Yashna, a passionate and soulful Durban-based singer/songwriter, began singing from the moment she could catch a melody. She joined the school choir in 2009 and has been fixed in music ever since. Yashna started recording her own music in 2016 with one of the city’s most prominent developers of local talent, sound engineer, producer, deejay and mentor, Wandile ‘Teabag’ Ngidi. Tabloid Newspapers invited Yashna for an On the Couch session to get to know her better.
Tabloid Newspapers (TN): Who is Yashna?
Yashna: Yashna is a multi-genre South African singer and songwriter.
TN: How old are you and where are you from?
Yashna: I am 28 years old and based in Durban; Malvern, Queensburgh to be precise.
TN: Tell us about the journey that led you to becoming a singer.
Yashna: My singing journey began way before I realised that I possessed a talent, all I knew was that from the moment I found my voice, I loved to hold melodies. I was incredibly influenced by American music culture, and the content that MTV fed us back then. I joined the school choir in Grade 10 and the flame just burnt brighter from that moment on.
In my first year of university, I studied Drama and was cast as the lead role of Ally in a theatre play of Burlesque, at UKZN PMB, further highlighting my love for the Arts. I went on to graduate with my Honours in Industrial Psychology a few years later. In 2013, I began vocal training with Marike De Bruin which concluded in 2015. I guess I always knew that my calling was singing, but I only fully embraced it in 2016 when I began recording my own music.
I started recording original music in 2016 with Wandile ‘Teabag’ Ngidi. At the beginning of 2017, I joined forces with Kelly Bigara to form a female duo called ‘Malaky’ and we entered East Coast Radio’s #BeTheBand competition and made it to the top 6. We were thereafter recruited to be part of Aewon Wolf’s Werehouse talent hub, and later that year, Malaky separated to pursue solo careers.
In 2019, I was featured on Sketchy Bongo’s hit “On Fire.” I have been recording original music with Neo Ndawo since 2018, at Hitside Studios. Since then my music has received play-listing on major radio stations, and music television channels nationwide. My music has also been featured on eTV’s House of Zwide, and Netflix’s Blood & Water (Season 2); to name a few. I have shared stages with acclaimed artists such as Master KG, Shekhinah and many more. Entering the Amapiano scene in 2020 I have collaborated with Amapiano heavyweights Tyler ICU, Vigro Deep & DJ Obza.
TN: As a singer, who are the figures you look up to?
Yashna: My musical heart is stuck in the 90s and early 2000s. Divas such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé and Rihanna, producers/songwriters such as Stargate and Neyo; they all really contributed significantly to the type of artist that I am today and the way I write and deliver the songs that I do.
TN: You have been nominated for Best Rap/HipHop Artist at the first annual Basadi Women In Music Awards, tell us how it feels to be nominated.
Yashna: It feels great to be acknowledged for the work that I have put in. There is a sense of validation that comes with being nominated. I genuinely did not expect to land up in the Hip Hop category alongside such frontline South African female Hip Hop acts, but that’s the power of God and hard work combined. The beauty of being a multi-genre artist is that you never really know which category you are going to end up in, especially when I tackle every genre wholeheartedly.
TN: Do you have a favourite song/lyric and why is it special to you?
Yashna: There are actually too many songs that I am obsessed with. However, I would have to go with my own song titled ‘Rise Up’. I am an absolute animal lover and I had a pet African Grey named Tyler whom I loved dearly, he unfortunately passed away and his last days were so painful, watching him suffer multiple seizures… I went into the studio shattered, poured my pain into song, and it turned into power, so many people have reached out to me over the years, saying how that song helped them through tough times, but little do they know that it was birthed from excruciating heartache. It was my first solo single to receive commercial success, and that was incredibly significant because my heart behind the song was so pure and honest.
TN: What do you do in your spare time?
Yashna: In my spare time I chill with my loved ones and my partner. I love going to the mall, cooking delicious pastas, reading novels (especially ones by author Nicholas Sparks), playing with my dog and watching any 90s/2000s sitcoms.
TN: If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
Yashna: I would choose to have dinner with Kanye West because the depth of his mind and his sense of style is EVERYTHING. I am incredibly inspired by his hustle and would love to gain some knowledgeable wealth from him.
TN: If you had to delete all but three apps from your smartphone, which ones would you keep?
Yashna: WhatsApp, my email app and Safari (the Internet). Three is unrealistic to be honest, because I would require all social media platforms to survive as an independent artist, and to stay relevant in our current climate.
TN: If you could give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?
Yashna: Lower expectations of people and the world will result in fewer disappointments. Dreams do come true, but they require commitment, faith and actual effort.
TN: What do you have planned for Women’s Month in August?
Yashna: In the month of August I will be dropping a song a week. Five songs in total – five different genres, five different vibes. Release dates include the 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st of August. All produced and engineered by Neo Ndawo and recorded at Hitside Studios.
TN: What are your social media handles?
Yashna: Instagram: @yashna_int, Twitter: @yashna_int, TikTok: @yashna_int, Facebook: Yashna International and YouTube: Yashna International. My music is available on all digital streaming platforms, just search ‘Yashna’ and music videos are available on YouTube by searching ‘Yashna International’.
To vote for Yashna for Best Rap/HipHop Artist at the Basadi Women In Music Awards, SMS “HipHop Yashna” to 49960. Please ensure “HipHop” is typed out as one word or the vote will not go through. SMSes are charged at R2, free SMSes do not apply and you may vote as many times as you like.
