gemma ylana’s 'PRIMAVERA' Is A “Heartfelt Love Letter” To Personal Transformation

Eora-based singer-songwriter gemma ylana overcomes the growing pains on her stellar debut EP PRIMAVERA. The short and sweet six-track EP is an intimate collection of music written between the formative ages of 14 and 23, and sees Gemma break through the thick walls of her cocoon, re-emerging into a strong, vibrant and assured butterfly. 

Gemma has released a string of singles over the course of the last three years under her previous stage name Gemma Navarrete. Her debut single Older in 2021 is a stark depiction of the amount of organic vulnerability that generates when Gemma puts thoughts to pen, then pen to paper. It’s a soulful R&B track that marinates on the fear and anxiety of getting older and outgrowing bad habits.

On PRIMAVERA, Gemma’s songwriting and musing takes shape because of the process of “getting older” and outgrowing the old self she sings as in her 2021 debut. The EP’s title comes from the Spanish and Italian translation of the word ‘Spring’, which acts as a deep nod to her cultural roots as well as a means of signifying her bloom into the artist she is today. Blending elements of pop, R&B and reggaeton throughout, the EP is a “heartfelt love letter” to the changing of seasons, transformation, and sign of the times that Gemma is experiencing in alignment with her own self-discovery. Excitingly enough, Gemma teases that this is only the beginning for what's to come.

For The Music, gemma ylana takes us through a track-by-track analysis of the songs of PRIMAVERA.

Mixed Up

I Initially wrote the chorus of this song as a poem! I’ve always started sets with Mixed Up, so it felt perfect for it to be the introduction to PRIMAVERA. The lyrics reflect my childhood, growing up between two cultures while feeling detached or isolated from them, questioning self-identity, experiencing growing pains, and overall feeling ‘mixed up.’ 

Break ur own heart

hehe… the title says it all, this song is about a period of my life where I romanticised MANY interactions, and tbh I used to do this in primary and high school - I’m a sucker for romance. After a breakup, I started uni, and was suddenly alone in an unfamiliar place, which didn’t help my romanticising tendencies. My crush tally during this time was crazy, and I even finessed myself into a relationship I wasn’t entirely sure of. LOVE URSELF !!!!! But also sometimes these lessons are crucial (although painful.)

Red

Potentially the most vulnerable song on the EP, I wrote Red when I didn’t know how to voice my emotions. It was one of the first times I realised I can use music and lyrics as a way to describe the things I can’t say to the people I want to say them to. Red is about something very particular to me, but hearing how people perceive the lyrics and the meaning, is really special. It can be about anything, and usually people interpret it in a way they can personally relate to - I love that. 

Nonna Y Tata

Italian and Spanish are two languages I grew up hearing, I’m not fluent in either currently, but I really wanted two include these languages in the EP - so I did through the voices of my grandparents. After conducting interviews with my nonna and abuelo, I  included recorded soundbites of my grandparents musing on their immigration process to Australia, their cultures, what they left behind, and their meaning of love. I adore this track, it’s s a tender piece of art that will capture the voices and stories of my loved ones forever.

ANNOYING!!!

Why is it that fangirls are seen as over the top & crazy? Why is it when a woman matches the energy of a confrontational male colleague she’s bitchy? Why is it that excitable, bubbly woman are often branded as annoying?!?!

eeeeEEEEE!!!!!!! Loud, opinionated, passionate, ‘ANNOYING!!!’ The fundamental pillars that make me who I am! This is one of the more recent tracks I wrote for the EP, and I adore itttttt! It feels like an anthem for fellow loud, opinionated, passionate people that we’ve been waiting for. I wanted it to feel unashamed and confident, a track that celebrates self-acceptance and challenges the stigma surrounding young outspoken women. 

Stub(born) 

I’ve always believed I was born stubborn, hence Stub(born), also I just wanted to be quirky and spell it weird lol. This is such a special song for me, It’s one of the first songs I was proud of, and I’ve carried it with me through my whole musical journey. I performed it for my HSC, and got amazing results - so that was super validating too. At the core, this song is a look back at my hard-headed nature and commitment to always standing up for what I believe in. It embodies a soulful confidence while allowing me to reflect on the person I am today and appreciate my ongoing journey of self-discovery. <3