s headspace when creating do it afraid (36:22).

The mission statement guiding Fidelity (44:57).

Expressing ‘fidelity’ on Fidelity (48:27).

The bright and lively instrumentation of Fidelity (52:58).

One thing yaya is grateful for from her music career (54:57).

Upcoming tour dates / merch (56:32).

—

Buy/stream Fidelity here.

Follow yaya bey on Instagram here.

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

Video animation by: Big Flowers