The simplest emotions are often the most powerful. Danish artist YDEA knows it very well, using piano and vocals to initiate a heartfelt, introspective journey into human nature. A talented writer, she’s been penning warm, relatable songs, enhanced by her warm, expressive vocals.
We had the chance to watch her live earlier this year, which was a revelation. YDEA stole the show, connected with the audience instantly and kept everyone on their toes for the whole set. She had undivided attention. Perhaps one of the best gigs we have seen this year.
She’ll be doing it all again on the 6th of December, in London. Will you be there? Will you be part of an ethereal collective experience?
Based in Britain since 2014, YDEA is inspired by artists such as Bon Iver, Matt Corby and Joni Mitchell, exploring a unique sound that draws from Scandinavian melancholia and contemporary Indie/Pop.
Intrigued by the project, we caught up with the Danish talent to find out more about her artistry and future goals.
Hey YDEA, how is it going? we can’t wait to see you perform at Mesmerized. What can we expect from your set?
Hey Mesmerized! It is going really well, thank you. I just got back from beautiful Indonesia after a little break from London to reconnect with myself. Honestly, I cannot express how excited I am to be playing next month – especially among such exciting acts! It’s going to be such a great night. I would say you can expect to see a collection of honest and vulnerable yet strong songs. Think of a mixture of Adele, Kate Bush and Joni Mitchell.
If you could choose any artist in the world for a collaboration, who would you choose to work with?
Oh, that’s a hard one. There are so many incredibly talented artists. However, I think Matt Corby and Justin Vernon are at the top of my list. I would LOVE to work with them. Their songwriting (although quite different between the two) is just amazing and the always underlying sense of melancholy or nostalgia is something that really speaks to me as a songwriter and as a music consumer. So I think we could create some really interesting songs.
You just finished a very creative year at Tileyard London, can we expect new music from the project soon?
Yes, I have been writing a bunch of new songs and worked on some older ones that I am planning to start releasing in early spring 2023. I am really excited as I feel like my artistry, songwriting and sound have developed massively in the past year so it’s going to be so cool sharing that with the world. Without revealing too much there will be gold paint, fire and a new sense of self-confidence included – so make sure to tune in.
The world seems to be getting worse by the day, and many of us struggle to cope with a reality that’s becoming painful to witness. Can music (and art) help us in dealing with everything a little better?
Definitely! I think it became especially clear during lockdown HOW important music and art really is for us human. Imagine a lockdown with no music, film or other forms of creative outlets. That would have been a thousand times more grey. Music has the power to make us reflect upon life, ourselves and what we want (for ourselves and others), to make us feel understood in ways that words perhaps couldn’t and at the same time it has the power to uplift our spirits and fuel us with this inner fire that states “I’ve got this!”. Although the world does seem gloomy right now I believe music and art can contribute to creating an important awareness and with it a change when it comes to global warming, human rights and mental health, and I personally believe there’s still hope for a brighter future – but we need to act now.
Are there any fellow up-and-coming artists you’d like to shout out?
Oh, I honestly know so many talented souls I don’t know how to choose! But three of my friends have just released music this autumn, so a shout-out to GIMI, Oakley Riot and Gaby Duboisjoli. All are incredibly talented and diverse in their style – definitely worth checking out!
