Dubbed “pop’s latest potential star”, North-London based solo artist Yaz has been quietly bubbling under the surface as one of the industry’s most exciting new voices, following her 2022 debut single Mr Valentine, a catchy D’n’B hit which blew up online. Classic R&B melodies soundtracked her teenage years, with Destiny’s Child, Jamiroquai and Mary J. Blige cited as the musicians that shaped Yaz’s musical endeavours. It is more than apparent when you switch on her latest single titled Big Deal, that this sonic attitude she soaked up as a teen is reimagined in her own lyrical prose.
Just over a decade ago, a 13-year-old Yaz took to YouTube to post vlogs about meeting Ariana Grande, birthday hauls and winged eyeliner tutorials. Classic internet-era-kid stuff. However, behind the scenes, music had already engrained itself into cracks of Yaz’s mind – from growing up in a North-African Middle-Eastern household, to spending years at a performing arts school learning drums, piano and guitar.
Freshly released, with the big bold Play button raring to go, Big Deal lands as a confident and cleverly sarky pop response to egoistic and manipulative individuals as she sings, “Oh you’re a big deal aren’t you… taking all the credit where you can.” Utmost attitude is underscored by sharp guitar riffs and glossy production – combining a retro recognition with a sleek contemporary compass. A product of raw feeling, and one that many young female voices in music experience at that, the track came about following a supposed collaborator’s condescending rant to her, masked as a writing sesh. Turning her frustration into clarity, Big Deal stands as a self-assured anthem amongst Yaz’s fun, impactful tracks to feature in her EP, following later this year.
Here we chat with Yaz about what songwriting means to her, her dream dinner party guests and her upcoming EP.
1. Describe Big Deal in three words.
Polite fuck you.
2. What did you learn from writing Big Deal?
Big Deal was the first song I wrote for my next project. It opened me up to more acoustic sounds rather than electronic, which gave me space to say everything I needed to say.
3. What does songwriting mean to you?
Songwriting is my compass. It’s the way I navigate through feelings and experiences, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself without it.
4. Who or what do you feel has been the biggest influence on your sound?
I grew up on Mary J Blige and Destiny’s Child, so melody has always been important to me. I also love the storytelling of Joni Mitchell and Fleetwood Mac, and have been a fan of Ariana Grande for as long as I can remember. I think I just try to channel whatever resonates and make something that feels honest.
5. What’s your favourite place to go when you need artistic inspiration?
Usually my car, I kind of love being stuck in traffic.
6. What city is on your bucket list to perform in?
London, always. But performing in Japan would be a dream.
7. Who are your top three dream dinner party guests?
Hamzah and Martin from Slushy Noobz, Sabrina Carpenter and Emma Chamberlain.
8. Who would be your dream collab?
Ariana Grande.
9. What’s your ideal Saturday night?
Karaoke bar with my girls and then a sleepover, or ordering take out and watching a chick flick. I’m very serious about both.
10. What’s coming up for you that you’re really excited about?
My EP is coming out very soon and it feels like the most me my music has ever been. I’m also performing for the first time, a small show and then my first headline after the EP drops. It feels like a new lease of life and I’m excited for people to hear it.
Photography courtesy of Yaz.
