At just 14 years old, Edie Yvonne already has so many creative irons in the fire. From being a singer-songwriter to being an actress, Yvonne is staying busy! Since her fourteenth birthday, she has been dedicated to releasing a single a month, ultimately working towards an EP and album. This week she sat down with Stef to discuss her latest single, “On Your Mind.”
SJ: Hey, Edie! Welcome to The MIC; we are so excited to sit down and talk about what you’ve been up to!
EY: Thank you so much for having me on your platform!
SJ: So you’re only 14 years old, but you’ve been releasing one single a month angle your birthday. Can you tell us a little bit about how you fell in love with music?
EY: Since I was very young, I sang with my Abuela who is a Nicaraguan opera singer. Music was always around me and I was named after her favorite singer Eydie Gorme. I also did musical theater at YADA - Youth Academy of Dramatic Arts - while taking voice lessons with Katie Riggs and have been singing ever since.
Photo Credit: Cathryn Farnsworth
SJ: You’re also an actress who has starred in many short films including Kitty, Lola Girl Got a Gun, and At Ease. Does acting have any effect on your music creation process? Does it give you new inspiration that perhaps otherwise you may not have had?
EY: Well my songwriting began with a short film titled At Ease that I was making during the pandemic. I wrote my first single "With The Light" from the lens of my character Jade - a young girl stuck in an asphyxiating household.
SJ: What inspired you to start writing your own music?
EY: During quarantine, I spent days in my room with my keyboard and guitar and it started from there at 12-13 years old. When I was home from school I took singing, guitar, and songwriting lessons to pass the time. The more I wrote, the more I realized that I was passionate about writing and songs and more songs poured out.
SJ: What does your writing process look like? Do you write all parts of your songs including lyrics and music?
EY: I write the music and lyrics, mapping songs out on my guitar or keyboard. When I share it with my producers they translate it into a track and then we play and collaborate in the studio.
Photo Credit: Nogen Beck
SJ: Do you work with an instrument during your writing process like an acoustic guitar or piano or do you like to write acapella?
EY: Writing on the guitar seems to be the most fruitful right now.
SJ: Let’s dig into your latest single, “On Your Mind.” This track was written in collaboration with emerging producers, Nicky Swedin and Cormac Liotta and Rrose Productions. Do you always like to work collaboratively?
EY: It has been a dream to work with Nicky and Cormac. They are brilliant, fun, supportive, and super open.
SJ: Do you typically like to work and collaborate with the same producers to create your own “sound” or do you prefer to diversify and work with many different producers?
EY: I just started working with a new producer as well - Rio Root. The process is different and the sound is a bit more pop, I love the opportunity to learn how different producers work while I’m finding my way.
SJ: What was the recording process like for this track?
EY: Now that we have worked together it is pretty seamless. Nicky and Cormac play live in the studio and then lay down my vocals. They give direction, I make suggestions and requests and it is an amazing dialogue.
SJ: Can you tell us the story behind “On Your Mind” and why you wrote it?
EY: It came out of trying to understand how to love someone while feeling so detached from that person. Trying to understand their thought processes, but feeling like passing ships at times.
SJ: Were there any specific artists that influenced the style of this track? Any specific producers or songs?
EY: I would say the song Bittersweet by Kingswood, but I also had a 90s folk/rock sensibility in mind.
SJ: What is next for Edie Yvonne? More singles, a tour?!
EY: Singles for now. I want to put out an EP titled At Ease and an album called Girl Code. I’m working on a short film about mean girls and their minions and wrote the song "Queen Bee" for the project. I’m super excited about it!
SJ: Thank you so much for sitting and chatting with us, can't wait to hear what you create next!
LONG STORY SHORT: Edie Yvonne's "On Your Mind" is a short and sweet indie folk-rock track with classic Miley Cyrus vibes.
Stream "On Your Mind" below!
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Written and performed: Edie Yvonne
Production: Nicky Swedin and Cormac Liotta
Rrose Productions