YARA

Interview by THA DIVA

Wed, 02 April 2008


Style, flair and charisma are three words that best describe Perth singer Yara Neto. The young diva has cemented her name in Perth over the years, having performed and supported many international artists and events and has even been nominated for awards in the US. Now, Yara looks to making her mark on Australia’s east coast with her first performance at The Loft in Melbourne on Friday, April 4. THA DIVA spoke with Yara about her latest career direction.


DIVA: Can you give us a brief background into what you have done in the past, both in Perth and in the US?

Yara: Perth is where it all started, where I created the monster! I grew up there and creativity bit me on the ass there.

I've done more shows than I can remember in Perth, like the Oz Concert. I’ve opened for international acts, New Years, Club Openings, Groove FM parties and even Chinese NY, which was great fun. I’ve worked with a lot of Perth-based artists and producers and I also got my first air play in Perth.

When I went to the US, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with legendary producers like No ID which was great. He was a real laid back kinda guy and it made me feel like I was home. He is mad talented and has helped me grow musically. I’m still trying to convince him to come to OZ, so when he finally makes it you can all thank me ok? (laughs) Also did some work with Pierre from Tha CornaBoys, which was great. I met people like Mase, Trey Songs and Dj Chuck T. I was also nominated for Best Indie R&B artist in the Southern Entertainment Awards over there for 2007 & 2008.

I attended the award ceremony last year, which was crazy fun! Most of my time in the US I spent meeting/networking, or in the studio, or on my bedroom floor writing songs, my music is a product of my experiences, my sweat from grindin so damn hard and my tears, which lord knows I shed my fair share in the US. So I hope that everyone out there will feel what I’m doing, what I’m about and that we can make that connection.

DIVA: What is the main idea behind the show at the Loft?

YARA: To introduce myself to the Melbournites.

I’ve been knuckling down for so long in Perth and then leaping around the US, that I haven’t really had a chance to get around Australia and showcase what I do. I’ve never been to Melbourne before, so it’s our first stop… but really this is just the tip of the iceberg.


DIVA: For those new to the name of Yara what can we expect to see from you?

YARA: I’m gonna blow the audience's mind performing my originals. During the interval I’ll be giving away free trips to Bali, blocks of land in Brighton and suitcases jammed full of Diamonds and $100 bills!!! For real, I’m serious...(laughs).


DIVA: What are you hoping to achieve performing in Melbourne?

YARA: I’m hoping that I make an impression big enough to leave the door open, so that when I return I can leave an even bigger impression next time…


DIVA: And what about 2008 overall? What are you hoping to achieve this year?

YARA: I’m taking my music to the world stage and I’m in preparation for that at the moment. Right now my manager and I are adding to our camp, ideally we want producers, dancers and investors. It’s all about having the convenience of using in-house resources, one thing I’ve learnt is that you can’t do it all on your own, you need the support of a strong team and that’s what we're building right now. I’ve got some exciting stuff in the pipeline that will be for all to know soon enough. (laughs)


DIVA: How would you define your sound?

YARA: Im an R&B artist with a soul flava. I've been influenced by blues, hip hop and rock so I think there are elements of those genres in my music. Come down to the Loft on Friday and hear for yourself.


DIVA: Who are your influences?

YARA: When I was growing up MJ, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, The Police and Chris Issac. More recently Lauyrn Hill, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Nelly Furtardo, Loin Cloth and anyone who makes music I can feel.


DIVA: What are you thoughts on the current status of R&B and hip hop?

YARA: I was actually talking about this with a DJ the other night and we agreed that there are an elite few who are doing it well and then there is a large void followed by a mad scuffle. I think this can be said for many things in life not just music or R&B/Hip hop.


DIVA: Finally once the Melbourne show is over what is next for you?

YARA: I head back to Perth, get back in the lab, start preparing for a release and may actually return to Melbourne within the month. Keep your ears peeled for my releases and you can keep up to date with all my progress at www.yaramusic.com.au. Also I just want to thank all the DJ's, Producers, Fans and Industry people for all their support.
- GrooveOn.com.au

Tuesday - July 19, 2005

By: William E. Ketchum III

Brooke Valentine teamed up with Outkast's Big Boi for her premiere single, and Ciara enlisted uber-producer Jazze Pha to help her make a first impression, but R&B songbird Yara is establishing her buzz by co-hosting a Sirius radio show with G-Unit's in-house mixtape impresario DJ Whoo Kid. But Yara is used to taking unconventional approaches. The international beauty, who was born in Mozambique and raised in Perth, Australia, is now taking over the U.S. of A through a forum that many of today's aspiring MCs are utilizing: mixtapes. Yara's remixes of popular tunes such as The Game's "Hate It Or Love It" and Fabolous' "Baby" have caught the attention of DJ Envy and DJ Kool Kid, and her modeling has blessed the pages of FHM and Smooth, so now it's time for you to take notice. In a conversation with BallerStatus.net, Yara talks about her international influences, establishing a reputation as more than a pretty face, and upcoming projects.

BallerStatus.net: When did you start taking singing seriously?

Yara: When I finished high school is when I decided to pursue it as a career. I started hanging out with people that were in the scene, and started hooking up with some producers, that sort of thing. That was in 2001, so that's when I decided. But I've been singing my whole life.

BallerStatus.net: Let's talk about some of the mixtapes. First of all, the mixtape scene is usually a place where MCs are born; what made you take the mixtape approach with singing?

Yara: That was my genius manager's idea (laughs), and it worked out really well. Exactly what you said, you normally see rappers coming from the mixtape scene. He said, "Let's do something different." People weren't expecting something fresh, something different to how other R&B singers had come out. We were just taking an avenue that wasn't usually walked by R&B artists, and trying to make the most of it, take advantage. I think there was maybe a gap where R&B artists weren't doing things like that, and using the mixtape scene to their advantage; it was mostly a place for rappers. My manager was like "There's a hole there, so let's use it and try to get you out there."

BallerStatus.net: How did you establish a relationship with such well-known DJs as DJ Envy and DJ Kool Kid so early in your career?

Yara: Yeah, how? (laughs) my manager was vital to all of that, he started talking to people. When I first started doing music with Chris(manager), I was still in Australia. It was really him being the person that really takes care of the business relationships and that sort of thing.

We put stuff out on mixtapes at first, and some DJs hear things and pick up on them. We put out the "Baby" remix, Kool Kid heard about it, and he put it in his mixtape, and we didn't even know about it. That's how that happened, but we just get a lot of contacts.

BallerStatus.net: You were born in Mozambique and raised in Australia. What kind of affect do you think your international origins have had in your music?

Yara: In Australia, hip-hop is new compared to in the US. Even artists that are doing this in Australia are very new at it, so I haven't been influenced by hip-hop and R&B my whole life. I grew up listening to Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder like anyone else, but I also listened to all the rock and grunge sort of thing as well. I have a really broad spectrum of music that I've been influenced by.

I think as an artist, [the broad influence] makes me very versatile. I'm appreciative of a lot of music, and I want to try to incorporate different types and genres of music into my own. I think that's how Australia has sort of influenced me. In regards to my music as well, with the themes and things like that. I speak Portuguese, so that's part of my background as well. I want to put that into my music. If I could have some of my tracks and put the Portuguese influence in it -- a couple of words or something -- there'd be the influence there. One day, I want to try and get some producers that work out of Australia, and do some tracks with some people from there. A lot of the Caribbean sounds have been similar to what I'm talking about, like Wayne Wonder. I think that's where that has kind of influenced me.

BallerStatus.net: You were nominated for best hip hop act at the 2005 Music OzAwards, which take place every year in Australia. How long had it been since you had last been to Australia before you went to the show?

Yara: I'm in and out of Australia quite a bit, because I've got a lot of family there, and I've still got a lot of things that need tying up, so I'm flying in and out a lot. I was actually in Perth not too long ago, in April. I'm back and forth a lot, it's almost like I never miss a beat there.

BallerStatus.net: What was that event like, compared to award shows here?

Yara: The show was basically for the independent industry in Australia, so a lot of majors were involved with it -- Sony was there, Warner was there, a lot of labels -- but it's mainly aimed at indie labels. A lot of the show was focused on the rock acts, and they also had hip-hop awards and R&B awards. It's on a much lower scale than the American awards. The MTV Europe Music Awards would be bigger, those happened for the first time in Australia just recently. In comparison to an American show, [the MusicOz Awards] was really small, but it was good to be there, and it was good to be recognized in that way. It was a lot of fun.

BallerStatus.net: Do you record different music for here and different music for there?

Yara: It's all the same stuff. The same tracks, all of the same remixes. It's funny, because over the Internet, I was talking to a friend of mine who works at a radio station in Australia and I was talking to you [at the same time]. And while I was talking to you, he was telling me about the feedback that he was getting from a song of mine, and we had just put that out a couple hours ago.

BallerStatus.net: Music is your main priority though, right? How important do you think it is to make the distinction that you're a singer, not just a model who sings on the side?

Yara: It's very, very important to me. I started doing singing and really working hard. Even when I was in Perth, three years before I had these mixes, I was really trying my hardest to make the music work. It was really hard for me, because like I said, hip-hop is so new there, and everyone is scared of taking a chance on it. I've been working really hard, and the last thing I want to happen is for people to pass me over as a model. It's very important that people see that I am a singer first, and then a model.

These days, I can understand that it probably gets hard to distinguish between the two. In the entertainment industry, everything is sort of combined all into one now. Singers aren't just singers anymore, they're models and actors. You aren't just stuck in one seat anymore, there are lots of ways that you have to get your name out. I'm going to continue utilizing whatever I can to do that, but I want people know that I'm a singer first of all. But you can't help what people say-at the end of the day I know who I am, and my fans and the people who have listened to my music know who I am, so I guess that's all that matters.
- BallerStatus.net

Interview written by Nima

March 25th 2005

Huge thanks to Yara for taking time out to answer the questions fans wanted to know!

Rising RnB star Yara does not shy away from pressure. She welcomes it. Being labeled a sex symbol early in her career is something she is comfortable with and feels it comes with the territory. Many have labeled her one of the brightest young, up and coming RnB talents in the industry. She is definitely hot and ready to take the industry by storm.

dubcnn.com: Hey Yara how are you doing?

Yara: Hi, I’m doing good, thanks for giving me the chance to let people know who I am.

dubcnn.com: Tell us a little bit about yourself?

Yara: I’m an RnB singer/songwriter, I've been featured on various album compilations, and a lot of mixtapes from the top DJ’s. A lot of my tracks have been receiving heavy radio airplay so I am excited about that. I have also been featured in FHM magazine, Smooth magazine and several others.

dubcnn.com: You have been gaining a very large buzz in the RnB scene. How does that feel?

Yara: It feels great, it’s the best feeling in the world to be receiving recognition for something you love to do. To know that people are feeling what I’m doing and getting caught up in my music makes all the hard work and late nights worth it. It motivates me to keep creating hot music.

dubcnn.com: A lot of people say that you are one of the future stars of RnB. Do you feel the pressure when you hear comments like that?

Yara: At this stage I don’t, but I’m sure there will come a time when I do. I think it will help me to stay focused and realize I have an obligation to keep my music consistent. I’m just doing what comes naturally in terms of making music, my style is straight me, I’m not trying to imitate anybody so if I continue to make my music I don’t think I can go wrong. I also make sure that I stay humble.

dubcnn.com: Have you decided which label you are going to sign with? I have heard most of the major labels are interested in you.

Yara: It feels great to be getting attention from the majors, that has definitely been one of my main goals in my career. It makes me want to work harder because I want to be an artist in this industry for a very long time. But right now we are still meeting with everybody so it is a good situation.

dubcnn.com: Do you like performing and doing shows?

Yara: Yes, I love doing shows. That’s what its all about, getting on stage and singing about your inner most feelings, sharing it wit the people in the crowd and getting a response. Out of all things I do in music, performing would have to be my favorite part. Plus you can’t get a rush like that any other way.

dubcnn.com: Tell us a little bit about the creative process and how you go about making your songs?

Yara: Well basically once I get my hands on the beat, if I’m feeling it, I have what I call a random period where I just sing to find a melody and once I’ve got a base melody words just start flowing and generally the track ends up being about whatever the first word I sang was. Whatever the beat makes me feel is what I sing about. Its kind of like the beat already has a meaning, I just have to put it into English. Or sometimes I have lyrics already and I just make the song from scratch based on what I’m hearing for the lyrics.

dubcnn.com: You were recently in FHM and Smooth magazine. Are you going to be in any other magazines in the near future?

Yara: Definitely!

dubcnn.com: Do you feel as a female RnB singer you are pressured to portray a certain image?

Yara: Yes, there is a lot pressure in this industry for a lot of things, how you’re supposed to look, what you’re supposed to say and how you’re supposed to act. I have many different personalities that make me, I like to look sexy and so does every other woman in the world we just have different measures. And when you hear me on radio or read an interview with me in a magazine, you should know its the real me. I was raised well and I don’t compromise my values for anything.

dubcnn.com: What projects have you been involved in most recently?

Yara: The most recent mixtape I’ve been on is the new DJ Kool Kid- Diesel Pt III. I really like that mixtape, he put a lot of original pieces on there from different artists. I did a track called “dance with me” then he put verses on there from 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg. It came out really hot. Also the Baby (remix) is turning out to be a really popular record. A lot of DJ’s have been spinning that.

dubcnn.com: Which artists would you like to work with that are from the west coast?

Yara: There are a lot of artists I would like to work with. I would hate to leave anybody out. But, I would love to work with Dr. Dre. I like Snoop. The Neptune’s too, even though they are not from the west coast. It would be great to do something with 50 Cent, he is an east coast artist but he is somebody I would love to work with.

dubcnn.com: Where can we go to get more or your material?

Yara: www.yaramusic.com.au
- Dubcnn.com