Yb.: "I Wanted to Shed Light on Systematic and Systemic Racism"

It’s more than three years since Yb.‘s breakout single ‘Stay’ marked the Brisbane-based singer-songwriter as one to watch. The rising indie pop artist has since supported Allday, Biig Piig, Golden Vessel and San Cisco and landed the song ‘DANCE WITH ME TODAY’ on the soundtrack to the Dakota Johnson-starring film Cha Cha Real Smooth.

In November 2022, Yb. released his debut EP, Blackphemy, a record many years in the making. Yb.’s Yaw Afoakwah worked on the six-track collection with songwriter Tom Eggert (Jem Cassar-Daley, Ash Lune, HANNI) and solo artist Stevan (who produced the single ‘Change Your Mind’). The title, a portmanteau blending the words “blasphemy” and “black”, is a nod to Yb.’s lyrical invocation of systemic racism and the lasting damage it inflicts.

Blackphemy includes the singles ‘Change Your Mind’, ‘Sleeping Without Me’ and ‘Sandra’, the latter of which is an empowerment anthem named in recognition of actor Sandra Oh. Music Feeds speaks to Yb. about Blackphemy, Oh, collaboration and Cha Cha Real Smooth.

Yb. – ‘Change Your Mind’

Music Feeds: What sort of response do you hope to get from audiences with the EP title Blackphemy? It’s also the name of the opening song on the EP – what made you want to use it as the title?

Yb.: I was in a studio session with the incredible Tom Eggert and Evangeline Sines, wanting to create a track that would tie every motif in the EP together in a powerful way. The name Blackphemy just stuck. The title is a combination of the words blasphemy and black; two words I felt went hand in hand growing up as a black child in Australia.

I wanted to shed a little light on the ignorance surrounding both systematic and systemic racism, and its unique effect. I was hoping that through my experience, I would be able to shed light on the greater topic of discrimination and potentially provoke listener introspection.

MF: Blackphemy includes the singles ‘Sandra’, ‘Change Your Mind’ and ‘Sleeping Without Me’. How long has the EP been in the works?

Yb.: Every song in the EP is at least two years old. I had been sitting on this body of work for years, trying to perfect it and push it to the right people with the help of my amazing team. I remember writing and producing ‘Ten Toes’ and ‘Sandra’ toward the end of 2019 and the others the following year with some incredibly talented Australian songwriters.

MF: When did you first fall for Sandra Oh?

Yb.: My admiration for Sandra Oh was never romantic. She’s beautiful, but more than anything I loved her confidence in both her interviews and in her popular cinematic roles, such as Grey’s Anatomy and Killing Eve. It was this confidence that I tapped into quite often in the making of this track.

For me, being Sandra Oh means holding your head up in pride and being aware of your self worth. I have to change the definition in the urban dictionary for sure [laughs].

Yb. – Sandra

MF: You’ve worked with some notable Australian musicians on the EP. Is collaboration central to how you make music?

Yb.: Absolutely. I think it is so important that artists collaborate with other musicians. There is genuinely no end to the artistry when working with other people, and I can say with full conviction that it is one of the most important, if not the most important, aspect of the music making process for me.

MF: Does Blackphemy represent the sort of music you’ve always wanted to make?

Yb.: Not necessarily. Blackphemy acts as more of a time capsule. Every song encapsulates a different period in my life, which ultimately influenced the type of music I was making. I don’t think I have 100 per cent found my sound yet, but I am definitely proud of how far I have come in improving my sound overall.

MF: What’s it been like having landed ‘DANCE WITH ME TODAY’ on the Cha Cha Real Smooth soundtrack? Has that been a new way to reach listeners?

Yb.: Yes. It’s really cool to get DMs from people who have watched the movie and said they heard my song. I have also been receiving an immense amount of love on streaming platforms because of the soundtrack playlists. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of something of that scale.

MF: With the EP out now, what are some goals going forward?

Yb.: My goals for the future are to perform and work with some more amazing artists, both in Australia and internationally. I would also love to play more headline shows and support larger artists in the hopes of continuing to build a loyal fanbase with more music.