Yonny | Interview

EDITED BY SILVER GS

Some artists are born with a clear vision of their path, while others stumble into their calling through unexpected connections. For this rising artist, the journey into music began just over two years ago, sparked by a chance meeting with longtime collaborator Evan George. At a low point in life, uncertain of the future, a visit to Evan’s studio changed everything. Since then, he has been on an unstoppable rise, honing his craft, experimenting with different sounds, and carving out a space in the industry that is uniquely his own. Influenced by legends like Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole, his music blends soul, hip-hop, and raw storytelling, offering listeners an authentic look into his world.

What sets him apart is not just his talent but his relentless drive and willingness to evolve. He embraces the unpredictability of artistry, encouraging patience and authenticity in an industry that often demands instant success. His fans, whom he describes as "open," appreciate his genre-bending approach, following him through sonic twists and turns. From deeply personal tracks like Women n’ Weed to the transformative energy of Hood Spirituals, his music reflects the highs and lows of his journey, proving that every setback is just another step toward greatness. With ambitions of selling out arenas, collaborating with dream artists like Anderson Paak and SZA, and leaving an undeniable mark on the industry, his story is still being written—but one thing is clear: he’s here to stay.

1. How long have you been doing what your doing and how did you get started in the first place?

A little over 2 years now, last august being the 2 year anniversary of my first release! I got started by meeting one of my now longtime friends Evan George. We connected through a mutual friend at pretty low time in my life where i didn’t really know what i wanted to do, then one day i came to his studio and the rest is history.

2. What great advice can you give to other artists looking forward to follow the path of an artist?

Don’t feel rushed. I’ll never forget this piece of advice a friend of mine told me early on, but we’re in the beautiful stage of our career where no one knows us and there are no expectations. We don’t have a label, or mob of fans waiting on a release, meaning we can take our time and really flesh it out. Don’t be afraid to be patient, and also using that time to find the people you want to create with.

3. What excites you the most when it comes to the music making process and what discourages you the most?

I think what’s most exciting is when you realize you have a great song on your hands, Grant-it im biased and think that about all my songs but i’ll never forget those moments of looking at either Evan or Jake (Crocker) and being like “yo i think we have something”. The most discouraging thing has to be when it feels like nothing makes sense in the ideas we’re trying. Sometimes it feels like nothing i throw sticks so it can be frustrating for sure, but it’s just a part of the process.

4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years, with the way we’re going about things now, i can’t see a world where we aren’t on top of the world. I want to be able to travel the country and sell out arenas, have some desperately needed financial stability and quite honestly, life stability. I see myself making my younger self proud.

5. Who are your biggest influences when it comes to your sound?

The range of artists are sort of all over the place, but it really just boils down to good music. Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill, and Anderson Paak are some of my inspirations when it comes to my interest in singing. My love for hip hop comes from Kendrick, J Cole, and Lil Wayne, just to name a few.

6. Who has been your biggest support throughout your journey as an artist?

My family for sure, even beyond music, they keep me going everyday. I got the strongest role models in the world with my mom and my sister, i get my work ethic and willingness to never give up from them.

7. How do you prepare mentally before each and every show?

Honestly, i’ve never really had a pre-show ritual or anything like that, I always try to slow down and really be in the moment. I find some time to be alone, talk to myself and really get to be calm. That’s what helps me get in the zone.

8. What song of yours has been the most personal to you and why?

 Women n’ Weed by far is my most personal song. A lot of ‘Everywhere, But Always’ was inspired by my friends telling me I need to open up more in my music. I was told that it’s fine to be the artist that makes good songs to people, but to build a fan base, they gotta know who the artist is. Women n’ Weed does exactly that, it’s me being as vulnerable as possible about all my fears and worries in not just music, but life.

9. If you can describe your fans in one word what would it be and why?

Open. My music can very easily be described as all over the place at times, i love experimenting with different sounds and not sticking to one distinct genre. It takes a specific type of fan to be willing to follow along on a journey like that, and that’s exactly what type fan base i’ve garnered.

10. Who would you like to work with in the near future?

This question is always tough because my list is very “shoot for the stars” esque. My list ranges from Anderson Paak. to SZA, then down to smaller artists like Samara Cyn or VITA. I love good music and that’s what’s most important, and if i think we can make a good song it doesn’t matter what style or genre you’re in. I’m down!

11. What do you hope to accomplish in 2025?

Lots of little goals, want to go on a tour as support for the first time, want to get on more festivals, drop more collab songs, get on a billboard (idk why i just rally want to), and also just find some financial stability.

12. You recently released "Hood Spirituals", what was the inspiration behind the song?

That song was quite literally the inception of the entire new sound i was going for. Back in 2022 i was working a dead end job and didn’t know where i was going in life. I had just release my first ep ‘Ghetto Sunset’ at the time and felt like I wasn’t doing enough to be known. There were so many feelings of confusion, frustration, anger all mixed together that needed to be focused somewhere. I went on my break, got in my car and opened garageband on my phone. Put the beat on and started saying the first things that came to my head. The song is me wanting to prove everything in my life wrong with an exclamation point at the end.

13. How would you like to be remembered at the end of your career?

The entire reason i got into music was because of artist like Dr. Dre, Lil wayne, Michael Jackson, Alicia Keys, and a multitude of other artists that left a strong impact on me growing up. The way the music made me feel, the imagery i could create just off hearing melodies and rhymes through my headphones, all those things together made me realize that I wanted to do the same. My goal is to do the absolute best I can, take it as far as humanly possible, and hope whoever listens can find any sort of inspiration to chase after it too, like i did.