INTERVIEW: Yasmina Sadiki Grapples With Grief On The Timeless ‘June’
Yasmina Sadiki. Photo supplied.
Sydney-based singer Yasmina Sadiki is undoubtedly authentic, which means her songwriting feels like you’re being welcomed into her life. She’s just released her new single, June, which captures the grief of losing a loved one over the last two years. The song captures the pain that distance can cause (something everyone can relate to given what’s transpired in recent years), as well as the ways people cope with pain, both healthy and unhealthy.
Yasmina’s voice is undoubtedly the standout of the track, and I’m really impressed by the way her vocals and the production come together. While the production is minimal, it never feels empty, and the result is a song that’ll stick with you for a long time. I spoke to Yasmina about June, as well as her musical background. It’s a really in-depth, revealing chat, and one I thoroughly enjoyed. Check out the track below, and read on to learn all about her music!
Firstly, can you introduce yourself and your music?
I am Yasmina Sadiki! I am a Sydney-based 19-year-old singer-songwriter of mixed race; Italian Tunisian and French heritage, living in Canterbury. I think my music is filled with endless possibilities, now more than ever as I am still developing my sound. Although I do not like the idea of being restricted to a particular sound, music is multidimensional and it would be crazy to not experiment! Naturally, my vocal tone pairs really well within blues and jazz which I absolutely love, although lately in my sessions I have been playing around with texture and switching up my tonality in different sections of the song, this keeps the song ever-changing and vibrant, a convention which jazz has influenced.
I also love playing with linguistics the way words sound together, playing with phrasing and timing. This is actually something that is done in poetry, and hip-hop (new and old), and I really love how that aspect tells its own story. I really enjoy seeing what I can do with my adlibs and harmonies. They play an intricate and important role when mapping out my vocal phrases.
June tells the story of finding comfort within someone else as a result of losing time that would otherwise be spent with family. Can you tell me more about what family means to you?
Family to me means everything. It is the foundation of my life. I am so lucky to have such a great supportive family behind me, they definitely relieve a lot of my teenage melancholy and unnecessary burden. We are a team driven by love. Losing my mother to breast cancer is something which I will never recover from and now being separated from my Baba due to the virus.
You’ve been singing/songwriting for nearly a decade now – growing up, what role did music play in your life, and how has that evolved over the years?
For as long as I can remember singing has always been at the forefront of my mind and heart. I have been training vocally for 8 years now and during high school, I was chosen to participate in The Canterbury Bankstown Talent Advancement Program. Later on, I also had some experience in the NSW-wide Talent Development Program. I have studied lots of different styles of music. In the past, I have sung musical theatre (although not my top choice), sung in Italian, sung in choirs and with different instrumentalists - although nothing beats when I am practicing jazz and blues. During high school, there was a very technical straightforward approach to my learning, which is amazing because it provided a very important foundation for me to experiment with my performance and sound.
I absolutely adore jazz. I take great influence from Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse, Etta James and recently have fallen in love with Billie Holiday. I also love hip-hop; the rawness of the storytelling is such a badass element. I have always written songs but really focused on it about 2 years ago. I think that is finally when I tapped in and started to get creative with my use of melodies, ever since then freestyling has become a daily practice for me, there is no greater feeling when words are pouring out of you. My music is ever-evolving! Every so often it feels as though I discover a new way to approach something whether it is going back to basics or doing something out of my comfort zone.
You worked with William Blomfield and Harry Landers on June – I’d love to know more about the collaboration process with them and how they helped you realise your vision for June?
It is funny that June has received the positivity and support it has, because in the session with William, Harry and I, we were actually focused on another track which will most definitely be my next release. To us, that is definitely the cream. The getting-you-out-of-bed kinda vibe! After we finished that killer song, we spent the last hour or so putting together this really quickly, with no intention. We wanted to switch up the vibe and finish the session on a more relaxed note.
June is one of those songs that just worked. It didn’t need to be overly complicated, and I think the beauty is in its simplicity and rawness. Harry and William are beasts when they get their hands on the keyboard. They’re not restricted to one sound, and they have brilliant synchronicity, talent and wisdom. It has been a dream working with people I consider friends and making music for the sake of music!
I wanted to ask about the sense of grief present within June. Did you find that writing the track helped you to process this sense of loss associated with time disappearing?
Absolutely. June has helped me process my feelings and dark emotions associated with loss of time. All of my music heals me one way or another. Sometimes it can just be getting something off my chest, other times it can be a pool of reflection. All my words carry truth, I feel it would be harder to write about something I have not endured myself, regardless, for me singing is something in which I sacrifice my vulnerability because the reward of bliss is much greater.
Honestly, though, it is second nature to sing authentically. I hardly need to think about the mechanics of truth. However, it is a great practice that not only makes my art more meaningful but actually helps to better myself, be more open with myself and others. When I sing I am genuinely sharing a piece of soul with you.
I feel like R&B in Australia is stronger than ever, and there are artists from all corners of the country making R&B music that’s world-class. Why do you think that newer generations of artists, like yourself, are so drawn towards creating and working with the sounds of R&B?
I am not sure that all of a sudden people are drawn to making R&B. I believe it has been happening for ages, only recently has there been a strong platform for us as well as a greater appreciation for this kind of music. Although, in my opinion, the recognition for R&B is still lacking in the charts. Perhaps this newfound R&B talent for Australians has come about by way of connectivity.
Our generation is more comfortable with reaching out to people, working together whether you live in the next suburb or the next state. That is the beauty of social media. I think that aspect has had a huge role in this emerging scene. It was not that it did not exist before, it is that now we can finally see it. We are creating and sharing faster than ever, and the scene is only going to get bigger from here.
You’ve worked with The Kid LAROI, who’s now undoubtedly a global superstar. What artists, either in Sydney or otherwise, do you think people should be listening to?
Yawdoesitall is a dedicated artist and a good friend of mine. He’s released some of the best songs in this scene in my opinion. Boomchild are another vibrant band of incredible vocalists, instrumentalists and producers. I have worked with both Yaw and Boomchild and had some of the best sessions ever with those guys. Rissa is another fellow R&B singer and is a crazy vocalist, she truly sounds like honey. A.Girl is legit as hell; she has unmatchable performance energy and bars. Ms. Thandi is a wonderful singer and fellow Cantabrian, worth checking her out too, she has some funky gems. I hope we can also start appreciating more independent musicians and producers. I want to normalise listening to music without structure or lyrics because some of the coolest music has none of that!
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Finally, what are the next few steps for you, both personally and music-wise?
I am still in the process of deciding how I will release all of my music. Navigating it all is something I am still working out, but the music is ready! I have some brilliant upcoming tracks with some of the most talented producers in the scene. I cannot wait to share it all! At the moment I will focus on creating more and more music, as music doesn’t sleep!