'Home, Anywhere' by Yas Akdag Captures the Chaos and Beauty of Growing Up

Photo by Meghan Marshall

Yas Akdag’s 'Home, Anywhere' isn’t just a debut EP; it’s a cinematic, emotionally rich diary entry carved in alt-pop gold. The London-raised, Brooklyn-based songwriter and producer delivers a tightly knit five-track project that’s deeply personal yet universally resonant.

Written during her final year at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute and the year that followed, the EP is a reflection of that in-between space, the blur of youth and adulthood, of place and purpose. Akdag threads these themes with startling clarity, carried by her warm vocals and a production palette that feels both intimate and expansive.

The opener, “Without You,” sets the tone immediately. It is a synth-laced, emotionally raw track that leans into MUNA’s influence without losing Akdag’s distinct storytelling voice. Co-produced with fellow Clive Davis alum emory, the song’s pulsating rhythm and atmospheric synths swirl beneath confessional lyrics, capturing the dizzying weight of vulnerability.

“White Picket Fence” and “The Way You Love Him” lean more toward folk-pop, yet maintain the ethereal tone that defines the EP. There’s something especially cinematic about these tracks. Perhaps it’s the 6/8 time signature or the way Akdag lingers on memory like a film still. Caroline Meade’s production on “The Way You Love Him” adds a dreamlike layer that elevates the track into heartbreak territory without ever sounding bitter.

Standout contributions from Sarah Goldstone (Lucy Dacus), Sam Everett, and Bobby Wooten inject richness into the live instrumentation, keeping the sound grounded even in its most ambient moments.

The project doesn’t attempt to offer a linear narrative. Instead, Akdag explores different relationships and moments through the lens of what makes a space or a person feel like home. That idea that “home” can be fluid and ever-shifting is the beating heart of the EP.

'Home, Anywhere' is a stunning debut that showcases Akdag’s deft ability to merge lyricism with production, crafting songs that feel like lived-in spaces. She doesn’t just write tracks; she builds emotional architecture.

You mentioned that you didn't set out with a specific theme, but the songs organically revolved around the idea of "home." What does that word mean to you now, post-EP?

When I titled the EP, I wanted to invite listeners to come up with their definitions of what "home" meant to them. That's what I was thinking about after the EP — how a home can be a physical place, but also people (your friends, family, etc.) and other things, like a special object or a memory. It really can be whatever you make of it, and that's the concept I wanted to highlight with "Home, Anywhere."

Can you tell us more about your collaboration with emory on "Without You"? What was that creative process like?

Emma (emory) and I went to college together and were both working together as TAs one summer. I had just written "Without You" and took it into the studio. I brought up my sonic references, and Emma had some really great ideas on how to start the song. We tracked piano first (with me playing), and then Emma came up with those skittery, arpeggiated synth parts (using the Moog Little Phatty) you hear in the song. Our session together definitely built the foundation for where I took "Without You" production-wise.

"White Picket Fence" feels so cinematic; was there a particular image or moment that inspired it?

I was thinking about the clashes couples can have and how if you've been together for a certain amount of time, you may grow to want different things, but it's hard to know what to do next because there's a lot of love and you've been a massive part of each other's lives until then. What if one of you wants a life of domesticity and "settling down," and the other seeks adventure and travel? How do you meet in the middle with such opposing desires? At the same time, I was listening to MUNA's "Live at Electric Lady" album and had been especially drawn to their version of "Taken." I was drawn to the lilting 6/8 feel of the song, as well as its organic, live energy. With the lyrical concept I had in mind, as well as my sonic inspiration from MUNA, I started writing "White Picket Fence." Since I had such a strong vision of what I wanted to say in the song, it came together really quickly; I probably wrote it in an hour total. 

How did studying at the Clive Davis Institute shape the sound and ambition of this project?

Through studying at Clive, I felt a freedom to explore various sonic approaches to the project, both through the inspiring nature of the program as well as the people I studied alongside, but also thanks to the resources of having free studios and a bunch of instruments, microphones, and other equipment to use. It meant I recorded a lot more live components than I would have had I not had access to these studio spaces. I also experimented with real hardware synths, which were incredibly cool and lent a retro feel to the project. I definitely couldn't afford any of that equipment in my studio at home, so I was really grateful for being able to play around with it. 

As a producer and songwriter, which part of the creative process excites you the most, building the track or telling the story?

My first love has always been writing. Before I made music, I wrote short stories all the time as a kid. I even wanted to be an author at some point. So, for me, songwriting is my favorite part. I love crafting a strong story and building from there, I want listeners to be able to visualize the song and story as they listen and have it play out like a movie in their heads. If the lyrics lend themselves to that happening, then I know the song is done.