Black LGBTQ Artist Yel Releases New Track for Broken Hearts

Music has always been healing. Societies have danced to it. Cried to it. Marched to it. Reminisced to it. And in the midst of worldwide outrage over the recent deaths of black Americans George Floyed, Breonna Taylor, Ahmed Aubrey, Nina Pop, QTPOC Tony McDade and countless others, and a pandemic that continues to burn quietly in the backdrop – black LGBTQ hip hop artist Yel has released a new single that you can do all four to.

“I am a storyteller,” says Yel. “I definitely like making music that people can bounce to, but I also wanna create tracks that help someone else or encourages them just by listening to it.”

Yel’s new single in particular is a homage to heartbreak and the complex emotions that come with it.

“The story of this song is to touch people who have been through something like this, ” says Yel.  “And I feel like a lot of people out there right now with all that’s going on can relate to a broken heart and falling out of love with life.” 

Listen to Yel’s new single How Many Days on Spotify and Apple Music.

Yel may be based in LA, but she was definitely influenced by San Francisco Bay Area hip hop artists. “Me and my siblings really grew up on Bay Area music,” says Yel. “That swag that it has, it helps you form your own. Like E40 specifically, how he carries himself, how he carries his music – I feel like I was influenced by all of the above and you can hear it in my music.”

It’s just as important for the music that Yel makes to help people find themselves and feel that confidence that music helped her find within herself.

“My main goal with music and how I hope to affect people is to help people embrace themselves and follow their dreams. The best part of doing music in general is getting that one response – wow, you helped me change my life, or you helped me get through this when I was listening to your music. Those are the moments I want to create for people.”

“I identity as a stud and lesbian. Growing up, as I learned more about what the LGBTQ community stood for, I found myself. As a black woman. As a gay person. As an artist,” says Yel. “That’s part of what I stand for as well.”

What’s next for Yel? Current events have left her feeling a new kind of inspiration. “This isn’t the first situation that we as Black people have been through like this,” says Yel. “And yet it’s a monumental moment in life, for the US and for the world. I feel like right now, specifically right now, “I’m inspired to write music about what’s really going on. Like, what we’re all really feeling.”

“The world likes to underestimate black women – its always been a thing. I want to continue – not only in my music, but in my life in general – to keep increasing awareness for us and continue to give our name power.”

Listen to Yel’s new single How Many Days on Spotify and Apple Music.