An up-and-coming artist and producer, Yaz León is climbing up the industry ladder and making herself known, says Kristian Lovett.
Yaz León’s infectious uniqueness rings through her music and her personality. A self-described newcomer to the music scene, she is making a strong stance for female artists and producers, through her music and her collaborative work. With elements of 2000s neo-soul and modern-day pop, blended in a multicultural mix of goodness.
The music industry is cutthroat, but more so for those who aren’t given the privilege of being born a straight white man. It almost always disregards and looks down upon non-male people of non-white backgrounds. León embodies the change we need within the industry.
“It angers me (the sexism and misogyny within the industry) and pushes me to want to help open doors for ladies so that they feel safe enough to take these directive roles in the creative industry”.
I asked León if she was aware of the tiny percentage of female producers (with only %2.8 of producers being female) in the music industry,
“Yes. To begin with I couldn’t find many women producers to work with and when I did sessions with other producers, my ‘early stage’ knowledge was patronized.” She persevered, however,
“I came to realize how much fun it is”. Yaz León is a brilliant example of what women can do when they break through the oppression placed on them at birth, but it doesn’t come without its ever-prevalent issues
“The microaggressions and belittling of women in the industry is bountiful though”.
A key characteristic of Yaz León is her cultural background,
“Growing up with a Muslim Iraqi father and a Catholic Spanish mother. It permeates in my music”.
This cultural aspect can be heard in her music, with a verse in the track Dunya being in Spanish. But Yaz León is more than her background:
“To rely on my heritage entirely as my ‘brand’ is reductionist of myself. Whatever uniqueness I have comes from other stuff too, like my life experiences, friends, and education… I can imagine my sexuality having had some effect”. Yaz León’s music is so intriguing and unique because it is a reflection of her personality.
With her track August hitting over a quarter of a million views on YouTube, Yaz León has made an impression and is here to stay.
