Finding harmony in life and music
DURBAN singer and songwriter Yashna International and music producer and sound engineer Neo Ndawo have found harmony in life and in their music.
They have released their latest annual single, Chemistry 5. They have also collaborated on Yashna’s latest EP, Bollyyano, a fusion of Bollywood undertones and Amapiano sounds.
And one of their collaborations has been selected for Netflix’s series, Blood and Water, Season 3.
Yashna, 29, lives in Queensburgh. She is a full-time singer and songwriter and has an Honours degree in industrial psychology. She said music had been a part of her life from the moment she found her voice.
“I refer to it as my ‘calling’ because this is what I was born to do. It is both my passion and purpose. I am heavily influenced by music from the 1990s and early 2000s. Most of the music that I make is created from an authentic place. The stories that are told are predominantly my own experiences and emotions, translated into songs.
“I love that I can share my truth with my listeners. I receive DMs and comments from fans saying they relate to my lyrics, or that a song of mine has helped them through a rough time in their lives. It is something that is really special, and it pushes me to continue at this dream, despite the challenges that may come with it,” she said.
Yashna is a multi-genre singer and songwriter, and has been recording and releasing her own music since 2016.
Neo was born and raised in the Eastern Cape. He also resides in Queensburgh. The 30 year old said music was his full-time profession.
“Music has always been a part of my life. My father was a music connoisseur. He used to play all types of music when I was growing up. My musical journey began when I was in high school. That was when I began producing beats as a hobby. I then furthered my studies at Creative Arts College in music and sound technology.
“My musical influences range from an array of different genres such as Maskandi, pop, hip hop, jazz and kwaito, and the list goes on. Music is a form of expression and I love the technical side of it, especially the creation process of starting from scratch and then building an entire song based on how you feel through the channelling of one’s emotions and energy,” he said.
Neo is a professional and qualified music producer, sound engineer and recording artist, and has been in this industry for over a decade. Yashna and Neo met in 2017. Said Yashna: “I was in a group that formed part of a select few artists that Aewon Wolf recruited to join The Werehouse, a talent incubator at the time. During my first studio session at The Werehouse, Neo was brought in to produce our first original single, and that marked the beginning of our musical journey.
“Neo is incredibly talented. He has a genius ear when in comes to music, and working beside him these last few years has really impacted my career positively. When I communicate my vision with him, whether it’s a single or a project, he gets it the first time and brings it to life in the form of production, often surpassing my expectations.
“We strive to put out quality content of an international standard, and with his skillset we have been able to achieve things unheard of as independent artists that are based in the city of Durban. The fact that he is a multi-genre producer, and I am a genre-fluid artist, also allows us to continue to break boundaries in this industry.”
Neo said for him, Yashna’s unique voice and style stood out.
“As an artist, she is always open to my opinions and ideas when we are in the process of creating music, which makes working with her easy. She is constantly pushing herself and learning, which has contributed significantly to her growth as an artist. Yashna is extremely talented, versatile and able to tackle any beat presented to her. This is what makes her stand out.”
Yashna said Chemistry 5 was an annual Valentine’s Day release by Ndawo and herself that began in February 2019.
“Chemistry 5 speaks to lovers all around the world. It is a heart-warming commercial pop/R&B love song. I wrote the parts that I sang, and Neo wrote the verse that he rapped. He also produced, mixed and mastered the single. The inspiration behind the Chemistry series is to share our love of music and the chemistry that we share, with our fans/ followers.”
They also recently collaborated on a song for Blood an Water.
“Two songs from my EP titled Flaws & Fears, received syncing in Blood and Water Season 3. This basically means that these songs were licensed and used to score certain scenes in the popular Netflix series. Neo produced one of the singles chosen, and Taylor Made Beatz produced the other. This was an exciting achievement, as it takes our music to the world with Netflix being a global platform, and it validates the fact that we are on the right track.”
They have also recently worked on Yashna’s latest EP, Bollyyano.
“Bollyyano is a six-track EP that presents an amalgamation of Amapiano sounds, paired with Bollywood embellishments, and pop melodies. The project was sponsored by The Sampra Development Fund. It is available to stream and download on all leading digital platforms. Search ‘Yashna-Bollyyano’,” said Yashna.
“The purpose of Bollyyano was to make my inner child’s dream come true,” Yashna said. “My musical journey actually began being mesmerised by music videos from Bollywood blockbusters, before I knew it. However, the Western world had hypnotised me. This body of work embraces my roots and culture, and where I come from. I am a proudly South African Indian artist and the music in Bollyyano represents exactly that. Neo featured on Track 2 titled Be Me, as well as produced, mixed, and mastered the entire project.”
Yashna said The Chemistry series would continue as an annual Valentine’s Day release until they decided that it was time to stop.
“And with regards to our individual projects, we are always collaborating and finding new ways to push boundaries, so you can expect more singles and project releases from the two of us. We are excited about the future and where music will take us both as a collective, and individually” she said.
◆ Follow the creatives on social media handles: Yashna: @yashna_int and Neo Ndawo: @ndaweezy