Exclusive Interview with YANA ROSE

Yana Rose, an independent singer-songwriter with a unique and captivating sound. Drawing influences from various genres and artists, Yana’s music is a blend of contemporary and classic pop, soul and indie. Her EP, “Another Missed Sunset” is a reflection of the past few years of her life, which were choppy, unstable and emotionally tumultuous. Each song on the EP was inspired by different events and has different meanings and sentiments attached. Yana’s ability to craft emotive and thought-provoking songs, coupled with her powerful vocals, make her a rising talent in the music industry. With her focus on upcoming live events and performances, Yana Rose is definitely an artist to watch. Check out her EP “Another Missed Sunset” and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

YANA ROSE: I’m from a town in Northern Michigan called Traverse City. I went to college, graduated and got a job, but music has always been my passion above all else. I’ve been singing and writing for as long as I can remember, but after graduating, and even throughout college I was pretty discontent with the path I was headed down, and decided it was now or never to pursue music as a viable career. I went all in, quit my job and moved to LA without having anything released yet. I threw myself into the deep end a bit but I think that was the only way I would get myself to go for it.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

YANA ROSE: I’m mostly self taught. I was in a few choirs when I was younger, but music was always a behind closed doors type of hobby for me. For a long time I had never imagined releasing anything or sharing my music at all, it was just a way to deal with my emotions.

3. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as POP?

YANA ROSE: I think I’m still very much in the learning and emulating others phase. There are a lot of styles I want to explore, and this past year I really stayed in my comfort zone. I’d like to venture more into the R&B and jazz space and see where that takes me. But in terms of my own style, I don’t really feel like I have that yet.

4. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

YANA ROSE: I venture more towards the latter, but I’m all for using music as an expression of whatever your beliefs may be as long as it’s raw and honest.

5. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

YANA ROSE:

I’d agree with both of those. I love working on music, so when I’m writing or recording it’s mostly fun and cathartic instead of exhausting. There are definitely some times when I feel like I’m putting a lot in and not seeing a lot of results, but I also know how important patience is right now. But in the future I plan to do a lot more, so hopefully I’ll get more out of it too.

6. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your music career so far?

YANA ROSE:

There are a lot of discouraging aspects of the music industry. It’s really hard, it’s pretty lonely. There’s no formula to get to the top. Songs are meant to be raw and vulnerable, so writing requires a lot of thinking about how I feel and just feeling, all the time. Writing a sad song makes me more sad, writing a song about heartbreak makes me feel it harder. So far, everything I do in the world of music I’ve been doing alone in my apartment, so finding the balance between sitting with my feelings and also living and experiencing normal life things was very tricky in 2022, and I often found myself feeling way more isolated than I should have let myself get.

7. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your music career so far?

YANA ROSE:

As tough of an industry as it is, it’s also been so rewarding to see people enjoy my music and see it reach so many different people and countries. It’s been a lonely and quiet road but because of that I feel pretty proud of how far I’ve grown and learned as a musician since it all began a year ago.

8. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

YANA ROSE:

I don’t really mind that stuff. If it’s constructive criticism I’ll note it but I know not everyone will like my music, and not everyone will support pursuing music, but that’s all apart of the process.

9. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

YANA ROSE: Interaction with a live audience, for sure. I’ve spent my whole life creating at home, and as much as I love that I wouldn’t say it excites me a ton because it’s just part of my routine. The idea of being on stage though and interacting with a live audience is so exciting and definitely what I’m looking forward to in the future the most.

10. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

YANA ROSE: I really like leaving my songs up for interpretation. It’s fun when people know the story, especially close friends that lived through it with me, but I don’t prefer to talk about the ins and outs of a song.