For an artist to stay in this difficult industry for any prolonged time they must truly love the craft. Our recent discovery Yona Marie does just that and shares her love of music with her newest single “Take Me To The Moon.”
We caught up with the R&B songwriter to get a little deeper behind the scenes. Enjoy the interview:
First off, what prompted the change to Yona Marie after years going by Rachel Marie?
I changed my name from Rachel Marie to Yona Marie because I noticed there were several artists in a few different genres creating songs under the name Rachel Marie. There was particuarly an R&B singer and a Country singer that kept showing up on my discography list.
How would you describe your sound?
I would describe my sound as danceable R&B. I aslo do Funk R&B and Neo Soul here and there.
Which artists have had the biggest influence on you?
I have been greatly influenced by India Arie, Beyonce, Mario, Lucky Daye and H.E.R. Many other artists influnce me, but there are way too many to name.
What continues to drive you after over a decade in the music industry?
I love music so much that I’ll never stop creating and putting out new songs. I also have a small amount of fans that will never stop suppoting me, and I would hate to let them down!
How does a song come together for Yona Marie? What is your songwriting process?
My songwriting process could go a few different ways. Sometimes I’m working with a producer and I write based of of their instrumental ideas. Other times I write first and hire someone to create the backing music for it after. For many of my own songs, I create my own music first then write from that.
Your recent song “Take Me To The Moon” is sultry dance jam. What was the inspiration for this one?
I was inspired by hip hop/pop artists like Cardi B and Doja Cat. I also got inspired by the crypto market, that’s where the title and some of the verse lines come from.
You have worked with many artists over the years, what advice would you give a young artist to avoid the common mistakes?
As a session singer, I work with many artists and creators and we actively collaberate to create magic. It’s impotant to see where another artist is coming from when it comes to collaberation. Whatver medium it takes, whether phone, video chat, email, or in person, make sure you guys are always on the same page. Misconceptions can grow into huge poblems in a creative space.
Give us a look at the future for Yona Marie?
I’m cooking up a lot of magic on my site https://yonamariemusic.com/ for my fans, my clients, and for other music makers looking for inspiration as well. Sign up to join my site community and stay tuned!
