By Nicholas Jason Lopez
When Yenne started a solo project in late 2020, there were hesitations aplenty.
With the urge to explore new horizons ever so strong, the risks outweighed the fears and Yenne subsequently signed with 4us Records and set up 2021 to be a successful year.
It has become just that, with “Spotify Wrapped” statistics that show Yenne garnered 317K streams and 66K listeners from 124 countries, mostly attributed to the release of experimental, yet powerful singles like “Control,” “Take Me” and an iconic cover of t.A.T.u.’s “All The Things She Said (Feat. Mirage).”
The Music Bugle had the chance to to speak with Yenne about how things have been lately and more.
Music Bugle – What made you want to do a cover of “All The Things She Said”?
Yenne – I am a huge fan of t.A.T.u. since 2001. This passion never left me. They helped me to understand that I was gay and that it was okay. I can say now that this song changed my life forever.
Music Bugle – What excites you the most about your style of music?
Yenne – Experimenting! I have my own recording studio, so I can record, try new things, delete, record again and so on. I love electro and rock music, so I’m trying to combine what I like the most into a unique sound.
Music Bugle – What inspired the “Yenne” name?
Yenne – Fun fact – I love American Indians history. I also have a big tattoo on my arm about it. I wanted to call my solo project “Cheyenne,” but it was a bit too obvious, so I got rid of the “Che” part.
Music Bugle – Does social media help or hurt musicians?
Yenne – I would say both. It is very useful for people to get noticed, but we all have to sponsor everything to do so. Also, something that hurts is to see that we spend months and months of hard work just to release one song and the engagement is very low. We are too focused on statistics, on likes, comments and sharing.
Music Bugle – How have you been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yenne – To be honest, not that much. My solo career started with the COVID-19 pandemic. I released my very first song “Feed The Demon” on September 11, 2020. I don’t even have enough songs to tour. It was beneficial for me, ’cause I had more time for myself to record new songs!
Music Bugle – Where do you go when you need an escape?
Yenne – I go hiking into the woods with my lovely dog, Bernie. I love nature and animals, so it’s a good combo.
Music Bugle – Who are you listening to right now, music-wise?
Yenne – I listen to a lot of electro mid-tempo and dark wave stuff, but I also listen to a lot of Bring Me The Horizon and of course, still a lot of t.A.T.u.!
Music Bugle – What has been your biggest challenge lately?
Yenne – Recording my own music. It was a mess in my head, ’cause it was very hard to stay objective. I asked a lot of people to help me. I was a bit lost, but in the end, I think I managed to do something pretty cool. Also, my biggest challenge now is to learn Russian. I love this langage and I would love to be able to speak with Russian people. I subscribed to Babel! (Laughs)
Music Bugle – What’s a quote that motivates you to keep doing what you do?
Yenne – It’s a French quote – “Choisir, c’est renoncer.” I don’t know the equivalent in English, but it must be something like, “Choosing, means renouncing.”
Music Bugle – What does today’s music industry need more of?
Yenne – More of diversity! I’m fed up with seeing all the same artists on TV and radio. Also, where the fuck is rock music nowadays? I was watching the Top 50 charts in France recently and I was depressed… rap, rap, rap, French ugly songs, rap rap, rap, rap, French weird songs, rap rap… (Laughs)
