Independant artist Yates XV drops his latest single, Hopeless Disgrace and chats about his writing and healing process and what music means to him.
Through hard 808s and intense guitars to the softest melodies, Yates XV has solidified himself as an artist with an in-depth catalog of music.
Born in Canberra Australia, Yates XV has always found himself blending into the background, but slowly he has blossomed and found his voice through independently recording and releasing his music on SoundCloud.
With his music now released on every major platform, each song he brings to the table has a new and infectious energy. After releasing his breakout Hit Dead In 2008 and reaching people all across the world Yates XV has made it his mission to help others find their voice and heal just as he has through his music.
In his latest single Hopeless disgrace, the vocals were written and recorded in Yates XV’s room. With blends of potent pop-punk power and emo rap vocals, he was able to create a powerful and unique sound. All guitar parts were written and recorded by Yates XV’s close friend Kcontainer (Prod. Container) who composed and produced the record, with mixing and mastering of vocals done in-house by Yates XV.
From Germany all the way to Australia this track has already met thousands of ears across the globe proving once again that the internet is one of the most powerful tools an artist has at their fingertips. Join us having a chat with Yates XV about the process behind his music, his inspiration, and his motivation to express his issues.
HAPPY: Thanks for joining us for a chat. What are you looking forward to this week?
YATES: This week I’m really looking forward to finishing some songs I’ve been working on for the last few weeks. It’s always an exciting feeling to pick which song I’m going to release next. Other than that, I’ll probably be spending some time with family and reading through any emails I get!
HAPPY: Tell us more about your hometown or the suburb you live in.
YATES: I grew up in Canberra and lived there my entire life up until 2020. Canberra was definitely an interesting place, but I can’t say I have the fondest memories of it. I think musically I didn’t find any progress or passion in Canberra, maybe due to a lack of opportunities or just not being able to discover collaborators that clicked with me.
I always found I had a deeper connection with my online collaborations, and I still actively work and record with the people I’ve met in the digital space. I will say that without the Canberra experience I don’t think I would be able to reflect on songs the way I do now, so in a way, I’m very thankful for those experiences as I can use them to help others.
HAPPY: Describe your writing and recording process.
YATES: Most days, I’ll go through a folder of beats I’ve been sent by friends or collaborators and find something that fits the mood I’m wanting to achieve. Normally I will write out an entire song and during the recording stages, I will tweak what I’ve written to make the sound more consistent.
The only problem with my personal writing style is I tend to write more than I record, so I have about 100-150 songs that I’ve written and haven’t recorded in the last year and a half.
Creating a song from start to finish can take me upwards of 3-4 hours as I mix and master all of my own songs, but I think I’ve got it down to a pretty smooth routine which ends up creating products I’m very proud of.
HAPPY: Tell us about how your music helped find your voice as well as how it helps you heal.
YATES: I have always been obsessed with music since I was very little, and it’s been there at every step of my life so far. Growing up I was heavily drawn to Hip-hop and rap, specific artists like 2pac, Biggie, and Eminem. I would listen to them all day, every day until I was around 14-15 when I started to listen to a lot more grunge and heavier music, but mainly Nirvana.
During this time period, I was recording songs that I feel leaned more towards rap than singing, but in 2015 I found an artist named Lil Peep and everything changed. That was the moment I felt comfortable exploring my emotions, and now whenever I’m having any negative feels I put them into my music and turn them into something positive. Knowing my music helps so many people make every step worth it.
HAPPY: If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
YATES: Probably to LA because so many of my friends live there and it’s just such a hub of music. When I’ve made a little more progress in music, I would love to make regular trips there as I believe it would be an amazing place to build up contacts and connections. If I could pick anywhere to travel that was not related to work though, it would most likely be New Zealand, as I really would like to appreciate the natural beauty there.
HAPPY: Which book or tv show are you currently watching?
YATES: Recently I’ve been watching Jojos bizarre adventure with my girlfriend since she hasn’t watched it before. It’s one of my favourite Animés and Mangas. It’s definitely a big thing I’ve personally latched onto as it was one of the shows that got me through quarantine. I have one of the main characters Jotaro Kujo tattooed on my arm and have a voice line from the Anime as an intro on a few upcoming songs.
HAPPY: What did you read last that opened your eyes and mind to a new perspective?
YATES: I always re-read a book that is very important to me called the Kybalion which I found out about from an interview Ghostmane was doing. It’s a really interesting book about hermetic teachings.
Personally, reading through the book helped me gain more understanding of how the universe was working around me. Obviously, everyone has their own idea of how the world works, but for me personally, the way that book presented practices like the law of attraction, vibration etc really attached to me.
HAPPY: What’s something someone has said about your music that you hold close to you?
YATES: I think the times I’ve been told that either I’ve saved someone’s life or the times I’ve just significantly impacted someone’s loneliness. Those ones always make my heart warm up because I know what it’s like to be in their position because I was the same with the artists I listened to in my darkest days. It just motivates me to help as many people as I possibly can.
HAPPY: Tell us what artists and songs inspire your music
YATES: Lil Peep definitely was a big inspiration for the path I’ve chosen musically but I think a lot of people find themselves emulating their favourite artists early on in their career which can be hard to break out of, but I think I’ve always managed to have my own sound that people have gravitated towards. I definitely can credit Crybaby by Lil Peep as the song that changed my life and made me feel comfortable speaking about my mental health and emotions publicly.
HAPPY: What other projects are you working on at the moment?
YATES: Currently I don’t have any major projects in the works. I’m hoping to start some amazing things next year and go ‘all out’ the entire year, I’ve felt like these last few years have been the groundwork and building up to what I now need to do to achieve the success I want from my music, so watch out for some big things to come in 2023!
HAPPY: Thank you for making some time to have a chat with us!
YATES: Thank you so much for the wonderful questions!
Let your ears have the privilege of listening to Yates XV’s track Hopeless Disgrace and embrace the melodic and punchy vulnerability.
Interviewed by Olivia Adams.
Photos supplied.