‘Singing is my calling’

FROM doing YouTube music covers of other singers to becoming a singer-songwriter, Yashna shared her journey in the music industry as she debuted her latest single.

Her song, Fight For You, is receiving airplay on populat music channel MTV. It is classified as being in the genre of Amapiano, a hybrid of deep house, jazz and lounge music characterised by synths, airy pads and wide percussive basslines.

Popularly known by her stage name Yashna International, Yashna said she dreamed of becoming a singer.

“I describe singing as a calling because I feel it chose me,” she said.

Yashna, who turned 28 on Friday, said she grew up watching Bollywood movies.

“I was a nuisance to my family because I was that loud kid who sang everywhere in the house. From the time I could move my feet, I loved watching music videos on TV, looking at myself in the mirror and re-enacting the videos.”

Yashna said although she had the support of her mom to pursue music, she was encouraged to study as a back-up plan.

She said she was grateful for this decision because the music industry was not for the faint-hearted.

“I initially started studying for a BA degree in performance studies and drama at UKZN’s Pietermaritzburg campus, but travelling every day from Malvern (in Durban) took a toll on me. I then transferred to UKZN’s Howard College campus.

“My undergraduate degree majors were clinical psychology and industrial psychology. I completed an Honours degree in industrial psychology."

Yashna said during her time at UKZN, she continued to pursue music and met Canadian rapper Erick Rush. He introduced her to music producers. Before she knew it, she was in the studio recording her own music.

“The first song that got my name out on the music scene was done with producer Sketchy Bongo in 2019. It was called On Fire. The song got a lot of airplay on all the radio stations because it was pushed by Sketchy’s label and he did interviews promoting it.

The track was also aired on TV music channel Trace Urban.”

Yashna’s follow-up songs included Gimme Luv, released in 2020 and which aired on numerous radio stations; the amapiano-infused world pop song Duma (2021); and Can’t Live Without featuring Tyler ICU (2021). All her songs, she said, had been aired on Trace Urban and MTV.

Since entering the scene in 2016, Yashna has been able to break moulds and shift gears for independent artists with her accomplishments.

“I believe that I am playing a role in changing the trajectory of people in my community. Growing up, there were no local Indian artists to look up to. I always looked up to international divas such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé and Rihanna for inspiration.”

Yashna said there were challenges that she faced in the music industry as an independent artist. This included not being able to fund her own music video shoots, and paying for making and promoting her music. But she was able to rise above those challenges.

“As an independent artist, you have to invest in yourself. Sometimes you have to take that risk to get to your desired goal. I have to personally submit my songs to the radio and TV channels. I basically do all my admin.”

Yashna won the best musician title at the 2020 Durban Creative Awards hosted at The Werehouse in Durban; she won the Joox Opening Act competition in 2020; she was the opening act for Master KG at Shine Studios in Johannesburg in 2020; and formed part of Shekinah’s Rosefest 2020 line-up at Shine Studios. Yashna also made the semi-finals of Sportscene’s Put Me On competition in 2020.

Yashna said to write songs, she drew inspiration from her personal experiences or from those around her.

“However, it was different with

Fight For You. When it comes to amapiano music, I tend to go for cheesy love stories, and that is what people love to listen to. In this case, it wasn’t over-thought. I just got to the studio, my producer made the beat and the lyrics just flowed.”

Yashna’s music is also available on all digital

streaming platforms.