Yamane Music, a talented singer in Dubai opens up about her new song “90s Kid,” her dream collaborations, and her future plans. The singer, who grew up in a musical family, said that she was inspired to write the song about her own love of the 90s culture. Find out more about Yamane and her “Addams Family of music” as well as her advice for musicians of the future.
Table of Contents
When did your passion and interest in music begin?
I was born into a musical family. My mom is a professional singer, and all of her siblings are either singers, composers, or painters; even my paternal grandparents were musicians! In our society, people might think someone who became an artist had to stand up to their entourage to follow their heart, and I’d love to be that kind of hero but funny enough I just completely stuck by the predictable scenario… of my family of course.
To society, we’re kind of like this weird Addams Family of music, which I find hilarious! To give myself some credit though, I was a medical student for four years before deciding to definitively let everything go to pursue music in 2018, so I think it was around that time that I realized how truly passionate about it I was.
Tell us about the inspiration behind your new song “90s Kid”
I’ve always been really attached to my early memories and the kind of culture I had growing up. I think at some level I wasn’t able to keep up with the constant wave of novelty, whether it was in music, fashion, entertainment, or whatever. That made me struggle with finding my sound because I always felt outdated if that makes sense.
At some point, I decided to embrace this nostalgia and actually advocate for it, because I knew I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. Thus, “90’s Kid” was born: an ode to the 90’s culture and all its quirkiness, delivered in a modernized Gen Z-friendly song.
Can you tell us more about the idea behind the music video for “90s Kid” and how it came to be?
The first time we sat down with Elie Fahed, the director – so much love to him by the way – we agreed it had to be funny and filled with 90s references. The first idea that came to his mind, which turned out to be the basis of the story, is me wearing a TV on my head. The absurdity of that concept made it so much fun, and we went from there.
The story is basically about me representing the obsolete era of the 90s through this old TV I’m wearing, finding myself in today’s world sad and confused. A group of Gen-Zers sees me, find out I’m wanted by the law for not belonging, and start chasing me. After capturing me, it’s basically about me trying to explain why I’m not an enemy by introducing them to the cool things we had in the 90s, slowly bringing their guard down. The whole point of the music video is an inter-generational conversation and a culture comparison but with a very endearing and fun approach.
What is your songwriting process like?
That’s a question every songwriter finds difficult to answer. Being a musician first and foremost, the melody usually comes easier to me than the lyrics do. I also like this way better because I consider what really sticks in people’s minds is melody. However, it’s really important to know what theme I’m going to be talking about before coming up with the notes so that the meaning and the music make sense together.
How I usually start is maybe write down a phrase or a thought that I liked, then I hop on the piano or the guitar and I start coming up with melody ideas. When I have one that I think is memorable, I start writing words. A small piece of advice when it comes to lyrics: research, research, and more research! When I wrote “90’s Kid”, I spent days reading articles and watching videos about that era to make sure I really got it right. That applies to all themes, including love songs: read books, poems, tweets, posts, and quotes. Enrich your vocabulary and your imagination, and then filter down to what’s most authentic and what resonates with you best.
What are some of your biggest influences?
There are so many artists who have inspired me, each in their own way. There’s a really known jazz musician and singer called Nina Simone. If I had to choose just one person to look up to, it would be her. However, people like Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, and Mariah Carey have shaped the way I sing today. Others like Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, etc. have shaped the way I look at songwriting. So basically, each of them brings something to the table, and it’s up to me to be the melting pot of these influences and bring out something totally new.
What is your favorite song that you have written?
That’s like asking a mother who her favorite kid is. BUT (here comes the plot twist) we all know mothers can have a soft spot for that one child, isn’t that right, MOM? No, I’m kidding. Jokes aside, I really can’t choose, especially given that my songs are substantially different from one another. I can however say I absolutely adored writing “90’s Kid” because it was such a cool experience to just dive into all my childhood memories and relive them through that tune.
What is your dream collaboration?
Now THAT is a question I can answer. If we lived in a perfect world where Whitney Houston was still alive, I would pick her. But if I am to give a realistic answer, it would be an absolute dream to perform with either Adele or Jessie J. I love them both so much as artists, but also as personalities. They both seem to be so down-to-earth, and that’s a huge factor for me.
What are your plans for the future?
Growing in the music field is often a long process and comes with a lot of baby steps until one of your songs randomly hits the jackpot and then it’s a complete take-off. Until then, I plan on putting out songs consistently and frequently to keep in touch with the audience I acquire with every release. I think the key to staying patient is to always enjoy the process as much as possible, instead of fixating on the end result. Success will come naturally.
How is social media helping you to achieve your goals? What do you love most about social media?
The best thing about social media is that it connects me to the people who appreciate my work, and they can hear my side of the story. That’s such a privilege that artists didn’t have 15 years ago. Before, there used to be a wall and artists were these socially isolated people that were talked about when they got married, broke up, or got into trouble somehow. I wouldn’t have been able to be that person because I like to be honest with my crowd and stay in touch with them.
Social media also helps me share my creative process, and not just put out the finished product. This lets people in on more interesting details of who I am as an artist.
What advice can you give to aspiring musicians?
Don’t do it, it’s a trap.
Kidding, 100% go for it with all your heart, but only if you’re ready to take the punches. Failures are inevitable, and you have to keep going because you love what you do, not just for what you get in return. Also, work hard, every day. Practice, write, scratch, and throw, again, and again, and again. And lastly, put yourself out there, and stop judging and doubting your own work. You never know what might resonate with people.
How do you stay motivated?
That’s really the hardest thing to do, especially when you’ve been going through a rough patch. What I learned to do is embrace feeling defeated sometimes, because fighting it makes it worse. I just take a day or two off and allow myself to be useless, and then the next day I get up, take a good cold shower, and get to work. It can also sometimes help when I look back at all the achievements I’ve made so far. But the thing that has really kept me going no matter what happens: is my support system. The people who make me feel like I’m enough are my biggest motivators. Get yourself one of those, they’re priceless.
Watch the video to “90s Kid” here:
Stay updated on all of the latest news and interviews by subscribing to the ITP Live newsletter below and by clicking the push notifications.