Just Yola Spotlight

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Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:00

I woke clean. I wear my hat, like a jacket, the biggest like a phone, it's still happy. Oh no, it's just a tree. I will be right. Talk to myself like I got it right. That's restart it's like a five wig. I think you're gonna break down the big bow. I think that's how we fall for this bell. I woke up with the way of the world on my mind today. But the pressure the light brings, it's easy to be in the dark way. I won't let my control my mind. Don't stay home. Oh stay home. And let's go stay strong. It's a day sound. And it's all bad. Divisions I see. And the blessings keep going from the lights here softly.

SPEAKER_03 4:21

We love it.

SPEAKER_04 4:30

They totally went in love with them. At the Santa I see the stars alive in just a little time. And it's all right.

SPEAKER_03 4:50

It's a new day, it's a new life, I'm again. I'm again. It's a new day, it's a new life, I'm again. It's a new day, it's a new life, I'm again mine.

SPEAKER_05 5:06

It's a new day, it's a new life.

SPEAKER_01 5:15

We're tapping in with the powerful voice coming straight out of the Bay Area. A singer, a songwriter, a storyteller whose sound blends souls, emotions, and real life experiences into every note. From singing at just the age of three to performing across the country and building and growing a catalog of heartfelt music. She's walking fully in her purpose. We're talking about none other than just Yola. Oh, how you doing today? So we're gonna title this interview Note from the Harp, The Rise of Jessica Yola. So we're gonna start off, you know, when you started singing at three. What was your earliest memories of of music?

SPEAKER_05 6:06

Church. Of course.

SPEAKER_00 6:09

Yeah, I was my mother, definitely my family's heavily in the church, and they had me in the choir. I was singing a hymn, had the hymn book upside down, I'm singing every word. Just ever since I could utter words successfully, I've been singing, and my family poured into me, and as a result of that, you know, I think anybody can sing, but I the the God in me is is saying that it's you know it's different. It hit a little different for myself and I you know, I'm pursuing it. So that's my earliest memory.

SPEAKER_01 6:41

So how did you know that it was a uh because some people say uh in church is talent, but how did you know that you had a gift?

SPEAKER_00 6:51

You know, honestly, people told me I was gifted. I really didn't know until I was told. And then as I continued to study music and listen to music, I realized that my voice was unique. And that's how I just kind of came into it. I was actually told that I was gifted. And then I I realized on my own through listening to other music, like, oh wait a minute, I can I can actually sound similar to that. Or, you know, and I can I can make my own of that. You know, at first you start out imitating other vocalists. Um for me, it was Aretha Franklin, it was, you know, it was Shaka Khan, it was Brandy, it was, you know, those type of old school type songs that I liked to s to sound like. And so there you have it, you know. I just realized that, oh wow. And and then the reaction I got from people when I sang, I was like, oh, okay. That's when I realized that it was it was special.

SPEAKER_01 7:44

All right. So I guess so. What makes your voice and storytelling tell stand out from today's RB females and and other artists?

SPEAKER_00 7:57

Well, I think we live in a world that is, you know, where a lot of people have, you know, a different kind of talent. They're trying to sound really modern where I'm leaning into like the older sound. You know what I mean? My sound is and it and it's you know, and I don't I don't want to take away that I have some modernized uh lyrics, lyrics that I come up with and modernized note choices as well, but I do lean into the fact that I have this type of contralto type vocal, which not a lot of people do. They leave that to the church. Well, I'm you know, I am allowing that to be on the forefront. I'm not, you know, hiding it or trying to sound like anybody. I'm just sounding like me. Some people say, hey, you sound like an eating baker. I was like, oh, really? Oh my God. You know what I mean? Like, that's amazing to say that because she's a legend, right? You know, when people give those type of comparisons, like for me, at being a true vocalist and someone that really loves singing to hear that type of stuff is just phenomenal. So that's what makes me stand out. I lean into what makes me great, and I do, you know, I try and keep up with the times with my lyrics and stuff like that, but I still play honor to those that, you know, that really shined to me in our industry.

SPEAKER_01 9:15

Right. Because I know I listened to a lot of your your like ballast when you're just out in the street and all that, and I was like, yo, she she really confident in what she what she's doing, and and I can see that the grinding and you hustling out there to try to be great. What type of advice would you give to like a artist that is just, you know, they're trying to start out and they they they want to be where you're at and and do what you're doing?

SPEAKER_00 9:42

That's a great question. And I think the main thing is get out your own head, right? And just be consistent. You know, for years, you know, I sat on some really great music. And then when I linked with my current team that I work with, it's like we don't delay what we have. We don't sit on anything, we are strategic about it, but we put the music out. And I think that that's amazing. And that's the reason why I'm consistent with those, like you said, in the street hustling. I you will always see a cover from me. You always see content from me every single week, because I put out a cover of me singing something. And something about familiarity, it doesn't matter if it's something that I was, you know, put out before I was born or if it's a current song, I'm still gonna sing it and bring my own spin on it. And so my advice would be be consistent. It doesn't matter, is if you feel like you have the gift to do it, do it. Stop sitting on it, don't wait, just go ahead and do it. You know, if it's meant to manifest into something greater, I feel like I'm a everybody say, Oh, you you gonna make it. I made it already. I'm living the dream, I'm living the truth by doing it, you know. Whether or not a million people realize it or a hundred or maybe even a thousand, you know what I mean? I'm living my truth right now, and that would be my my advice to the up-and-coming artist. Stop sitting on that music, just go ahead and put it out, just do it. We all got phones, smartphones, you know.

SPEAKER_05 11:06

Right.

SPEAKER_00 11:08

If you don't got a I don't know a person with a rotary, I don't know one. I agree.

SPEAKER_01 11:12

You you're right about that. Because a lot of artists out here, they they want to come on these platforms, and sometimes they have music that they sit on, and it's like, or either they put post it and then one then they're upset because it's like, hey, I've been posting it. I posted it one time. And out of that one time, I I don't I didn't get the reception I I wanted. And I always tell them, like, hey, you know, you gotta be consistent because just post it one time, you know, if if other people are posting more than you're posting your own stuff, then in my opinion, that's something's wrong.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

Exactly. And like I said, you will find me. I'll reach back to the a year ago when I started posting covers and I will put it on my story. I will put it on my story, and I'm consistent with that. So definitely consistency. Like you said, I mean, I'm not posting something one time expecting it to pop. I don't have a machine, I'm independent. So everything that I do, all my interactions, every thing I post, I physically do that. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 12:14

Right.

SPEAKER_00 12:15

That's me. There's no bots.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

And and I like that because unless you're coming from the Bay Area and all, and I know it's a lot of artists out there that's doing the same thing. And I know even with being a woman, I know that y'all kind of have it harder than men to put out music and all that to be taken seriously in the game. So also, like, what advice would you give to like, you know, female artists that's trying to start out here to do it the right way?

SPEAKER_00 12:45

I would say stay in your own lane, be in your own strength. You know, the thing of it is, and this is just my personal opinion, I could never be a man. I don't have masculinity, I don't have it, it's just not me. And so I leave from where I stand, right? And it doesn't take away or dull anyone else's shine as a man. You know, there may be a bro family where you guys are gonna contribute to each other. I love that for you. You know what I mean? But for me, I'm gonna be in my lane and do what I do best. And I'm telling you, and I'll say this with my full test, the God in me is amazing. So I really don't worry about anything that anyone else is doing other than me, and it shines through and it allows me to propel. And when you kind of like don't allow other things, like don't manifest negativity and you stay in a realm, it happens. I promise you, it happens. You just really have to believe that and really have to stand in that. And it's not the easiest thing to do, and I won't pretend as though every single day is cookies and candies and positivity for me, but we always refocus, we redirect, and we get back in it, and we just stay where we stand. And whether you're man, woman, child, dog, cat, or lizard. You like it, you're gonna like it.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

Right.

SPEAKER_00 14:01

And I love that for you.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

Hey, I hey, I like, I like that right there. You know, I know you you grow you growing up in the Bay Area, and you know, uh, how did the environment shape like your sound and your music?

SPEAKER_00 14:17

The Bay Area's sound is so unique, and I always want to honor it. And so when I get into the studio with my team, we really do want to respect the fact that this is where we stay. And so we let a lot of the music that the Bay Area inspire, you know, what we do. My most recent, one of my most recent releases, the one that we released day ones on January 1st. That song is to fire the Bay. We made sure that our future artist is from the Bay, like Kamaya is just a powerhouse in the Bay Area. So I really want to make sure that when I move and show the world who I am, that they know that, hey, we from the Bay. This is what we do. We diff we rock a little different out here. A little town. Yeah. But yeah, so that's how I kind of let it shine. Just really let honoring it. We have a particular, we like bass lines and all the business. So you go hear that in my music for sure.

SPEAKER_01 15:10

Yeah, because I I like day one. I've been listening to a a lot of your other music because you you kept that that West Coast feel, but then you also took it to like a, I'm gonna say like a scissor type of feel. Yeah. And then you you took it to like you took it to old school back to Arita and all those all all those pioneers in the game. So I see that you like you're real versatile in the game, and and that's a good thing. And so I just like like to commend you for that and just keep keep pushing and doing doing higher what you're doing because we need more indie artists out here that's that's you know conf confident in what they're doing and really want to get heard out here because even doing what I'm doing now, I started to realize that there's a lot of indie artists out here that's either they're sleeping on either their own gift or they're they have music and they're not being heard. So it's good that when you you get these platforms to have artists like yourself to come out here and you listen to the music, you're like, damn, this is some this is some some fire. Why are we not hearing this on like you know other other platforms, you know? So even I I listen to Sirius XM and they have the little 11 o'clock night for the indie artists, and then you give them a spot for that hour, but it's it's more indie artists out here. So it's like sometimes I get confused. I'm like, hey, it's more than hearing the same songs in rotation. So just want you to keep on pushing.

SPEAKER_00 16:40

That's an amazing call out, and I think that it's we have a responsibility as indie artists if we want to be heard to keep that going. You know, we don't have all of the muscle that comes with, you know, a major label that's gonna push us out to the masses in that way. But our consistency, our making sure that we hit the independent podcasts, the independent, you know, radio stations, those are the people that are gonna fall in love with you and stick with you. And if you hit them enough times, you know, people will hear, you know, and so that's our strategy for making sure that we earn and gain a good, solid following. It's not paid for. This is something that we do. And people like yourself, once you, you know, once we connect, we're connected. I'll always listen to your podcast, I'll always be on your show and rooting for you and whoever artists that you are. It's the domino effect. So we believe in that.

SPEAKER_01 17:30

Yeah, same, same here. Like I tell all the artists that that come on, tell them like, hey, if you if you're dropping something, send it to me. I have a since I have a station now that I can push music when I want to, send it to me so I can push it. If you got like an EP coming out, you know, let me know. So we can come back on here again and and pretty much we can you know drop that on on on on here and then I you know drop it so that people can hear what you was what's going on. I think one of the things that got me involved, I'm a drummer, but one thing was it was a lot of indie artists I I that I knew that were in situations that they wanted to get heard, but it was either if you want to get heard, you know, you gotta give us $50 and we'll t hit you up to the top spot or we'll do this. And a lot of people like, hey, you know, I don't have that type of money. And do I really know if you really push my stuff? So like I I I tell people all the time, I don't I don't joke about numbers. I don't I don't tell people, hey, I I'm I got uh 100k uh listeners and nothing like that. I'm starting out. Uh but I I do tell people like you send me the music, I'm definitely gonna get it pushed and it's gonna be in rotation and being and be heard because um we we need uh we need y'all to because a lot of even a lot of mainstream is now going indie to to keep the money in their pocket. So uh because it's it's it's cut through out here, you know. So but like you've been you've been all you've been all over, you know, touring and and things. Do you have like a memorable event that you've done?

SPEAKER_00 19:15

Yeah, actually one of my favorite events that I've done was uh probably Miami. There's so many places that I've been, it was just so fun. But actually, let me bring it current. I'll bring it current to this project. I don't want to reach too far back. Last year I had the amazing honor of performing at the shrine in New York, right? And so it was just so nostalgic, it was just such a beautiful place. I've been to New York before, but we actually went there for Christmas time, you know, just kind of get that experience. And so the crowd was just awesome. We ended up linking up with one of the artists from my unreleased CP. And so he came to the Bay Area and he was just like, you know, let's let's collab. And he ended up, you know, we had a song already recorded. He ended up coming in the studio and just legendary type stuff. He performed just in 20 minutes, spit his verse, wrote a verse. It was just incredible. So I've definitely that's one of the most memorable situations because I performed there and through performing there, I met the next artist that's gonna be on my upcoming up-and-coming full-length project called Landa.

SPEAKER_01 20:33

All right. Love connections and alignments, I like it. Yes. So how do you how do you with with all that you've done, how do you keep the like the humble part of it and still, you know, look at it as, hey, I I haven't arrived. I still have much more to do.

SPEAKER_00 20:53

You know, I am a caregiver. I got kind of a couple years ago, my mom got sick and we found a tumor in her brain. She stopped being able to talk, and we, you know, called 911 in the hospital, and they found a golf ball-sized tumor calcified in her brain. And my dad was supporting my grandmother in Virginia and because she has dementia. And so I had to swap with him and take care of my grandmother, just me and my grandmother with dementia, not knowing much about the disease. And I always pride myself on being a humble person, you know, my my parents poured into me, manners and everything. But when you care for someone that is not able to do certain things, not able to think logically, or not able to just do in general, it keeps you humble. And I will always, no matter what I do, just YOLA or what per whatever profession or career that I have, I will always be humbled by that. And I will always be a caregiver at heart. And so that is the the the the thoughts that I go to. And ever I feel like, oh, I'm singing myself off. No, there's always someone that needs you and needs your support. And so I stay humble. I do. I really do. And the thing is, I know what I have. I know that that the gift in me is so powerful. And I it could be any, it could be any, I could be any kind of person, but my character is is is a caregiver. And so that's how I stay humble. And I I love that question.

SPEAKER_01 22:28

All right. So I have here you was you've been inspired by legends like Tony Braxton, Brandy, and Jasmine Sullivan, and so many other ones. What did each of them teach you with the art?

SPEAKER_00 22:47

You know, it's, and I'm gonna say this, it's attention to detail. And when I say that, I mean how you in your notes and how the finesse of the feeling. The way that Anita Baker or Tony Braxton, because they're I have a bottom, right? My voice is is kind of deeper, right?

SPEAKER_05 23:08

Right.

SPEAKER_00 23:08

The way that they wield that on, the way that they choose the notes and the way that they perform that on the track, it's always been so inspiring to me. So that to me translates to attention to detail because when you're in the booth and when you sing, you could sing it straight. You can sing it however you want it, but it's a God in you that allows you to choose certain notes and specific. And so when I listen to those vocalists, the emotions that I receive, the powerfulness of the lyrics, whoever it is that wrote the lyrics, whether it be them or whether it be somebody else, they delivered it that way. And that takes effort and that takes a gift. And so those are the kind of inspirations that I get from Jasmine Sullivan, Brandy, Anita Baker, Tony Braxton, Aretha Franklin, Shaka Khan, is how they deliver. And those are the same type of emotions that I want my listeners to feel. Those emotions that those vocalists give me when I hear their music.

SPEAKER_01 24:06

All right. So how do you how do you connect with like when you perform it with your audience to keep the the realness of what you what you uh deliver on stage?

SPEAKER_00 24:19

You know, I let my voice do that. I really do. I let my voice do that. I do, you know, I do connect with my audience, I do, you know, perform it, but I know that what I do is comes natural. It's not trained in me. It's really how God has gifted me to be. And so I really let my voice do that emotionally. And I've connected with so many different audiences, and I've had, oh my goodness, you know, you sound amazing. And you know, I just through my vocals, that's how it does it. So I know that probably that made me it's a god in me, truly.

SPEAKER_01 25:00

Yeah. So we're gonna you mentioned songwriting became a sanctuary. What does it what what does that mean to you?

SPEAKER_00 25:12

Well When I first started singing, I was more of a melodic writer, right? I can melodies, melodies flowed out of me, right? In the past year, since I started, you know, caregiving, couple years, right? I needed a channel for what my words, right? And I collaborated with a team of writers, and I realized that I'm really a good writer. I'm really a good writer. Like I have some amazing lyrics and some amazing things to say. And so it just became something that we love to do and that I love to do with collaborating, whether it be I write the lyrics by myself or whether our team writes together, or there's edits within the singing. It's just it's a sanctuary for us. We live for the moments where we can get in the booth and get into an area or space where we can just write. And some of them come in the shower, and some of them come laying down in the bed, but it's all extraordinarily beautiful. So that's where it becomes a sanctuary piece. We we live for every every session we have and every opportunity we have to create.

unknown 26:19

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 26:21

So you you have also dropped a holiday EP this Christmas with you. What inspired that project and dropping it on 11, 1125? What was the significance behind the date?

SPEAKER_00 26:36

Wow, that's a great question. You know, when I originally dropped my first EP, Notes from the Heart, there was a lot that went into that and it was kind of containing my voice. I wanted to be, I didn't want to stretch myself too much. I wanted to be able to sing the songs better than live, better than what I put it down, right?

SPEAKER_05 26:59

Right.

SPEAKER_00 27:00

That makes sense. Like, you know, I holler too much on it on the on the EP. Although, you know, I have a natural gift, so you can hear a big voice girl. This inspiration for Christmas is that I really wanted to have a Christmas EP, I should say, we of our own. We wanted to hear just Yola singing Christmas carols. That's what we wanted. We wanted, we love Christmas. It's one of our favorite holidays. We didn't want to have to listen to any other artists. We wanted to listen to our stuff for Christmas. So we said, let's do Christmas. And the thing about doing Christmas is that those songs live forever. They never date. And so it was really strategic for us. And we wanted to put it on a date of a date of expression, a date of intention. And 1111 is a date of intention. So that's an angel day. And so what we did was we said, let's go ahead and put it on this day and let's give it to the world on that particular day. We did a couple of visuals for our originals. I sang my living ass off on that EP. So I don't expect anyone here in the month of May to pull up the Christmas and listen to it. I'm not trying to run up those numbers. But when you come to this Christmas, if you want to feel warm and fuzzy, you want to love a California Christmas, and you want, you know, just get under a fireplace with your loved one and listen to some singing. That's definitely one of my favorite, favorite EPs that I put out.

SPEAKER_01 28:31

Yeah, because I listened to a couple of songs. I was like, all right, that's all right, she got something here. Uh so yeah, so y'all, y'all make sure y'all, y'all listen today because it's some it's some it's fire. So check that out on iTunes, Spotify, wherever she got it at. Yeah. Make sure you put it on your your playlist. Uh yes, thank you. So uh so where we are, we're preparing, so you're preparing for your full length album in 2026. What can your supporters slash fans expect from this new new venture or chapter that you're gonna drop?

SPEAKER_00 29:07

You can expect versatility, you are gonna be in your fields. I promise you that. It is homegrown, lyrically strong. If you got somebody, you're gonna fall in love. If you're with the wrong person, you'll probably quit them. Or you'll think about it. Um yeah, I'm gonna put you in. It's very versatile. It's stretching my vocals, it's giving you everything. And I don't even know if I'm done with it yet, to be honest with you. I have several songs that I'm creating, but I do want to make sure I'm right about the rollout. I want to be intentional about that, and then also I just want to make sure it's the right timing so that it's presented well. So we're gonna hit you with quite a few singles before we drop the actual, you know, full length to make sure that you're ready, you're geared up, and you're excited about hearing it. Because we are introduced about it.

SPEAKER_01 30:00

All right, you know, you know, you know the deal. When you when you done with those those singles, send them over to me so I can I can I can uh drop them drop them for you. Yes. So that's what that's what we do over here. What is your process of when you create music?

SPEAKER_00 30:16

So it's I have individuals that I write with. We normally get together and we come up with concepts. We have best friends that have concepts and they feed us what hey, this is what I want you to write a song about. And they get and and for sure, our best friend in Arizona and already day ones, that's her concept. I live that lives with her every day. You know, I get I thank her for that because she was like, you know, let's write a song about best friends. Let's do it. We've been the friends since we were in high school. So she's my best friend's best friend. So she, you know, her experience, my experience with my best friend, we all best friends. And so that's where day ones came from. And we, you know, first we start with the hook. It just really depends on what the feel is. There is no specific, I mean, sometimes it'll be my best friend writing lyrics in the shower. This is a song you need to sing. She doesn't sing at all. So then now my responsibility is to help bring a melody to those lyrics, right? And hear what she's in her head so that we can collaboratively come together and make something that sounds beautiful and it works. And so it's one of those things, it's incredible because she will not utter a vocal. I've never heard her sing. Not a Hama Note. But I promise you, if you made some songs, I was like, is that what you were hearing? Yeah, that's what I was hearing. Oh my God. So I mean, it's it's or it could be me. I have a concept and I have some lyrics that I want to write, and I will the we'll come up with the beat in the, you know, or there might be a pre-made beat. It's like we don't spit to stick to any one way of doing it because it all works for us. We don't always have a complete written song. Part of my team is in the studio where I actually work out of. He also contributes to our writing style. So a lot of times we may have a completely written song and we want his young ear on it to make sure the lyrics are fresh and modernized as well. So we just really depend on each other and count on each other to make sure that what we're putting out product-wise is the best for my vocal as well. So it's kind of our process and it's fun and it works for us.

SPEAKER_01 32:24

So I like uh how you talk about uh your team being a support when you shout out them for everything that they do. How important is your team, your circle that that helps you along the way through your journey?

SPEAKER_00 32:40

My team is everything. My team is just YOLO, 100%. I I definitely, if I were left on my own devices, I would be screaming all the time. It is something to be said about allowing yourself to be edited, right? Allowing someone to hear you and say, try it this way. You know, and it's a beautiful thing. So I always give it to accolades to my team for their contribution. I know I'm a vessel in that way, and I appreciate everything that they do to support me. They don't have to do it, but they believe in me and they believe in what we're doing. And so I always want to make sure that it's acknowledged that I do not do this by myself. I don't, I do when I'm on stage, I'm by myself. If I'm in myself, but you know, I'm always there to wipe my little tears and but you're doing your thing.

SPEAKER_01 33:40

So you you you you know what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_03 33:42

Yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 33:44

So, what does success look like for you long, short, short or long term?

SPEAKER_00 33:50

Um I'm living in it. I'm living in success for writing and doing it. Doing it. A lot of people, oh, success is you know, having a million followers or having a, you know, all of these particular things, but you have to live in it before you can be it, before whatever it is that you want to see. So we live in it every single day. We're literally living the dream. We we don't let anything impede us from being successful at this. If we find or feel that anything is is directly impacting what this is, we immediately pivot. And some things pivot just on their own. Like, hey, we had a session, it was canceled. And that session got canceled because it was something else in store that was going to build up the brand. So in success right now, I love that question. And it's a great question because people quantify it based on how many followers or how many shows you got. No, it's qualified by what you do on a daily basis, and we live that success every single day. And as we continue to do this, it continues to display itself. Being here with you, having this schedule, having this conversation is a success. And so I'm excited about everything else that's coming for us.

SPEAKER_01 35:00

I like that. I like the positivity that you have too, and that that's gonna take you a long way. And like I see you, you know, doing your covers, put your music, and and I I wish a lot of indie artists would do the same thing that you're doing. Because I know sometimes, you know, it gets frustrating that you know you might not look at the likes or the or the followings, but you still keep doing what you're doing. I know as a you being an indie artist, is it a discouragement when you push push your covers or your music and you don't get the I guess the support that you that you looking for?

SPEAKER_00 35:41

You know what? Once upon a time, I felt way, I'll be completely transparent. I thought that my family, because my family's the one who started, and I'm not talking about direct family and or anyone in specific, but uh in general, we have these like expectations where we think our family, because they're the ones who telling us we can sing, are gonna like, share, and comment everything you do, right?

SPEAKER_05 36:03

Right.

SPEAKER_00 36:04

And I found that, hey, wait a minute, where are they? You didn't what okay? So now I realize that no, every like, comment, whether it be family, friends, or whoever it is, has to be earned. They have to like it, right? Yeah, and so I've changed my perspective and so that whether I get two views or 2,000 views, I'm excited that you saw it, you liked it. It's real to me because we, this is not a bot. This is not any kind of, this is a a real, real, the real people work behind this, you know, every single thing. So I really don't get disappointed anymore. It was a learning lesson for me that I even had those expectations, but it was a great lesson because now I, you know, some of my covers have over, you know, 10, 20,000 views. And now I have some covers that only see 2,000. You know what I mean? I'm like, hmm, what did I do then? That was a you know what I mean? So trying to be consistent. The formula is not always 100% sound when it comes to that, because you could put up same quality type stuff, but maybe it's that song that just wasn't. The algorithm is low in the place. True. But at this time, I never get discouraged. I just always forge on and always can remain consistent, always try and learn ways to improve, and that's what keeps me motivated. I don't let the views, the likes, comments, and the interactions impact what I do.

SPEAKER_01 37:33

I like that. And if you keep keep doing it that way, you're gonna be you're gonna be great out here. So we we come into to the to the end, but you know, I like to hit hit artists with rapid fires. So your favorite studio vibe.

SPEAKER_00 37:48

Favorite studio vibe? Like song?

SPEAKER_05 37:52

Sing in the studio? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:57

Ooh. You know what? I I really enjoy. I actually recorded a cover, Rapture. I did that, and that was my favorite song to sing. It's tremendously difficult to sing any Anita Baker songs, so I hate it for years. I hum it to myself, and then all of a sudden, you know, one day I was like, you know, no, let me do a cover. And I went in the booth and I started singing it, and it was like, wow. And now when I listen to it, like if you go on my page, you'll hear me singing Rapture. I'm like, oh okay. I no, I know Anita Baker, but she can sing the song.

SPEAKER_05 38:29

Right. Your dream, your dream collaboration.

SPEAKER_00 38:36

Oh I would love to collab with Brandy. I would love to collab with Jasmine Sullivan. I would that would just, oh, I don't even know what I would do with myself. Chris Brown. Everl.

SPEAKER_01 38:54

Well, hey, Chris Brown, Brandy, Jasmine Sullivan, or Neil Baker. If y'all out here and y'all y'all want to collaborate, hey, hit her hit just y'all up and she ready. So so if y'all ready, she ready. So let's let's let's go.

SPEAKER_05 39:12

Let's go. So one word to describe your journey.

SPEAKER_00 39:19

One word I would say amazing. Simple word, amazing. My journey has been phenomenal. It's been amazing, it's been it's really kept me grounded and that wasn't one word, but No, are you good? You good Yeah, it's been it's it's been in the dream.

SPEAKER_05 39:41

I like that. What is your go-to song that defines you? Bloom again.

SPEAKER_00 39:50

A song you played in the beginning. That is that that is a love letter to myself. And it lets me know that when I'm broken down and when I'm not necessarily at my best, I'm gonna bloom again. I'm definitely coming back. You know what I mean? So we all have our moments where we're not, you know, uh necessarily positive. And I really do put a lot, make a lot of effort to bring others' positivity and stay positive within myself. And then when I find that I'm not, I have people around me that'll say, Hey, I don't know what's going on, but you've been living in a negative state lately. What's happening? And so I have to redirect and find myself again, and that song does it for me.

SPEAKER_01 40:28

Okay. So we're gonna we're gonna let you have the floor to do some shout outs and tell people where they can, where your fans and supporters can find you at on social media and where can they find you at find your music at?

SPEAKER_00 40:43

Thank you. I you know, I could shout out so many names. I'm gonna keep it simple. My I'm gonna shout out to my team. If you are on my team, you know who you are. And then I want to shout out my family. My family knows who I am. You can find me on Google, you can find me on Instagram, you can find me on TikTok, you can find me in any platform, anywhere you can type a word by typing J-U-S-T-Y-O-L-A. You will find just YOLA in all my music, which is just a piece of who I am. So shout out to AD Miller.

SPEAKER_01 41:20

I appreciate it. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 41:23

I appreciate you.

SPEAKER_01 41:25

So I appreciate your time. You know, this is just YOLA represents everything real music stands for passion, vulnerability, growth, and purpose from the early beginnings to building a powerful catalog and stepping into her next chapter. Her journey is only getting started. Make sure you tap in, follow her movements, and stay locked in for her upcoming uh 2026 album. This is more than music, this is purpose in motion. So I appreciate your time and I thank you for taking this interview with me.

SPEAKER_03 42:01

Thank you. I appreciate you.

SPEAKER_05 42:08

All right. Bye bye.