Jewish, Biracial, New-York singer-songwriter embodies a feeling of head over heels love in her newest single, "i love you" Examining the journey she goes through with each new prospective love, Yaniza's track uses a combination of lyricism and instrumentals to represent the happy state a person enters when they become entirely encapsulated by every aspect of another person. "i love you" will bring listeners a sense of positivity as Yaniza uses her Ukelele and Guitar strumming base to carry the authentic emotions she is feeling along with this piece. A deep expression of love can be found in each lyric. Although the other individual might not feel the same, Yaniza is expressing her feelings of admiration and love in a romantic, emotional roller-coaster.
Over the past six years, Yaniza has found an immense amount of success with her singles hitting record streaming levels and having the opportunity to complete an album with the support of producers Gian Stone (Ariana Grande/Maroon 5) and Joe Laporta (Shawn Mendes/Imagine Dragons). With each new opportunity, Yaniza has reshaped her joyful sound to create a meaningful, catchy, and joyful storyline.
Although she has been unable to perform live due to restrictions, we are so pleased that "i love you" was released just in time for Valentine's Day to encourage each of us to find joy within each part of our daily lives.
We love the joyful, head over heels love you showcase in your track “i love you”! What was the production process like for you when writing and producing this track?
Thank you so much! So glad you like it. The writing process came very much from personal experience. Like you said, I was head over heels for someone and just could not stop talking about it lol! So once I started feeling like my friends were tired of hearing about it (they weren't, but hey anxiety!) I decided to do what I do best: turn my thoughts into a song instead. It's funny because I was struggling to finish the song, until I actually admitted to this person that I liked them, and I ended up using some words from their very sweet rejection in the final lyrics! Hoping they don't notice though lol. Production was fun! I worked on this with my friend and incredible producer, Kornel Sylwester, and we really wanted to use sounds that represent how it feels to have a crush. Chimes were essential because they sound like twinkling, or that gleam one gets in their eye when they're smitten. Toward the end we added the glockenspiel, which really completed the playfulness of the song.
You mentioned the various world-renowned producers you have had the opportunity to work with, what did you learn from each of those experiences and how do you carry it into each of your songs?
I learned so much from working with amazing producers! For past songs, I worked with Gian Stone, Ben Rice, Harper James, Joe LaPorta, Rafael Fadul to name a few. I'm so lucky that I usually got to be in the studio with them, watching their process and taking mental notes. I always liked to make my songs build - so each verse, pre chorus, chorus, bridge, etc adds more sounds/instruments, and takes listeners on a sonic journey. It was really cool to see how the producers I've worked with make that very sonic journey happen. I'm so thankful for technology allowing artists to still make music during a pandemic through the internet, but nothing is more magical than being in the studio. And just like magicians never reveal their secrets, I won't mention too many specifics about how these producers work, but I'll say this: one of them told me something along the lines of "let's add this in - not so they hear it, but so they feel it," and my mind was blown, lol! I love this idea and took a more literal approach on it, and worked with Kornel on "i love you" to use sounds that evoke daydreamy and fantasy feelings when you listen.
You have a super unique Ukulele style of pop music that you stick to, where did this ability and love for the ukulele come from?
Thank you! My love for the ukulele happened completely by accident. I was an avid guitar gal until I got the chance to study abroad in London in college. I didn't want to go 4 months without an instrument, but my guitar was too big to bring with me. That's the only reason why I got a ukulele and from then on, absolutely loved it. My passion for the instrument really grew when I released my song, "Fly Away (Free Bird)," because the song itself got so much love and I started hearing from fans who were learning to play the ukulele. They were asking me to make tutorials of my songs so they could learn. I started recording covers on my ukulele too and the same thing happened. So I love how happy and cheerful the instrument sounds, but it also opened so many doors for me as a teacher. I was a classroom teacher for years and have now shifted to teaching early childhood ukulele lessons in order to allow for a more flexible schedule for touring and recording. This instrument has brought me and those around me so much joy that I really want it to continue to be a huge part of my sound, brand, and style moving forward.
How do you think “i love you” fits into the style you have created and your other various musical pieces?
In my opinion, it perfectly mashes up a chill, acoustic ukulele with energetic pop. For years I've been trying to craft a very specific sound of cheerfulness and upbeat without becoming too electronic. I think "i love you" fits perfectly into this sound-goal because it has very clear acoustic undertones, but it definitely gets listeners moving! It's not a fit bumper like my Spanglish song, "Contigo," but the bouncy upright bass and natural percussion makes for a fun bop. I wanted something between "Fly Away (Free Bird)" and "Contigo" and I truly feel "i love you" sits perfectly in the middle.
What can we expect to see next?
So much more music! I'm already working on the next single, which continues the romance theme. Some of my new songs will be on guitar and some on ukulele, but they all feel so right and so on-brand. I'm also hoping to start planning some more in-person shows as my team keeps an eye on covid. I'll keep some secrets secret, but one thing's for sure: the world is going to start hearing a lot more from me. Even though my first EP was released in 2014, 2021 is only the beginning and I've never felt more clear on my goals and plans. See you all very, very soon!