Song Exploder

Yola - Symphony

Jan 22, 2025

In this conversation, Yola, a talented singer, songwriter, and actress known for her breakout roles and Grammy-nominated music, reflects on her artistic evolution. She shares her journey from the electronic music scene in the UK to her current identity in Americana. Yola discusses her song 'Symphony,' emphasizing themes of self-acceptance and empowerment. Alongside co-writer Sean Douglas, they delve into the collaborative process, exploring how live sessions and experimentation shape their musical storytelling.

24:18

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Episode guests

Yola

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Quick takeaways

Yola's music journey reflects her evolution from underground electronic vocalist to a Grammy-nominated artist asserting her unique identity.

The song 'Symphony' showcases Yola's collaborative creativity, emphasizing joyful representation and challenging stereotypes within Black feminine identity.

Deep dives

Yola's Journey and Musical Identity

Yola's background is rich and diverse, highlighting her evolution as an artist. Initially rooted in the underground electronic music scene in the UK, she gained experience as a vocalist before pivoting to a more mainstream music career. Her album, which was nominated for Grammy Awards, reflects her exploration of identity and the desire to assert her unique narrative against cultural stereotypes. This journey is influenced by her first-generation immigrant status and her experiences navigating different music genres and urban cultures.

Intro

2min

Yola's Symphony: Personal Journey and Creative Expression

9min

Collaborative Songwriting Process: Building Energy and Melody

2min

Exploring Musical Collaboration and Experimentation

2min

Crafting Harmony: The Live Recording Experience

11min

Yola is a singer/songwriter and actress. She released her solo debut album in 2019, which was nominated for 4 Grammys, including Best New Artist and Best Americana Album, and Rolling Stone named it one of the best country albums of the year. But the thing is, Yola’s music career wasn’t new, and her background wasn’t in country music. She’s from Bristol in the UK, and starting back in the early 2000s, she was a vocalist recording tracks for DJs and electronic music producers. In January 2025, Yola put out an EP called My Way. And as you’ll hear her explain in this episode, a lot of her new music is motivated by wanting to assert her identity beyond the Americana and country music boundaries. In addition to her music, she’s also acting – she played Sister Rosetta Tharpe in the 2022 film Elvis, and she starred on Broadway in the musical Hadestown. For this episode, I talked to Yola about her song “Symphony,” along with co-writer and co-producer Sean Douglas. Yola and Sean trace the journey of the song “Symphony,” and, along with it, Yola traces her own journey, too.

For more info, visit songexploder.net/yola.

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Song Exploder

Yola - Symphony

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Yola's Journey and Musical Identity

The Creation of 'Symphony'

Celebration of Non-Monolithic Blackness

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts