NEW FACES
EMBRACING THE HIDDEN MELODIES:
AN INSIGHTFUL CONVERSATION WITH YARAH
on the importance of anonymity, the influence of Toronto's energy on her sound, and the power of vulnerability in her artistry.
BY NADIA DAYEM
You've chosen to keep your face hidden online. How important is anonymity to you?
I’d say the reason I’ve chosen to be anonymous is definitely important to me. Being a woman in this industry, in my earlier stages, it was tough being taken seriously and separated from who I was and the way I looked versus my music. Remaining anonymous has helped people focus more on the music.
Have you received any backlash or pressure to change this from your fans/your circle?
I get told to reveal my face every day, ahaha. It's definitely something I'm used to hearing now!
Has your decision to remain anonymous affected your music in any way?
Yeah, definitely. Although I don't plan to remain anonymous forever, it feels weirdly safe to expose some of my deepest stories and experiences in my music when my identity is hidden. I definitely won't hold out after I do the reveal, though, hahah.
So many great R&B artists have come out of Toronto. Are you influenced by the sound of any of these artists? By the city?
100%. Toronto has such a unique energy. I feel that although my music may not sound like all the music that comes out of here, the city definitely has had an influence on the energy in my music and my experiences. It's hard to explain but impossible to get around.
Vulnerability in music - is it something you find difficult sometimes or does it come naturally?
I think I have a love/hate relationship with vulnerability. In a sense, being vulnerable can be the hardest but best thing you can do in a creative career. That's where the real art is.
Let’s talk about your EP "Just for Now." Can you speak about the vision you had going into it and how the recording process turned out? Also, the themes and what ties it together?
"Just for Now" was kind of an accidental EP. At the time, I was really just recording to share some of my experiences and work on my sound, and suddenly it was clear there was a common theme, and a project was forming. The main message I want listeners to get from the project is that whatever your situation looks like right now, relationship-wise, career-wise, money-wise, etc., it’s really just for now. Things are ever-changing, and the best is yet to come.
What’s the biggest challenge you think up-and-coming artists are currently facing in terms of getting their music out there?
I'd say the constant need for content has hindered the creative process for a lot of artists, including myself. It's really not enough to have great music anymore; the industry really wants to see artists blow up on TikTok or other socials before they take a chance on them. So I think that's been the biggest challenge for a lot of artists who just want to make good music, be themselves, and focus on the art.
What can we expect next from Yarah?
Definitely more music for sure hahaha, I know it's been a minute. But it's on its way, and it's going to be realer and more personal than anything I've dropped before. Definitely some exciting stuff on the way.
Interview edited for length and clarity.
