By Jason Barnard
YAZ, the London based indie-folk group, highlight their unique sound influenced by their multicultural backgrounds. From the point they first played together, they knew they had something special, setting them on a path to impact lives through their music. Looking ahead, YAZ tease a headline show at The Camden Club on 6 March.
Can you tell us about the moment when you all realised that making music together was something you wanted to pursue as a career?
It was actually after we had all played our first gig together in Clapham at a Glastonbury Showcase Audition. Up until this point Krishna and I were performing as a duo but on that day we had all had this unspoken chemistry on stage when performing despite only rehearsing once prior. In fact, I remember the audience asking us for an encore and even the promoter was encouraging us to play a few extra songs. However, the most memorable moment was when we were back in the greenroom packing up when Tony and Oscar both could not stop talking about how amazing and enjoyable that performance was. It was really the first time that we felt that this group we had was something special. More than anything, however, we knew we had an opportunity to really impact people’s lives on a bigger scale and that is what we have set out to do ever since.
Your song “Spark” seems to capture the essence of pursuing one’s dreams and taking a chance on something or someone. Could you delve deeper into the inspiration behind it and the personal experiences that shaped its lyrics?
The main inspiration behind the song is drawn from our experience in taking the plunge into the music industry. Both Krishna and I come from completely different educational backgrounds compared to music, having done degrees related to politics at university. But when we started jamming together and playing at union bars for a bit of money we could not shake this feeling that creating and sharing music is really what we wanted to pursue. That feeling was further cemented when we met Oscar and Tony who gave us a glimpse into what a career in music would look like. So the song really tries to capture this sentiment; encouraging its listeners to take a chance on that some thing or some person. You can never be certain what the outcome will be but denying yourself the opportunity to explore your passion is something you will never forgive yourself for.
Yassine, your multicultural background is truly fascinating. How has your Moroccan heritage influenced your music, and what elements of your cultural background do you bring into the band’s creative process?
I would say my Moroccan heritage has definitely influenced my music in that it has allowed me to explore and be open to any direction that a song could go toward. Moroccan music is largely “Chab” music, charcterised by old traditional instrumentation that have bright sounds, creating and fostering this positive and uplifting vibe. It could be the reason why when I write and create songs, I tend to write for a hopeful ending. Furthermore, Moroccan stage presence is exciting as artists are very lively and somewhat of a free spirit, something that funnily enough comes naturally to me. For example, when we perform live, I am always told that I talk a lot trying to coax audience members into singing with me and telling everyone how awesome and fantastic they are.
You’ve mentioned The Lumineers, Beck, and Kaleo as your main musical inspirations. How do these artists influence your sound, and in what ways do you experiment with your music to make it uniquely your own?
If were being honest, our sound is really informed by a lot of replication. These are artists whose music we grew up listening to and still enjoy greatly to this day. So naturally when we started writing and creating music, a lot of it was trying to emulate their work. However, if we were to identify specific characteristics that inform our sound, it would be songwriting and composition. All three artists do an incredible job of taking the listener on a journey. No matter the subject matter, they showcase a sense of vulnerability and emotional depth which makes for a more interesting listening experience. Moreover, the composition of their songs are delicate, with instrumentation always used sparingly to enhance and not dominate the story it is trying to tell. We pay a great deal of attention to these specific domains when we write and create. However, the way we work and arrange is probably where our own personal touch informs the sounds. Considering we are all trained in different kinds of music genres, we bring our own expertise to the table. Its this amalgamation of genres that creates what we suppose is the YAZ sound.
London is known as a cultural melting pot, and you all hail from different parts of the world. How has the diversity of your backgrounds contributed to the band’s unique identity and sound?
London is one of the best cities in the world for emerging artists. People love going to gigs, live acts and seeing what others have to offer. It also presents an opportunity to interact with likeminded and incredibly talented people. So it should come as no surprise that London would be the place where we were all destined to meet. But what we think makes us unique is that not many people have seen an act that incorporates an organic blend of western music with sort of multicultural attitudes. If you pay attention to the lyrics, the philosophical principles that inform them are largely drawn from more East Asian and North African attitudes. Similarly, when we write and create music, the creative process is a nodal point for several viewpoints. We all approach music from vastly different perspectives because of our diverse upbringings. So no one song is the same because it is very much dependant on how much input a certain band member has had on that song. It can be a mess sometimes, trying to incorporate too much into too little, but luckly is somehow all cohesively works.
Can you shed some light on your songwriting process and the themes you explore in your music?
The songwriting process is always a fun one but the way we go about it is slightly odd in that the music and lyrics are often developed completely separately from each other. I will often have a burst of inspiration where I’ll just writing down lines. This could be a whole song or just a few phrases that capture the general theme of the song. Simultaneously, Krishna is usually messing around with chords and scales to try and conjure up melodies that are interesting and evoke different emotions. Its when we jam together and share ideas that a song starts to from. For example, Krishna will come to me with a progression and a melody, and I will filter through my database of lyrics to identify something that matches the emotional energy of the music. The real magic however, happens when we bring it to Tony and Oscar. Once we all agree that the song is good, they start playing the crucial role of materialising the full potential of the song. Oscar will go about changing any lyrics and strenghtening melodies whilst Tony starts to develop an arrangement. Those two with their infinite music wisdom work wonders with the song bringing in interesting time signature, chords changes and instrumentation.
With the release of “Spark,” what can we expect from YAZ in terms of new music and upcoming projects?
We actually have quite a big year planned with several releases in the pipeline. Each of these projects is slightly different with its own story and character but also distinctly YAZ. So 2024 is going to be a busy but exciting period for us. Similarly, we have our first headline show of the year at The Camden Club on 6 March. So stay tuned as a lot is about happen soon!
Lastly, as a band that encourages listeners to find their own spark and pursue their passions, what message do you hope your music imparts to your audience?
We hope for one thing with our music and that is to spread self-love and peace. Our motto is “change starts from within” because the most important love that exists is the one you have for yourself. Giving yourself the opportunity to grow and heal is what fosters kindness and empathy. Its what encourages us to explore and realise that we are similar and everyone is deserving of respect and compassion no matter who they are. For us, we aim to be that silver lining that people can look to when life gets a little much and they need a break. A lot of our music is based on this very foundation and ‘Spark’ is no different. It lets the listeners know that its okay to be happy, have fun and follow your heart without having to worry about others. If we can spread that kind of positivity and foster the development of empathy within our audience then we know we have done our jobs not only as artists but as human beings.
