Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with ifʎʎellow
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My earliest memory regarding music would have to be my parents blasting Bob Marley and ABBA on our old school speaker/CD player in our living room. It was a regular ritual on Satruday mornings when we would deep clean the house in preparation for the weekend. I didn’t care for the cleaning, but i loved the music.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
It began around 4th grade when i started writing my own songs. I still have the yellow notebook that contains the first song i ever wrote, dated back to 11/1/04. I sang about boys, my family and my little kid anxiety. Lyricism was the easiest way for me to express myself, and still is.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Currently, I am working on a collab with a colleage of mine from a music class i took earlier this year. He sent me a cool beat and told me do whatever i wanted with, so, naturally, i wrote some lyrics and recorded over. I am now working on mixing the track and getting it ready for distribution (join me at https://www.twitch.tv/ifyyellow to see my mixing process!).
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
I would put myself under the genre of experimental-pop. I love weird, electronic sounds and effects. I love bass. I love singing and songwriting with clear vocals that tell a story. I like making my tracks from scratch and pushing my sounds into unfamiliar spaces (no Fruity loops here). I’ve been told that my music is “odd”, “eclectic” and “exploratative”. Paired with my singing and writing abilities, i feel that i fit into the experimental and pop music categories.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Ive learned that my best work so far came from tracks that were more simple than complicated. The tracks where i slapped an idea into Ableton, tinkered with it for a LITTLE while until it sounded good enough to bump in my car on my way to work, and sent it off for publish without looking back are my favorite and most-regarded projects so far. I’ve learned not to overthink too much when creating – keep the process fun and light because that energy will likely transfer into the song and onward to the listener.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
Ableton is my DAW of choice. After several years of using it, you can’t convince me to switch! I also need my 88-key Yamaha weighted keyboard which provides additional sounds and creative control. My Scarlett Studio condenser mic and interface make recording vox and instruments possible in my small bedroom. Other software i love include Izotope products (love me some Nectar 3) and Camel Crusher for crazy bass sounds.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Ive been loving some Meet Me @ The Altar! Those ladies have solved the formula for punk-rock music.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
I am an emotional and sensitive person at baseline, meaning that i make sense of the world based on how i feel phsically and emotionally. We all know how a certain mix of sounds and/or words can easily evoke emotion. For me, it made sense to use music as a way to express myself while make sense of the world and how i feel within it. If there is a significant emotional shift in my life, you can bet that im gonna write a song about it.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
To quote Fall Out Boy at When We Were Young fest in 2024, “keep making weird shit”. Who cares if it’s not perfect, or well-received by many, or super viral. The whole point of this music thing, in my opinion, is to let creativity flow and share that flow with others if you choose to. We spend so much of our time staying in-between arbitrary lines and and trying to be accepted. Let your music be a space where you can be yourself and not feel bad about it.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
I dont want to make a job out of this passion, because it seems that when someone else’s money is on the line, your creativity takes a backseat to what that check writer wants from you.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
The first place that comes to mind is 1015 Folsom in san francisco. Ive been to many electronic shows there. It has a basement, underground type of vibe that i feel like would go well with my music style.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
First artist that comes to mind is Louis The Child. I love their bouncy beats. I’d love to see their mixng processes and sing over something for them.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music?
I am everywhere on the internet as ifyyellow. My official website is ifyyellow.com/music which contains links to my major streaming/video content. I also make music live in twitch, tiktok and youtube so please tap in!
Instagram.com/ifyyellow; tiktok.com/@ifyyellow; youtube.com/ifyyellow; https://open.spotify.com/artist/1UOmfvfPABCFFHqKJpZqzv;
https://www.twitch.tv/ifyyellow
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I have so many beats sent from producers ive met online that are waiting for me to add lyrics. So i would like to bust those out, add them to my catalogue and begin scouting for opportunities to perform live. I would like to do one show a month (or 12 shows total) in 2026.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
That i will sing over just about anything so if you have a music project that needs some lyrics and a seasoned voice, i got you!!! Let’s start a rock band or some shit!!!
