Yaya Bey

Yaya Bey is one of R&Bʼs most exciting storytellers. Using a combination of ancestral forces and her own self-actualization, the singer/songwriter seamlessly navigates lifeʼs hardships and joyful moments through music. Beyʼs new album, ʻRemember Your North Starʼ (out June 17), captures this emotional rollercoaster with a fusion of soul, jazz, reggae, afrobeat and hip-hop that feeds the soul. The artistʼs knack for storytelling is best displayed in the albumʼs lead single, “keisha”. Itʼs an anthemic embodiment of fed-up women everywhere who have given their all in a relationship, yet their physical body nor spiritual mind could never be enough.

Beyʼs ability to tap into the emotionally kaleidoscopic nature of women, specifically Black women, is the essence of the entire album. With themes of misogynoir, unpacking generational trauma, carefree romance, parental relationships, women empowerment and self-love, ʻRemember Your North Starʼ proves that the road to healing isnʼt a linear one – there are many lessons to gather along the journey.

“I saw a tweet that said, ʻBlack women have never seen healthy love or have been loved in a healthy way.ʼ Thatʼs a deep wound for us. Then I started to think about our responses to that as Black women,” Bey says of ʻRemember Your North Starʼs title inspiration, an entirely self-written project featuring key production from Bey herself, with assists from Phony Pplʼs Aja Grant and DJ Nativesun. “So this album is kind of my thesis. Even though we need to be all these different types of women, ultimately we do want love: love of self and love from our community. The album is a reminder of that goal.”

The artistʼs raw, unfiltered approach threads ʻRemember Your North Starʼ. “big daddy ya” finds the artist tapping into her inner rapper, channeling the too-cool and confident factor that artists like Megan Thee Stallion and City Girls are well-known for. “reprise” captures womenʼs exhaustion everywhere, with its lyrical tug-of-war of bettering oneself while trying to cut yourself off from toxic relationships. Thereʼs also “alright” (co-produced by Aja Grant), a soothing, jazz-inspired ditty that showcases Beyʼs love for the genreʼs icons like Billie Holiday, while the carefree “pour up” highlights the artistʼs friendship with DJ Nativesun (the songʼs producer) and will immediately rush hips to the dancefloor.

There is no fakeness when it comes to Beyʼs music, and her authenticity can be partly attributed to her upbringing in Jamaica, Queens. Early childhood memories included watching her father (pioneering ʻ90s rapper Grand Daddy I.U) record in his studio – which also doubled as Beyʼs bedroom – and listening to records by soul legends Donny Hathaway and Ohio Players around the house. Beginning at age nine, the artistʼs father would leave space for her to write hooks to his beats, using her favorite artists like Mary J. Blige and JAY-Z as inspirations.

Bey quickly grew out of New York City and moved to D.C. at age 18. Calling it her second home, the city further ignited the artistʼs creativity as she worked at museums and libraries, as well as tapping into poetry and attending protests. Her first release ʻThe Many Alter - Egos of Trillʼeta Brownʼ in 2016 that incorporated a digital collage and a book, was praised by FADER, Essence, and many more. Bey followed up with fellow critically acclaimed projects like 2020ʼs ʻMadison Tapesʼ album and 2021ʼs ʻThe Things I Canʼt Take With Meʼ EP – the first release on Big Dadaʼs relaunch as a label run by Black, POC and minority ethnic people for Black, POC and minority ethnic artists – that received support from Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, NPR, Harperʼs Bazaar, FADER, HotNewHipHop, Dazed, Clash, FACT, Crack Magazine, The Line of Best Fit and Mixmag.

In 2021, Bey was also profiled by Rolling Stone for their print magazine, contributed to the publicationʼs The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, and curated a playlist for Document Journal. The artistʼs “september 13th (DJ Nativesun Remix)” and “made this on the spot” singles received strong radio support from BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC 1 Xtraʼs Jamz Supernova. Last May, Bey was interviewed on BBC 1Xtra and performed three tracks for Jamz Supernovaʼs “Festival Jamz” including The Things I Canʼt Take With Meʼs “fxck it then” and “september 13th” that December.

Bey is also a critically acclaimed multidisciplinary artist and art curator, creating the artwork for her music through collages of intimate photos and self-portraits. In 2019, her work was featured in the District of Columbia Arts Centerʼs “Reparations Realized” exhibit and Brooklynʼs Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA)ʼs “Let the Circle Be Unbroken” exhibit. She also completed multiple fine art residencies with MoCADA, curating programs that reflect the same theme that drives her music: the Black womanʼs experience.

ʻRemember Your North Starʼ continues Beyʼs personal and artistic evolution as she strives to be a soundboard for Black women everywhere. “I feel empowered in music because I can transform anything that happens to me into something that is valuable. Music helps me to see the value in whatʼs going on in my life,” she explains. “Thereʼs a spirit in music. Itʼs a culture and Iʼm in that community, contributing my story which keeps us connected.”