Yianna: Class of 1995
Come, let this soulful smooth dream wash all over and around you. Like a sonic wave of musical emotion. Yianna creates lyrics that speak better than words unspoken and has a memorable voice. Vibration of sound leave their trace long after I listened to Yianna’s single, “When I’m Loving You”. This 2020 single from Yianna’s latest release album, “Class of 1995”, had me slow dancing and thinking of all the love (present and past) that I’ve experienced.
This New Jersey native who recently moved to Brooklyn, New York has a range of influences that contributed to her sound. From the soulful and romanic greats such as Al Green, Etta James, and Alicia Keys, combined with Yianna’s vocal and instrumental history from her teenage years comes a sound that is, as Yianna states, “soulful, honest, and ever-changing”. She has been singing since she was young and gives other creatives some advice:
“It [music] requires a lot of trial and error, but if you are creating because you love it and you have a deep passion for it, then keep going. Try to be authentically yourself in everything you do. Study not only your craft, but study the music business so that you can protect yourself and your art as well as your collaborators…”
This album came about after Yianna wrote the song “When I’m Loving You”. The project is titled after the her birth year 1995. Class of 1995” leaves me feeling connected to Yianna’s lyrics, because she is truthful and forthright about her past connections. There are also these nostalgically groovy moments like track two “Groove with You”, that make you want to dance and sing along with her.
In essence this album is a tribute to all you alternative R&B fans, if you dig the sounds of strong and powerful women with a soulful aura and dreamy thoughtful sounds, this right here is for you. But for real, Yianna got soul in her bones and it shows and shines through on this album. May she continue to create and be inspired. We take her for her time and her art.
Stay tuned for those new tunes on Yianna’s Spotify.
