Young Trailblazer Yafania Talks About “The Right Guy”

Yafania weighed in on the new project and making the video

Can you share your earliest memory of music and how it influenced your decision to pursue a music career?

From a young age, I was captivated by the world of music. I would constantly create songs and sing them around the house, keeping the fact that I wrote them to myself. One day, while driving with my mother, I sang one of my songs in the car. Later, at home, she asked me, ‘Yafania, what’s the name of that song you were singing? I’ve been trying to look it up.. what 90’s band wrote it?’ When I told her the title, she searched for it on YouTube but couldn’t find it. That’s when I confessed that I had written the song myself, and she was pleasantly surprised.

What do you enjoy most about being a musician and performing artist?

What I enjoy most about being a musician and performing artist is the pure joy of creating music. It’s the simplest answer, but also the most meaningful. For me, music is a way to tell a story, to express emotions and experiences. When I release a song, it becomes more than just my story because it connects with listeners on a deep, personal level and they often see their own lives reflected in it. That powerful spark between an artist and their audience, both live and virtually, is what gives the most purpose to everything I do.

What was the inspiration behind your new song “The Right Guy”? Any personal experiences that influenced it?

I wrote the song during a moment when I was feeling pure love. As a songwriter, it was one of those times where everything felt heightened and I wanted to capture that feeling of love at its peak. I believe in the power of love because some of my happiest moments have been when I was falling in love. There’s just something magical about those experiences that I can’t help but adore.

What elements of the song are you most proud of, and why?

I am so proud of the sound of verse 1, and here’s why. It was the hardest section to get right! Each time I went into the studio, I kept re-composing and changing the first verse because each iteration kept getting further from what I knew the emotional sound of the song was supposed to be, which is simple and memorable yet magical. I have to give a shoutout to my lead musician, Eddie Lam, for his endless patience and studio support. He made the time to show up to the studio with me every time I went into full-on perfectionist mode, making him not just a musician but a hardcore one.

How do you hope listeners will relate to or feel when they hear “The Right Guy”?

The Right Guy is a very justification-based song. It resonates with anyone who has ever overanalyzed their feelings or tried to come up with the reasons why they’re right for falling in love with the person they’re passionate about. I’m a romantic, and this song is crafted to touch the hearts of hopeful and hopeless romantics alike, as well as anyone who has a soft spot for love stories.

What was it like working with Pearce Joza on the set of the music video?

Working with Pearce Joza on the set was a rewarding experience. He brought his A-game and it showed in the final cut of the music video for “The Right Guy”! Our natural connection added a touch of warmth to the on-screen chemistry, which is exactly what I hoped for during the filming process. It shone through and I’m glad we were able to capture that, especially in the more emotionally charged scenes.

What was the most fun or challenging part of creating the music video?

The most fun part of filming was designing the fictional bedrooms. I loved decorating mine with posters of Mazzy Star, Smashing Pumpkins, and The Cranberries, all artists who have deeply left impressions on me. For Pearce, The Right Guy’s room, there are Easter eggs that hint at my next project so keep an eye out for those! The most challenging part was shooting the night scenes at the end of the video. We were racing against time to get the lighting, setups, and shots to be perfect before we had to leave the university grounds where we filmed.

How do you find inspiration for your music and videos?

I always see the visuals and music videos for every song I write as I’m writing them. I love filmmaking and music, and the best way for a creative to blend both mediums is by making a narrative-style music video. With “The Right Guy”, the lyrics were a handbook that inspired my vision. I was drawn to school references and imagery, as well as bench and night scenes because they embody the term “dream romance.” As a modern-day romantic, everyone wants to live that story with the right person.

What’s next for you after “The Right Guy”? Are any new projects or collaborations in the works?

The best-told stories are the ones where you don’t know what’ll happen next. My audience knows that I’ve been labeling “The Right Guy” as Chapter 1 and that I’ve said there’s more to come in this chapter… but I never said it was the end of the story. Follow Yafania

https://yafania.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@yafania
https://www.facebook.com/officialyafania/
https://twitter.com/YafaniaOfficial
https://www.instagram.com/yafania_official/
https://www.tiktok.com/@yafania.official

Comments are closed.