Zyah Belle On Her Debut Album "Yam Grier"

Let's start with the name Yam Grier. I know that Yam is your nickname, and Gier came from Pam Grier. The name exudes so much confidence. Who helped sew into and foster that confidence that you have?

My mother is the number one person who helped foster my creativity and confidence. My aunts, my sisters, and my mom surrounded me with strong women that helped support her as a mother and a woman. But, they also helped support her children. Throughout that support, I watched and idolized them the entire time, watching what they were doing and listening to what they would say. That's how Yam Grier has a personality. It's through those women in my life.

You told Ratedrnb you were very excited to get back into the studio after releasing Who's Listening Anyways, to record Yam Grier. What inspired you to jump right back into work, and then how was it recording your debut album?

It was partially creative excitement. On one end, when it came to Who's Listening Anyway, it was a new experience for everyone else. But for myself, I was sitting on that music for some time. I recorded it at the top of quarantine myself in my home studio. When it got to a point where I had the opportunity to go to a studio and collaborate with people in person, I was excited because it was like I had so much pent-up creative energy. And it made Yam Grier's process so easy to do. Everybody felt like they had this repressed musical energy, so it was super easy to record that project. We recorded it so quickly, and there's still a lot of music that didn't make the album.

Are there any, or did you face additional challenges recording your first album versus recording EP projects?

I will say no. Honestly, things are getting easier as an artist. As far as my relationship with recording as I go deeper into my career, most of it is mental challenges. Like getting in the room and maybe feeling like you have writer's block, second-guessing yourself or your creative abilities, or second-guessing if this song is good? But since Who's Listening Anyway, I decided that I would affirm myself in this process. I started music for myself before I ever decided to release it, before I ever had the blessing of being able to be in publications. I had to get back to my personal relationship with music, and if I feel good about it when I leave that booth, then it's good.

"Closure," "Holding On," I feel this album is a journey of love, relationships, and connections. How much of Yam Grier is personal experiences versus personal experiences from people you know?

Most of the album is based on my personal experiences that I'm living or lived in the past. The only song based on a situation I wasn't involved in was "Holding On," which was inspired by a scene I watched in a show that I was binging for a minute. I was like, 'Oh, this is drama. I want to write about this.' But, a lot of what we wrote about at the moment, we didn't realize that it was something that we could relate to sometimes the became on and we're like, Oh, this feels like this. And then you know, my writing styles. I typically get in the booth and freestyle, then things start flowing from you, and you're like, 'oh, dang, this kind of sounds like me three years ago.' So, a lot of this project encapsulates my life over the past five or six years.

You're also rapping on the album. Who are your rap influences?

Missy Elliott is at the top for my rap influence because she was an artist that I saw never put a cap on her talent. She started in R&B, then went to rap, and then she'll do a bit of both here and there. She was also one of the few rappers you heard having background vocals on a rap song. Missy Elliott is definitely one of my top influences for sure. Left-Eye is an influence of mine. I enjoyed the melodic rap and how those ladies took their rap to a level of intimacy rather than just being boastful the entire time. And then Lil Kim and Foxy Brown and feeling confident enough to talk my shit. Those women inspire me to rap whenever the production calls for it.

There's a lot of conversation about R&B being dead. What are your thoughts?

I don't think R&B could ever die. I think R&B is incredibly ingrained into all elements of music today. At this point, we only call Pop "Pop" because it's popular, but the basis of that production is R&B. The King of Pop, the foundation of his musical influences are R&B, Soul, and Jazz, so I don't think R&B could ever die. Honestly, I think it could always be great marketing to say that R&Bis dead; it would make people pissed off, but it's never something that will ever die.

Is Yam Grier Zyah Belle, or is she a persona you turn on?

I feel like Yam Grier is a part of Zyah Belle. Yam Grier is a persona I check into when I'm on stage. I go into my world on stage, and I would like to think that Zyah's highest peak of confidence is on stage, and that's Yam Greer 24/7. Now I, 24/7, isn't confident all the time, but Yam Grier is somebody that when she steps into the room, she knows that she's that girl, and that's the energy that I personify on stage.

Now that Yam Grier is out, do you feel as excited to jump right back in the studio or the time for a break?

It's lowkey time for a break. But honestly, I'm excited to perform! I'm about to go out on tour, and bring the music to life. For me, the studio and the recording are one element of music, but my love for music started with performance. It almost feels like something that has to be done before we can create something new. This thing deserves nurturing a little bit further.

Photographer: Ammar Thomas @iam.ammarjamal

MUA: Crystal R. Smith @locdinstyle

Editor: Nigel Isaiah @nigel_isaiah

Location: The 9 Studios

Special Thanks: The Oriel Company