Q&A: Yinka Explores Unbridled Love in Her Debut Project ‘Let’s Get Romantic’
☆ BY Kristian Gonzales ☆
Photo by Lindsey Childs
IN TODAY’S ONLINE-DRIVEN WORLD — connection can feel pretty distant, but Yinka wants to remind us to embrace intimacy again, internally and externally. Combining cloudy synths, delicate string arrangements, and ethereal vocals, she explores all-encompassing love in her debut project, Let’s Get Romantic.
Born in Nigeria and raised in New York, Yinka has been shaped to reject any notion of feeling “boxed in.” Growing up in a family who emphasized education first, she latched onto a fierce DIY attitude as she dove headfirst into her passion in music. Drawing from her love of orchestras and influences such as Amy Winehouse and Solange, this mentality bloomed into what she calls “Alternative Lover Girl Pop,” a sound that defines her unashamed rebelliousness.
“The world needs to open their musical palettes to the talented African artists that aren’t part of the status quo,” Yinka said in a statement.
Carrying sincerity in her mind and soul, the singer becomes a cathartic guide for female listeners with Let’s Get Romantic. Championing gender equality as her main philosophy, Yinka inspires a post-pandemic audience to break down their shell and experience warmth from all sides of love — that between partners, friends, and most importantly, with yourself.
Luna caught up with Yinka to learn more about the mindset behind Let’s Get Romantic and her emergence as an artist. We’re also keeping you plugged with the intimate video for the album’s title track, as affection is shared between several couples in the visual directed by Alyse Kane Riley.
LUNA: Hello Yinka, I hope you’re doing great! How confident do you feel about dropping your debut project?
YINKA: 10/10! I’m really excited to finally get it out there. It’s been in the works for a bit and I’m just genuinely excited to restart this LGR (let’s get romantic) movement. I’m ready, and I feel like it’s coming at the perfect time.
LUNA: Given your Nigerian roots, how has your native culture shaped your views on female strength, gender equality, and honest love?
YINKA: Being Nigerian is a core part of who I am, how I absorb life, and how I’ve made my art. It has taught me so much about the importance of female strength. I saw it in my mother, my grandmother, my late aunt. This is why I’m a big believer in gender equality, because without that, we lack so much as people. We deny opportunities to women who are more than deserving.
Honest love is the strongest foundation for a great love story. Honesty leads to a safe place that opens so many levels of intimacy and romance.
LUNA: Noting that your passion for music initially didn’t get support from your family, did that create a sense of independence or defiance for you as a musician?
YINKA: I was always the child that questioned everything. Choosing to follow my dreams is one of the bravest decisions I’ve made. I’ve always known that in order to get where you want to be, you have to go all in. Thankfully, independence from a young age has made this an easier journey. I hope my music can push anyone like me who’s trying to chase something out of the norm to go all in regardless of defiance. I’m so grateful my family sees how passionate I am about my music and have become my favorite supporters.
LUNA: Knowing Let’s Get Romantic’s concept centers around embracing love, was this direction always on your mind, or did this concept emerge because of the circumstances of our society post-pandemic?
YINKA: Definitely from our current society — I’ve always loved love but noticed such a lack of it. And it was also a time when I decided to give love a chance again. It made me realize we were all going through a drought. I was inspired by that and I wanted everyone to feel how I was feeling. That we didn’t hate love — we just had some fucked experience and kind of let it fade for the most part.
LUNA: Hearing how lush and cinematic your “Alternative Lover Girl Pop” sound is throughout the project, how does your approach to your musical style influence your feelings toward the idea of regionalism in music?
YINKA: I strongly dislike boxes. It sometimes fucks up creativity. I think creativity should be more open. I might not even define my sound as “Alternative Lover Girl Pop” next year, and that’s okay. I think music should be an experience. I love being a multidimensional artist. I want people to listen to my sound and feel, not think.
LUNA: I love how intense “Two Weeks” feels, how it really captures the spirit of a honeymoon period of love. Was this track one of the first you thought when starting work on Let’s Get Romantic?
YINKA: Yes! It was actually the first to be finished. But it just came out of me — it’s a story about a genuine period. It’s supposed to be intense because that’s what the honeymoon should feel like. I wanted to talk about how time flies when you’re experiencing romance.
LUNA: On songs like “Red Dress” and “Let’s Get Romantic,” they feel so seductive, lyrically, yet with a touch of class. How important is it for you to make sure not to push your music too far into raunchiness when covering romance?
YINKA: Seduction to me is like poetry — it’s not obvious. It’s passionate, it’s slow, and keeps you wanting more. I live in my head a lot, so my life feels like a book. I could also be dramatic and a bit theatrical lyrically sometimes. I love a good raunchy song, though (laughs).
LUNA: On “Flowers,” I found the hook pretty striking with how you still show affection toward your lover, considering the lines “You don’t give flowers / You don’t give cards.” Is materialism a topic you instantly had in mind when approaching all sides of love in this project, and do you feel that it's too dominant as an expectation in relationships today?
YINKA: “Flowers” is actually my new favorite on the EP. In this song, flowers and cards represent the actions expected from a partner. Sometimes we talk about giving flowers while someone is still here. It all ties together because it really means “love me” intentionally. The hook ends with “I keep on falling, I keep on loving,” meaning I don’t give up on love just because you aren’t giving it to me. It’s the last song because it puts it all together. Good experiences or bad experiences with love shouldn’t stop us from giving a fuck about love again.
My love isn’t too dependent on material things, but “Flowers” is for everyone. So it really depends on how the listener feels [about] the song.
LUNA: Could you see Let’s Get Romantic as the first in a connected series of projects as you get further into your career as an artist?
YINKA: Let’s Get Romantic is definitely part of my journey as an artist. I don’t think I’ll ever stop writing about love or spreading it. The next project will most likely be about love, which includes all aspects: the good, bad, and ugly. Thankfully, I love a lot so I’ll always have a story (laughs).
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