Meet The Musos: Get To Know Brisbane's Alt-Pop Indie Darling Yb.

Meanjin/Brisbanne-based indie darling alt-pop artist Yb. is back on the scene with the release of his dreamy new single Rollercoaster, which dropped on June 30.

'Rollercoaster', Yb.s follow-up to recent single Tired, paints the fear of seeing the peaks and troughs of a journey ahead, making you want to quit before you begin. The laid-back indie lament is drenched in synth and dreamy guitars, a mosaic of melodic hooks and clever lyrical wordplay.  

"Rollercoaster is about my genuine fear of rollercoasters while leaning on the "rollercoaster of emotions" metaphor. The song imitates fear, literally and figuratively," said Yb. of the track.

"My mental state tends to vary, like the ups and downs of a rollercoaster. I thought this was an interesting perspective to write from. There are a number of comparisons between the anxiety experienced on a rollercoaster, and the anxiety of trying something knew."

He added, "Both are terrifying."

Yb. has already taken 2023 by storm after taking home two awards at the QMA's, including Emerging Artist of the Year presented by triple j Unearthed. 

2022 was also a huge year with the release of his debut EP Blackphemy, sold-out headline shows and support spots for Allday, Biig Piig, Golden Vessel and San Cisco. He's also performed at Groovin' the Moo and multiple BIGSOUND showcases.

Not only that but Yb. is soon set to perform live for FREE at SPRINGTIME Festival on the Gold Coast this September 01-03 alongside BENEE, Sycco, Bag Raiders, Matt Corby, Boo Seeka and more.

To celebrate the release of Rollercoaster, we had a chat Yb. to find out what you need to know about the rising Brisbane talent.

Give us the story behind your name? 

My artist name is a nickname I’ve had my entire life. My government name is Yaw Brentuo Afoakwah, so my father took the ‘Y’ from Yaw and ‘B’ from Brentuo and it stuck. Everyone that knows me refers to me as Yb. The full stop at the end is for emphasis haha.

If your music was a flavour, what would it taste like?

If my music was a flavour I think it’ll taste like pistachio (it’s a bit nutty).

Who are some of your biggest musical influences and how have they impacted your own sound and style? 

My biggest musical influence when I first started making music was Steve Lacy. Steve, alongside my brothers, were the driving force in me releasing my first song. 

I didn’t have the money or the equipment to make music at the time, so I was making a lot of my earlier songs on my phone using GarageBand. As my appreciation for music grew, I started listening to so many different artists across a multitude of genres, so naturally everything just sorta meshed together, but I’m really into Loving, Boygenius, Crumb, Friday*, Binki, Spencer., Felivand, and Kate Bollinger at the moment. They have definitely influenced my music to date.

What’s been the biggest moment in your career so far? 

The biggest moment in my career so far was touring after the release of my debut EP. The crowds were overwhelmingly warm and supportive. I genuinely could nothave asked for a better turnout. 

I’m extremely lucky to be in the position I am in at the moment, and my band and I worked extremely hard to make sure our set was the best it could possibly be. 

What's the most unusual or unexpected source of inspiration you've drawn from when writing a song? 

Rollercoaster! Anyone that truly knows me, is aware of my irrational fear of them. I ended up writing a full song about the anxiety I feel waiting in line for a  rollercoaster haha. 

Can you share a hilarious or cringe-worthy moment from your early days as an artist? 

We were on tour with Golden Vessel and on the way to our accommodation in Melbourne, two cab drivers got into a fight in front of us and one of them insisted that we get in their cab.... So we did. 

The entire time he was trying to convince us that he was the one in the right in that interaction and it was okay to use force on occasion. It was pretty funny, but very strange. 

What are the top three tracks or artists you’re vibing on rn? 

I’m loving Devotion’ by Arlo Parks, Salt In The Wound by Boygenius and ‘*smokes weed once by Spencer.

What’s something that fans might not know about you?

I used to compete in dance competitions until my second year of university. That one is a deep cut haha.

If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? 

I would listen to If I am only my thoughts by Loving. This album is my equivalent of a comfort show. It’s just so dreamy and makes me feel like I’m time travelling.

What's in the works for you in 2023? 

You can expect a lot of new music from me this year! The new music is a step in a different direction, which is extremely refreshing for me. I hope you enjoy it!