Sounds and Sonics: Yarden - 'The One Who Descends' [Interview]

Since the start of his musical career, Yarden has claimed a 'split personality' within his music. This description is perfectly fitting for an EP that descends genre and extends beyond typical production on an Afrobeats EP. Another key factor in his sound is the balance between the good and bad; the yin and the yang. Often referred to by fans as 'music with a soul', Yarden conveys a version of Afrobeats that is new and refreshing within the vibrant musical landscape of his homeland Nigeria. From the Michael Jackson-inspired 80s synths on 'Divine' to the fast-paced beat on 'Time', Yarden showcases the scope of his music throughout the EP, continuing to deliver a sound that fans know and love.

The success of last year's hit single 'Wetin'' captured the attention of fans after amassing 56 million streams globally. Listeners got a sense of his soothing vocals and songwriting prowess and continued to Shazam the track over 400,000 times since its release. Yarden has been diligently working on The One Who Descends (named after the meaning of his name in Hebrew) for the past two years, intentionally featuring only two friends on the project despite his opportunities for more well-known artist features. Having recently signed to Nigerian label Etins Records, it seems the hard work is certainly paying off, with many superstar collaborations only a phone call away.

New Wave Magazine sat down with Yarden to talk through each track from his new EP...

‘Wait’: The subject matter feels quite romantic and intimate. Was this song written with anything or anyone particular in mind?

Honestly, I wanted to do something with a disco melody with a core Afrobeats element to it. My inspirations were Shalamar, Jackson 5 and Kool and the Gang. Lyrics-wise, I was having a good time so there wasn’t a particular woman in mind whilst I was making it. I like how it turned out very groovy.

‘Divine’: The synths at the beginning are cool: I love the production on this! Were you working with one producer in particular or several?

There were four of us in the room during the making of Divine. I gave the producer some references and played some chords to get an idea of the sound. ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson was one of the references but we didn’t realise it until the end.

That’s what I like about the process of making music: you go in without too many expectations and come out with something nice and unexpected. Sonically, I always go with something I’ve heard before. At the time, I was listening to a lot of house music so I think it came through in that song and I like how it turned out.

‘Time’: How long did it take to create the project from start to finish?

Time is the one song on the project that I wasn’t physically there for during it's creation. The producer sent me the beat and I got in the booth and recorded. I heard the beat whilst I was travelling so once I got to the studio, I laid down what I’d recorded already. I’d say the making of the song was quite fast.

If we’re talking about the EP, it was an idea that I had from the very start of my career. The whole idea of the project was to express myself through different styles of music through various forms and emotions. The consistency of the sound was important as it's an essential part of who I am as an artist: I wanted to be able to express the kind of music I listened to growing up and how it has influenced me.

‘So Cold’: You’ve described your music as having ‘split personalities’. Would you say this applies to this song?

From the start of my career, I always wanted to dabble in multiple sounds. One thing I wanted to do was to combine different genres in a way that still represents my sound. That’s something that I’ve learned how to do over time whilst not detaching from what makes my sound unique.

Hopefully, when people hear my music they can still tell that it's Yarden without feeling detached as they’d still be connected to the root of the sound. That’s something which has always been paramount when it comes to creating music and remaining authentic to myself.

‘Pressure’: Could you tell us a bit more about the use of female vocals on the track?

The producer found that sample and added that distinct element of creativity - it was exactly what the track needed. Even before making that song, the project always had a very feminine theme. That’s why there’s an hourglass theme because it's the shape of a woman’s body.

‘Pressure’ is a very deep song for me and the whole process of making it was almost like a conversation with myself. It aims to show two different sides of an emotional coin; sadness and laughter. That vocal sample was just the icing on the cake that made the song complete.

Listen to The One Who Descends here: