Let's face it - the UK doesn't get enough credit for its lively music scene, especially the indie-alt hotspot of Brighton. The Sussex beach town attracts a wide range of hopefuls in the music industry, hungry to create and collaborate. It's the birthplace of many notable alternative acts that deserve more worldwide recognition, including the bold and experimental trio YONAKA. The band consists of Theresa Jarvis on vocals, Alex Crosby on bass, George Werbrouck-Edwards on guitar, and formerly Rob Mason on the drums. Its members met while studying in Brighton, which seemed like a bustling hub and brought forth a promising new chapter for the up-and-comers. It starkly contrasted from their hometowns, with nonexistent or limited music scenes.
Image credit: Universal Music Group, graphic created by Karly Ramnani
YOU'LL LOVE YONAKA IF YOU LISTEN TO: PVRIS, Linkin Park, Paramore, YUNGBLUD, Maneskin, K.Flay
Alex, who lived in Leicester prior to university, recounted how he faced bullying for his artistic passions. "I used to have long hair, and I had a guitar on my back, and I remember someone spat on it; it was not a nice place. Then I came into Brighton, a very vibrant place - everyone’s a musician and everyone’s creative. It opened up a world of possibilities for us," he told Playlists & Polaroids.
Similarly, George embraced the variety in Brighton's music scene after only working with pop-punk in his upbringing. "Going to Brighton, it’s kind of like being dropped in the ocean when you get there. I didn’t even know what to expect. I had only went there as a kid, and then seeing it as an adult to study there was crazy. You’re definitely exposed to everything you want to be a part of, and it gives you a bit more of a musical taste being there. It’s like London, but everyone’s a bit nicer," he reflects.
YONAKA's experimental style reflects the diversity of its members' influences and strengths, blending mainstream pop, rock, and punk, among other genres. Their latest EP, Welcome To My House, dropped last month, and it involves an introspective, metaphorical take on mental health. "You can understand a bit about how my brain works," says Theresa. "I was talking to my therapist, and she told me that all these kinds of experiences and emotions are just like guests passing by, and the house is me. Each song is kind of like a different experience." The seven-song collection systematically takes listeners through resonant narratives, which remain universal despite the band's immaculate attention to detail. In terms of continuity, refinement, and storytelling, Welcome To My House builds on 2021's Seize The Power.
A powerful visualizer accompanies the EP's title track, and Theresa got to walk us through its creative process. "We worked with this amazing guy from Cam Productions, and they absolutely murdered everything, it was incredible. We shot five visuals in one day, and we did a whole video shoot the day before as well. Everyone worked really hard. For 'Welcome To My House,' I wanted it to be set at an AA meeting, because I’m talking about all my flaws and all this kind of stuff, but there’s a light in the middle of it. The guys are showing this kind of aggression the whole way through, smacking down chairs and stuff, and then they hug in the middle. It’s really beautiful, I feel like I really love that visual so much," she explains.
Overall, Welcome To My House sticks to a theme but covers an exceptional amount of ground. The project put YONAKA's versatility on full display - Theresa, Alex, and George guide us through ballads of somber, raw confessions and chaotic, gritty explorations of anxiety with equal skill and care. This impressive EP truly contains something for everyone, and it'll undoubtedly introduce YONAKA to new fans from all across the spectrum. If you just became one of the aforementioned new fans, through reading this post, we've curated a playlist we think you might like!
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