Jamaican singer Yanah returns with new Release 'Dark Skin': "The biggest challenge was battling self-doubt"
Yanah Lawrence, returns to music after 4 years (Photo: Bad Gee Studios)
Jamaican singer-songwriter Yanah is set to make her return to the music scene with the release of her new single, 'Dark Skin', marking her first release since 2019. "It’s been a while, but I’ve been releasing music since 2017," she said. After her hiatus, fans who have been eagerly awaiting new material are thrilled for her comeback.
The concept behind her upcoming single, 'Dark Skin', is a celebration of black love. “The message I’m always hoping to convey is that black is beautiful. However as a woman it’s obviously in a way that is more seductive and sultry,” Yanah explained. The visuals for the track carry a nostalgic vibe, capturing the playful and shy feelings reminiscent of young love. “As much as we are adults now, sometimes you still feel that love like the first time you did in high school or your teenage years. It just feels fresh and new,” she added.
Yanah's creative process for this song was notably organic, describing it as almost a freestyle. “The creative process wasn’t a long one, to be honest. I pretty much came up with it on my first time hearing the beat,” the singer revealed.
One of the key collaborators on 'Dark Skin' is producer Delagroove, who Yanah frequently works with. She highlights his professionalism and openness to her creative direction, saying, “He’s a very cool person to work with. Very serious, very professional, and very open to my creative capabilities.”
For Yanah, her music carries a deep and intentional message. “The message I’m always hoping to convey is that black is beautiful. As a woman, it’s obviously in a more seductive and sultry way. It’s feel-good music, like, it’s supposed to make you feel real good,” she explains, noting that the sultry vibes of her tracks aim to evoke a sense of empowerment and pride.
While 'Dark Skin' may not be her first release, the gap between songs gives it a fresh feeling. “Being that it’s been a while, it does feel a little new. No lie, people seem to be feeling it, and me love dat, me love dat bad,” she admits with a smile. Yanah’s fans, who have followed her since the beginning of her career, have expressed joy at her return to releasing music.
"As much as we are adults now, sometimes you still feel that love like the first time you did in high school or your teenage years. It just feels fresh and new".
However, the road to releasing the song wasn’t without its challenges. “The song is two years old, let’s start there,” she says. The main obstacle she faced was internal, battling self-doubt. “There was a lot of self-sabotage, but I overcame it by accepting the fact that the belief starts with me. If I don’t believe in myself and this song, no one else will.”
Promoting 'Dark Skin' has been heavily driven by social media, particularly Instagram, where Yanah feels most connected to her supporters. “I mainly did the promotion there, and the response was great. I got a lot of reposts when I told them I was gonna drop a song.” As she returns to the spotlight, Yanah is setting ambitious goals, aiming for a tour and a hit record. “Tour, hit record… nuff tings. Definitely more music, more visuals, more content. More of everything”, she laughed, adding that she believed more people, both in Jamaica and globally, will soon recognize her talent and elevate her to new heights.
Yanah celebrates black love
Yanah, born Hanay Lawrence, successfully balanced her music career while keeping up with her studies, earning a degree in international relations from the University of the West Indies. With her undeniable talent, her return to the music scene is bound to make waves, positioning her for even greater success in the industry. In closing, she gives a heartfelt shoutout: “I would also like to thank Kaboom Mag for this feature. Big up unuself”.
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