Summer Mixtape: Yola on being an outsider, discovering American music, and learning to ‘Stand for Myself’
Written by Andrea Domanick, produced by Bennett Purser
Jul. 29, 2021Music
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Yola’s new album “Stand for Myself” is out on July 30.
Photo by Joseph Ross.
All week, Press Play has been bringing you DJ and artist interviews, along with custom DJ sets. This fifth and final installment of “Summer Mixtape” features a conversation and guest DJ set with singer-songwriter Yola, whose new album “Stand for Myself” is out on July 30.
Born outside of Bristol, England to immigrant parents from Barbados and Ghana, Yola learned about American music through her mother’s record collection. The Southern inspiration from artists like Dolly Parton and Tina Turner stuck with her. Yola, who is now based in Nashville, has been celebrated for her soulful Americana sound that mixes blues, country, funk, and soul. Her first album, “Walk Through Fire,” was nominated for four Grammys in 2019.