Yaya Bey releases the carefree single “pour up”, the latest single from her forthcoming new album ‘Remember Your North Star’, out 17th June on Big Dada. Produced with her friend and occasional collaborator DJ Nativesun, “pour up” is a track that will immediately rush hips to the dance floor and comes alongside a self-directed video starring Yaya herself.
“‘pour up’ was produced by my good friend DJ Nativesun and it was recorded in DC,” explains Yaya. “We just had a good time. The song was pretty easy and quick to make because it was so fun. The video is just me being silly in my everyday life. I also wanted to contribute to the conversation the diaspora is having right now.”
It follows three previously released singles: “reprise” – a track that captures women’s exhaustion everywhere; “alright” – a soothing, jazz-inspired ditty that showcases Yaya’s love for the genre’s icons like Billie Holiday, co-produced by Phony Ppl’s Aja Grant; and “keisha” – which drew support from the likes of Pitchfork, The FADER, Clash, The Line of Best Fit, and many more.
One of R&B’s most exciting storytellers, Yaya Bey uses a combination of ancestral forces and her own self-actualization to seamlessly navigate life’s hardships and joyful moments through music. Bey’s new album, ‘Remember Your North Star’ is an entirely self-written project featuring key production from Bey herself, with assists from Phony Ppl’s Aja Grant and DJ Nativesun, capturing an emotional rollercoaster with a fusion of soul, jazz, reggae, afrobeat and hip-hop that feeds the soul.
Bey’s ability to tap into the emotionally kaleidoscopic nature of women, specifically Black women, is the essence of the entire album. A critically acclaimed multidisciplinary artist and art curator, with multiple fine art residencies with MoCADA, she draws on themes of misogynoir, unpacking generational trauma, carefree romance, parental relationships, women empowerment and self-love. Her music has been praised by the likes of Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NPR, Harper’s Bazaar, Dazed, Clash and Mixmag.
‘Remember Your North Star’ arrives on 17th June via Big Dada, a label run by Black, POC and minority ethnic people for Black, POC and minority ethnic artists.
