Yazmindi releases debut album 'Dream On' and shares her top 5 female singer-songwriters
Image: Chloe Ireland
Queensland native now Byron Bay based singer-songwriter Yazmindi today releases her debut album Dream On. The independent artist created the album off the back of a successful crowdfunding campaign which surpassed her goal of $13k.
Releasing music since 2014, Dream On is the culmination of a career which has seen Yazmindi play at South by Southwest twice, Woodford Folk Festival and as support for artists such as Megan Washington and Troy Cassar-Daley.
Yazmindi’s music is rooted in folk, indie, pop and rock and her organic sounds have a remarkably warm and relatable feeling. Expertly produced, every aspect of her songs shine through and envelope you in a way that feels like you are at your own personal Yazmindi live show.
Dream On was inspired by her first solo international trip to New York, an experience that left her invigorated, full of the feeling she could do anything with her life. Visiting locations key to the feminist movement also fuelled stories of female rights and empowerment that weave throughout the album.
"For my debut album I wanted to incorporate and explore all the different musical influences and genres that have inspired me in my life,” she says. “Each track has a unique sound, but a common theme with the intention to keep it real and empower people, especially young women. I share my songwriting journey from dreaming teen to ambitious young woman, my experiences of love, loss, tongue in cheek earnest situations, questioning the pressures of society and the adventures of being a human in an ever-evolving world that we can all relate to. Dream On embodies an endearing resilience and determination, full of love and optimism for a fresh future, an album that I wish I had when I was a young teenage girl.”
Latest single and title track ‘Dream On’ kicks off the album and encapsulates everything about the theme of the album. It is full of hope, dreams and ambition - ‘Dream on girl / You got it going on / Time to take over the world’ - but also a blunt, if wry, observation of just one of the unreasonable pressures women face: adhering to a proscribed form of beauty. “You know I never really liked wearing a bra / They dig in a little too far / And keep that fake tan away from me / That shit’s nasty, I’m already sexy.”
‘Lomés Song', a reworking of a track from her 2014 debut EP, is a lush indie pop song which has a gorgeous change of pace and sound from the verse to the chorus, It is the type of song with clever sonic twists and turns that keep you intrigued and invested until the very end.
‘Man’, first released as a single in May, is the album’s most powerful track. A moody, dark, stripped back track with guitar, keyboard and strings it tells a haunting tale of the abuse wielded by men. ‘I cried again and again / You lied to protect yourself / I’m sick of being fucked over by a man’. It is a stunning track, confronting and dripping in anger and pain, but a truly moving listening experience.
‘I Don’t Mind’ changes things up and introduces a swinging jazz-soul feel to the album, while ‘Room For Two’ has a country feel alongside some gorgeous strings that both complement and dominate the song. The album closes on ‘Fly Away’. It is a track born from pain but chooses to look at the positive and move onwards and upwards to better days: ‘Fly away to a brand new day / Breathe in the air like you just don’t care’.
Yazmindi has created a thing of beauty with Dream On. It is an album of ever-changing soundscapes, genres that are diverse but meld expertly together, and lyrical content that is both light and dark. It is relatable and immersive and the type of album you want to listen as a whole to soak it all up. If Yazmindi continues to make music as compelling as this she has a bright future ahead of her and we can’t wait to hear more.
To celebrate the release of the album, Yazmindi compliled a listicle exclusively for Women In Pop of the 5 female singer-songwriters she draws inspiration from the most.
Joy Crookes - I love Joy’s optimistic and self reflective outlook with her songwriting while she sings about important topics and makes music on her own terms. She immediately calms me and makes me feel at ease while showing me the kind of artist I aspire to be.
Kacey Musgraves - Kacey’s doing her own spin on country music and I’m loving it! Her honesty and bravery to push buttons and challenge stereotypes in the country music industry is inspiring.
Amy Taylor from Amyl and The Sniffers - One of my all time FAVOURITE front women to watch live, Amy gives it her all and more on stage. I remember watching them for the first time in a little Melbourne show before making it big and I was blown away by her energy and enthusiasm, I couldn’t help but get mesmerised in her presence.
Missy Higgins - You can tell I listened to a lot of Missy while growing up, she inspired the tone in my voice with her real and raw one of a kind Australian sound that reminds me of home.
Stevie Nicks - Stevie’s backstory and insane talent is one that keeps me constantly motivated with my music career… oh and her funky fashion inspires my stage outfits! A concert I will never forget.
Dream On is out now. You can download and stream here.
To keep up with all things Yazmindi you can follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Image: Chloe Ireland
