Singapore-based Pinay singer’s dream collab: Lea Salonga

Ysa Yaneza is a force to be reckoned with.

The Singaporean-based Filipino singer-songwriter is making waves in the music industry with her unapologetic sense of style apart from her fierce music.

Her latest release is "1Nightwitu," which talks about women empowerment, embracing one's authentic self, and giving value to one's worth.

The song is part of her self-titled EP "Ysa," alongside "Jewel," "Jaded," and "Thinking Of You."

The Daily Tribune got to know her more through an exclusive interview.

Daily Tribune (DT): Artists have their own humble beginnings in their careers. What is yours?
Ysa Yaneza (YY): I think my first foray in creating something on my own were home videos as a child using a webcam and a separate mic. At that time, YouTube just emerged and I think a lot of social media platforms were allowing video uploads. The habit of wanting to create something definitely led to me pick up music production. I was watching a lot of tutorials on YouTube learning how to produce music on my own, and it was in 2016 when I decided to put out my first official track, "Tea."

DT: In an interview with Nylon, you discussed your identity issues. Have you come to terms with that now? If yes, how were you able to do it? If not, do you plan on doing so or are you just going to let things run their course?
YY: Being born in one place and then moving to another place and growing up there definitely has its ups and downs. I was born in the Philippines and then I moved to Singapore, and being a Filipino kid in Singapore when I was younger wasn't very common at that time. So, of course, you know in school, it wasn't the easiest to navigate or relate to anyone when it came to my racial identity. But I think the idea of being different led me to always think out of the box and dream big. In my
growing-up years, I ended up meeting peers from similar backgrounds and through that, it didn't feel so isolating and it helped me own my story because there is beauty in individuality.

DT: Aside from your family and friends, who or where do you draw inspiration from nowadays?
YY: Relationships. Like the ones that really affect your heart. When you're so heartbroken so you use music as an outlet. Being offline and being online. The internet is great because there's just so much information out there but from time to time, I do need to disconnect and be in the real world and travel and do things. And nostalgia. I get so inspired listening to songs from the past, particularly the 80s.

DT: Congratulations on the successful release of your self-titled EP. You said in an interview that "1Nightwitu" was written during the 2020 pandemic lockdown. Can you describe your creative process behind the EP?
YY: During the pandemic, I played a few online parties on Zoom, and it was through those events that I met my collaborators for this EP. Since all of them were in different time zones, there was a lot of coordination to do. For some of the songs, I had already produced something and then I brought it to another producer. And then for some songs, a producer and I would talk about the direction/inspiration and they would come back with a beat and I provide the lyrics.

DT: "Jewel" talks about heartbreak and moving on. As a songwriter, do you see writing about your personal heartbreaks as a love letter for yourself and a reminder that you managed to get past a mentally tolling experience?
YY: Yes, in a way. My songs, I feel, are like a documentation of where I was at that time of my life. I'm aware that the perspective and the topics I centered my writing on five years ago have evolved, and this is what makes me wonder what I would be writing about five or 10 years later in my life.
DT: You are set to perform your first live show in Manila in December alongside the Singaporean band, M1LDL1FE. What can Filipino fans expect from your upcoming performance in the country?
YY: I will be performing with a live band for the very first time, translating my electronic pop R&B tracks into a live band set, and I'm very thrilled to perform in the Philippines.

DT: You fly solo in your previous songs and EP. Can we expect collaboration with Filipino and international artists in the future? Like Zae, our Pinay rapper who also makes female empowerment bops?
YY: Hopefully! It has been getting pretty isolating flying solo so that's something I would try next.

DT: If you were to choose, who's your ideal musician to collaborate with and why?
YY: I mean, the dream collab is Charli XCX but it would also be really cool to work with a musical theater veteran like Lea Salonga. It would be a dream collab to do something electronic pop meets musical theater.

DT: I love the Y2k homage and hints of Maddie (Euphoria) from the "1Nightwitu" music video. What made you decide to go with 2000 aesthetics as the creative theme of your visuals?
YY: I was a kid of the 2000's, and I never really realized it was the Y2K aesthetic until a couple years ago when it emerged. It was just something I already liked growing up, and also now we've got a modern twist to it with shows like Euphoria. I think TV Shows like Gossip Girl or girl groups like the Pussycat Dolls are some of my current styling references.

DT: As a confident baddie yourself, how did you come to terms with your body, sexuality, and self-worth? Are there times that you were told to tone down your way of expressing yourself?
YY: Yes, there were many times I was told to "tone down." And I always wondered if it was because of how I dressed, how I looked, my hobbies or my culture. I was a third culture kid, and it's hard to relate to others when you're from a different background. It took meeting other third culture children and I guess recently, social media, with more people you don't usually see in mass media, being given a platform to share their experiences which I can relate to. And I think when you date and have relationships, you also learn more about yourself and your wants and needs.

DT: From self-producing your first single "Tea" back in 2016, you are now working with
Grammy-nominated engineer Stuart Hawkes, who mastered your EP. Can you describe this big leap in your career, working with the big guns of the industry?
YY: It's such a blessing. Things didn't go initially as planned but it led me to better things and I'm very grateful. Looking back, I think I definitely matured as an artist and as a professional as well. I learnt how to be more resourceful and organized, and more intentional with my choices and decision-making.

DT: In an interview that you started on SoundCloud and watched tutorials on how to produce your tracks. Do you think the Internet has impacted musicians in terms of creating music and marketing?
YY: Of course! I think apart from making music, I was excited about the content I was going to make to promote my music. Social media was a different landscape just a few years ago when I released my first single, and as an artist, we also have to adapt to new trends and technological advancements. The Internet has rapidly come a long way in such a short span of time, parallel to my growing up years from child to adult.