Yaiza: Below-ground local indie pop
By Sheroog Kubur, November 2 2022—
For a singer with only three tracks to her name, underground indie-pop artist Yaiza keeps appearing in places. She’s made her strides through several music projects before making a solo debut, but each of them were the precursor to this version of her music. Her most recent single, “Perfectly,” is an amalgamation of what makes her version of indie pop so refreshing.
“Perfectly” is a track written in retrospect — using the idea of a breakup as the thematic starting point. While Yaiza isn’t going through those feelings, the song was used to peer into the worst case scenario of her current relationship. It’s a testament to not only her songwriting but also the creative process of an artist always looking for a way to reinvent themselves.
“It was very interesting to try to write about something that hasn’t happened and that you don’t really want to happen,” she said about the creation of the track. “The lyrics came from the thoughts I wrote down when we’ve been close to breaking up, so although it’s not true, I think it’s still a genuine song based on real feelings.”
The song takes on the indie pop direction that Yaiza has recently been embracing. Following the dissolution of her previous music project, Thank God It’s Not Friday, after moving to Calgary to further her education, the direction of her music shifted drastically as well. While Thank God It’s Not Friday maintained their edge, sounding more reminiscent of indie-guitar pop and lyrics echoing twenty one pilots’ early more verbose approach, Yaiza opted to embrace a more traditional pop-oriented sound.
“With this new music I’ve tried to make some decisions in my songwriting that I wouldn’t have made when trying to write alternative music,” she said about this new direction.
This approach has offered more of a polished direction to music production. Since focusing on her solo work, Yaiza has honed in her music production skills to become the most clean version of a pop artist. This includes perfecting her approach to recording and, funnily enough, embracing the imperfections of the creative process.
“Most of the time I come up with guitar melodies by trying to learn actual songs and getting it wrong,” she said about her process. “You know how AURORA’s ‘Cure For Me’ is allegedly inspired by the Mario Kart Coconut Mall song? That’s successful songwriting right there. It’s what I aspire to be.”
Acting as a true creative, Yaiza is also responsible for her own videography, directing and producing the video for “Perfectly” and her upcoming single. Filmmaking came before music production, starting from the pre-teen age when everyone was learning how to film and edit videos with the intention of becoming the next biggest YouTube sensation. Eventually the two worlds came together to see her complete creative vision through to the fullest extent.
“I knew from the beginning that I wanted to make the music videos for my songs, and I’ve never even considered not being a director at the same time as a musician,” she said about her directorial background.
As an artist beyond music, Yaiza is impressive to say the least. She knows her creative vision and has the skill to see it through, taking time with each facet of her project to make sure it’s the best possible version. The video had a clear aesthetic vision, feeling like a nostalgic ode to the good old days of the breakup and her music is crisp without feeling forced. It’s a version of indie pop we haven’t seen before — one that rejects the homegrown aesthetic and jumps straight into professional-grade quality.
As to what you can see next, the creative process can’t be rushed. Another single is expected to release sometime soon alongside the announcement of a full-length LP. Until then, Yaiza encourages listeners to support her on streaming platforms like Spotify.
“I’m so underground I have like two monthly listeners. And you could be one of them,” she said about supporting her music. “Listen to my music and let me be your little secret.”
Sheroog’s Recommendations: “Perfectly” to get the full Yaiza experience and “My Last Sunset” by Thank God It’s Not Friday for a fun compare and contrast activity.