Where has she been? Besides resting her voice from a two week bout with the great hoarse…she has been readying herself for her album release, The Imitation of Life. In 49 days, her 9 month journey of writing, recording and photo shoots, will bear evidence of the struggles and contradictions of life. The preparation began long before YASU ever hit the studios…
From years of tumult, misconceptions, experience and writing about them, they either were little melodies or poems she kept in spiral bound notebooks. Just like a rapper, she has lyrics for days, but never had all of the components to “make music”, at least so she thought.
She never woke up and said, “I want to be a star”.
In fact, she dreamed of becoming a school teacher. Although she had been singing since she could remember, if it weren’t for the encouragement of parents and teachers, she wouldn’t have sung anywhere in public. She used to be a very shy person, and still is, for the most part. She considers music and singing an outlet and a release more than anything. And she acknowledges that singing is a gift from God.
Enter, Imani Lateef, the manager. He was able to take what Yasu had written and bring it to life. She had written a plan out as to how she wanted to record, if she were to record, and what she wanted to record. She even went so far as to write the songs and put them on cassette. She registered her work with the US Copyright office, too! So his approach was to carefully mold the foundation that she already laid and set her up with The Midwest’s Top Producers. Like an isthmus, he connected her lyrics to music and The Journey began. Imani had the AUDACITY to hook her laptop up with the program and he taught her how to use it to record her song ideas.
For about two months, she recorded something everyday, a nuance, random harmonies, and single verses that may become songs one day.
It didn’t take long for her to figure it out before she had tens of tunes that she recorded at home. Like a top student, she submitted tracks to Imani every time she had the chance. He’d listen, then pass it on to producers. One thing he let her know from the time he began managing Yasu, was that she already had all of the “components” to “make” music. He helped her realize that and encouraged her to hit the booth. So she did…and the orchestration became her album debut.
You will hear in her anthem, The Imitation of Life, the terror of her past, and the triumph in songs like, I’m Gonna Make It and Made It Thru. No tolerance sings in Don’t Try Now, and an important Conversation has been recorded on the album as well.
YASU offers you 14 chances to view various aspects of life through her eyes and heart. It’s more than tunnel vision she illustrates through her lyrics. It’s more vivid than 3D and gives X-Ray insight. Overall, it is a Complete Audio Experience!
Listen to YASU.
Check out where YASU will be this month, here.
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