Debut Studio Album Dawn Out This Friday 9/10 via RCA Records
Yebba on NPR Tiny Desk
WATCH HERE
Pre-Order Dawn: https://smarturl.it/xDawn
What the Press is Saying About Yebba:
“The one-in-a-million voice destined for the spotlight…Not since Amy Winehouse has there been a voice like this…‘Dawn’ [her debut album]… will make her a star’
– Daily Telegraph (UK)
“(October Sky) a song that’s been haunting my ears…a master class in conveying complex emotions.”
— NPR
“Stunning…”
– Billboard
“She has the range…Her daring vocals leap from …falsetto to sultry, guttural contralto.
Her delivery defies convention.”
– Pitchfork
“(Her debut album) is from start to finish the most incredible body of work and will be one of those albums that will travel with you for the rest of your life.… Really special… Embrace it, enjoy it, it will bring so much joy to your life.”
– Zane Lowe, Global Creative Director and Host, Apple Music
“A soulful treasure.”
– CLASH
“Incredible vocal talent…”
– Earmilk
“generation-defining and defying talent.”
– Ones To Watch
(New York- September 8, 2021) Today, leading up to the release of her much anticipated debut album Dawn, out this Friday 9/10, Grammy winning singer/songwriter/arranger/producer Yebba performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series. Watch it HERE.
Filmed in an intimate setting in New York City, Yebba played four songs from her debut album including “Stand,” “Distance,” “All I Ever Wanted,” and “How Many Years.” Performing alongside Yebba were James Francies, (MD/keys), Burniss Travis (bass), Stro Elliot (drums), Charles Myers (guitar), background vocals: Niya Norwood, Schadrack Pierre, and Brandon Pain, and strings: Marta Bagratuni, Francesca Dardani, Sulamit Gorski, and Nicole Wright.
Her album title Dawn has dual meaning — Dawn is the name of Yebba’s mother who she lost to suicide. Dawn also refers to the first glimpse of light in the sky after the darkness of night, offering a radiant sense of possibility with her debut album.
Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe winning musician and producer Mark Ronson produced the album, and other key collaborators include Questlove, the Roots, A$AP Rocky, KAYTRANADA, Pino Palladino, Smino, James Francies, Smokey Hormel and many more all-stars. The album was recorded at New York City’s Electric Lady Studios.
Pre-Order Dawn:
https://smarturl.it/xDawn out this Friday.
Yebba talent is also spotlighted on Drake’s just-released album Certified Lover Boy on “Yebba’s Heartbreak,” declared “gorgeous” by Rolling Stone. Listen HERE.
Her album’s lead single “Distance,” released last summer was nominated at the 2021 Grammys for “Best Traditional R&B Performance,” and was included on Barak Obama’s annual playlist to extraordinary critical raves. Clash writes: ‘Distance’ is a phenomenal exhibition of Yebba’s dramatic vocal ability.” Rolling Stone notes her “characteristically stunning vocal performance,” and NPR calls the song “the ultimate exercise in restraint. Fully aware of her ability to vocally run circles around any production, she matches the tenderness of the orchestration and lyrics.”
Follow up “October Sky” was released alongside a stunning acoustic performance video and was declared “a master class in conveying complex emotions” (NPR) along with love from H.E.R., Justin Timberlake, Brandi Carlile, Zane Lowe, and the album’s producer Mark Ronson.
Her latest “Boomerang” was written by Yebba with Tommy Brenneck (Sharon Jones &The Dap-Kings, Mark Ronson, Panic! At The Disco) and Ilsey Juber(Miley Cyrus, Mark Ronson, Lykke Li) and produced by Brenneck and Ronson.
Previously released track “Louie Bag” featuring rapper Smino was co-written by Yebba, Smino, Q-Tip, and James Francies and produced by Yebba and Mark Ronson-Billboard praised “her untouchable vocal skills…punchy verse from Smino balances out the Arkansas native’s smooth melodies, the duo forming a musical yin and yang.”
The video for “Boomerang” was directed by award-winning photographer/ director Francesco Carrozini (Jay-Z/Beyoncé/Lenny Kravitz) who also lensed Yebba’s “October Sky (Live)” and “Louie Bag.”
Watch her NPR Tiny Desk Concert and find more details below about Yebba.
About Yebba:
The 26 year old soul singer, songwriter, arranger grew up singing and listening to gospel music, along with arranging and music directing choirs in her hometown of West Memphis, Arkansas. She released her breakthrough video for “My Mind” in 2016. Soon after, she released her first single “Evergreen,” instantly captivating a passionate fan base leading to support and collaborations, including her 2019 Grammy-winning performance with PJ Morton on “How Deep Is Your Love.” This collaboration resulted in her first GRAMMY award for “Best Traditional R&B Performance.”
Yebba has been a go to collaborator for a-list musical talent. She has performed and collaborated with A Tribe Called Quest (“Melatonin”), Stormzy (“Heavy Is The Head”), Ed Sheeran (“Best Part of Me”), The Robert Glasper Experience (“Fuck Yo Feelings”), Mumford and Sons (“Beloved”),Sam Smith ( “No Peace”), Chance The Rapper(“Same Drugs”), and was the featured vocalist on three tracks from Mark Ronson’s latest studio album Late Night Feelings (“Don’t Leave Me Lonely,” “Knock Knock Knock” and “When U Went Away.”) Earlier this year, she collaborated with Lucky Daye (“How Much Can A Heart Take.”)
Dawn Track Listing:
01. How Many Years
02. Stand
03. Boomerang
04. All I Ever Wanted
05. Far Away feat. A$AP Rocky
06. Dawn
07. October Sky
08. Louie Bag feat. Smino
09. One More Smile
10. Love Came Down
11. Distance
12. Paranoia Purple
Pre-Order Dawn:
https://smarturl.it/xDawn
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