Yebba Releases "Distance," an Immaculate First Glance at Her Long-Awaited Debut Album
Photo: Shervin Lainez
25-year-old soul, singer, and arranger Yebba has only a handful of solo singles to her name, but in those you will find the glimmer of a generation-defining and defying talent. The Grammy-award winning artist's voice commands with an air of mysticism and heartfelt sentimentality, bringing a decades-old love affair with soul and R&B into the modern-day.
While the past couple years has seen her transcendent vocal range become a much-sought out feature for the likes of Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Sam Smith, Chance the Rapper, Mumford and Sons, A Tribe Called Quest, and more, "Distance" marks the first single from her long-awaited debut album, set to release via RCA Records.
Produced by Mark Ronson and Yebba, and recorded with The Roots and Pino Palladino at New York's infamous Electric Lady Studios, "Distance" is a delicate moment captured in amber. Exploring the feeling of suddenly realizing a relationship was coming to an end, Yebba lends her light-as-air yet emotionally-laden vocals to an ethereal reflection seized in real time. She spoke further on the initial inspiration, sharing,
"Emotionally, physically, and spiritually we were trying, but the only thing that came naturally was the distance. So, I wrote a goodbye before we ever got the chance to fight."
There is not a sardonic note to be found in this timeless ode to parting ways. Instead, "Distance" is as much a love note as it is a breakup letter. The result is all the more heartbreaking.
Listen to "Distance" below:
