Interview by Brooke Gibbs.

Lebanese/Australian alt-pop artist YAGKI has returned with her first single of 2024, Something I Do , following an artist rebrand.

Futuremag Music sat down with YAGKI to talk about what this rebrand means for her as an artist.

FMM: Congrats on your first release of the year. How are you feeling?

YAGKI: I'm feeling good. I feel really excited for it. I haven't released for the last year nearly because I've been focusing on writing and just really delving into what I really want to share as an artist. It's really exciting to be able to go, ‘yep, it’s this one's time to come out.’

FMM: During that time, it looks like you've gone through a bit of a rebrand since your last releases. When reflecting on what sort of things you want to put out as an artist, what went through your mind and how did that come out?

YAGKI: I think a lot of what I want to do as an artist now centers around my story and how I grew up. I think that as Sarah Yagki, I was still healing, and I wasn't really ready to share those stories. I think that over the last few months, I've really gotten to a point where I'm ready to share. I think it’s really important to go you know, these stories are real, they happen, and I want to be the person that can share and also inspire other people. A lot of the rebrand came from wanting to connect more with my background and wanting to share that.

FMM: Well done for reaching that point, because it is such a scary and vulnerable thing to share your story on such a public network. How do you balance that for people who know you in your everyday life who may also listen to your music?

YAGKI: Well, it was funny that you say that because I did a storytime video, and one of my friends who I've known for about a decade sent me that video back and replied, and she said that she didn't know that about me and was really supportive. I didn't realise how much I wasn't talking about stuff that almost felt a bit taboo to talk about. But, I've been really lucky because the people that have known me for the longest have been really supportive. On the other side of that, I haven't had it at the moment, but if I was to receive any negativity about it, it kind of reinforces the point that those stories need to come out in the first place.

FMM: Definitely, and as I said, it’s such a brave thing, what you're doing, and it's good to hear that you're now in the spot where you feel comfortable to do this.

YAGKI: Yeah, definitely, and I think that it's been a lot because of that process of songwriting and writing again. And also, I think that it's day to day. I have a very bubbly, energetic personality, and I think really showing off that other side to me and being true to what I'm writing about is really important because the vulnerability and the authenticity in my songwriting has never changed. It's just the openness to go, here's what it's actually about exactly.

FMM: This release, Something I Do, explores themes of detachment and your recovery process. Can you tell me more about that and what inspired this release?

YAGKI: I think that with Something I Do, I wrote it about two years ago, and I was at a point in my life where there was a lot happening. I was getting myself into really sticky relationships. I wasn't really connecting with who I was, and to deal with those situations, I was really shutting off, and I didn't have an understanding of why. I knew that it was happening, and I was aware. But, I think what was really important about this song was that when I wrote it, it's really upbeat, it's really boppy, it's energetic, but there's such eerie undertones to it. I think that there's a lot of music that I've listened to that shares that this is happening right now. This is a situation, but I want Something I Do to go, this is the cause and effect. This is how something so so young can affect us now. I think that for myself, when I was or while I am still going to therapy and I'm still understanding myself, it's such an important aspect to go, what's happening now? Why is my behavior like this, and how can I change it to being in a healthier spot for myself and my mental health?

FMM: It sounds like through writing this song, it's been a really big healing process for you when processing that and then sharing your story with other people?

YAGKI: Definitely, and I've been really lucky because I've been able to connect with a lot of people about it. I think that it just makes me feel more like a real person, and with the topics that I talk about, particularly in this song, there's always that feeling that I have of, I'm here, but I'm kind of somewhere else like I'm outside of my body. But, being able to chat about the music and chat about what it's about just helps me ground myself and go, this is me, and that's completely fine.

FMM: I think that's a beautiful message for a rebrand. It sounds like you've come back really strong and as your authentic self like this is who I am. This is what my music is, and just connecting with others.

YAGKI: I really want to do that. I think that especially in a time with social media and with how much music there is out there, I want to make a really big point of myself as an artist, that I want to share my story, I want to hear other people's stories, and I want to connect. That's the biggest thing. I'm not trying to put something out there for the sake of it. I'm not trying to share something because it looks good. I'm trying to share and talk because I think it’s not spoken about enough. I want to be able to be an artist that I would have needed a few years ago.

FMM: I love the music video that goes with this release because it puts that visual representation to your story as well. What messages are you hoping people take from the video?

YAGKI: I want it to almost be like a fly on the wall. Like, you see something, but you're like, should I be watching this? But I kind of can't take my eyes off it. I think that a lot of that feeling is quite representative of the song, because when you see things happen and things that really shouldn't happen, sometimes it's a situation of, do I keep looking? Do I not look? Do I keep watching? Do I not watch? The music video goes from a bedroom scene to just a blank studio. It's all focused on colours and almost each time you see me in a different space, it's a different persona, it's a different mask, it's a different face. I think that the main scene for me is the red backdrop, the close up in the hands, and that that scene in particular was something that I just knew from the start. I almost wanted it to feel like I was just a shell of myself and I was letting other people take and take and take. It's that sense you just shut off. During the music video, you can see the feelings grow and you can see that fight trying happen. But in the end, I still kind of just stay. I think that I want people to take away almost that it's still light-hearted. It's still very visually beautiful.

FMM: It goes hand-in-hand with what the song's about and what you're trying to portray.

YAGKI: Thank you so much.

FMM: I'm excited for everyone else to see it as well and for everyone to hear the song. Do you have any celebrations planned for when it comes out?

YAGKI: Well, I was like, I'm gonna go out, and then my producer who wrote it with me is like, do you want to come write some music? And I'm like, okay, so I think I'm gonna be in the studio tomorrow. I went out with some friends last night, did a little celebration, but I'm just gonna go back and write some more music. So it's a really good, it's one of those songs I'm really proud of, and every live show that I've had, I've had people come up to me being like, when is it? When are you putting it out? Because the chorus is just very ewormy, which I love so much. I'm very, very proud of myself, and I think I'm normalising that conversation of being proud of yourself as well. As an artist, I think it's an important one and something that not a lot of us do all the time, so I'm excited for it. Really, really excited.

FMM: That's a huge compliment when you play it live and people want you to release it an are waiting for the studio version. You mentioned earlier that Something I Do is a bop, which is what I love too, because when you listen to the lyrics, they're dark and when you talk about the inspiration, it's also personal. How do you balance the dark themes with a bop that people can dance to?

YAGKI: I think a lot of it came from inspiration wise, Joji. I love Joji's music. I love how you're kind of just swaying to it. The topics are heavy, but for myself, I think I was trying to find a way to balance that. How would I sing and how would I do that? I really liked that. I think the balance as well is also, I think as an artist, I want to create a really safe space for people to share those stories and also hear a story. Being able to put such a heavy topic in something that does have some safety around it in the boppiness, was also quite purposeful as well. I didn't want to say something so bluntly that it might accidentally trigger someone. I didn't want to say or be too confronting with my words where someone listens to it and they don't expect it.

I think that while I'm sharing all these stories, and I've been working a lot with a couple of music charities to really make sure I'm aware of my language and making sure that I'm being safe with my language as well. I think that was a really big reason around this song, because it is so heavy. But also, I just wanted to create a sense of safety in it that's so important, too.

FMM: When you frame it like that, it's something you don't think of, but it’s a very valid thought because when you word it a certain way, you don’t know what your listeners are going through.

YAGKI: Exactly and I've been really trying hard to get around it because I think it's something that I haven't learned and wasn't shown it, and didn’t know where to access it. I've been really lucky to be able to find those resources and find those support networks where I go, what's the best way for me to say this? How am I going to put myself in a safe situation, but also put other people that are watching this in a safe situation, especially because there's so much that's out there on the Internet and you don't expect it. I want people to feel inspired and wanting to connect with me. I don't want to accidentally put someone in a situation that can flare up feelings that they don't really want to feel at that time.

FMM: It's so nice to hear that is something you take into consideration when you write your music.

YAGKI: Yeah, definitely. I think I'm very open of the fact that I'm still learning it and if there's a better way that I can say something, and that's in my artistry as a person, I'm so open to be able to go, how can I help connect with people better? How can I be better for myself and for others? I think that just having those conversations and making sure that as an artist I am doing that really right and making sure that those environments are there for people to feel like they feel safe and it's a space that they can be intimate with who they are rather than feel like it’s flared up really, because I know how that feels like, and it's hard to kind of feel it unexpectedly. There's still a lot more that I personally think that needs to be said about that sort of stuff. I think that there still is a lot to do but for myself and because I'm around a lot of artists all the time in different spheres of what I do, I really try and make sure that I'm sharing those sorts of messages.

FMM: You mentioned that you’re writing some more music, so what do you have planned for the rest of the year? Any live shows that you want to plug?

YAGKI: I came off a live show a few weeks ago, and the plan for the next few months is releasing and connecting, so using my songs to connect to the stories and to connect to people. I'll be doing live shows and headlines towards the end of the year and supports throughout this period. I wanted a period of time where I could just focus on the music and the stories, and this is the time now, which is really exciting for me.

FMM: It sounds like connection is really important to you. What are some ways people can connect with you?

YAGKI: Honestly, I love people face-to-face, I think, like Zoom or anything like that and live shows, reaching out on social media, checking out what I'm writing about, commenting on anything as well so I can see it quite immediately just to have that connection there.