I am a 14-year-old singer/songwriter currently living in North Carolina.

My parents always told me that they saw something in me when I was very young, especially my mom. They always share the story of when I was 2 years old and our family went to a Christmas party. Everyone started to notice this child on the stage with a mic, that child was me, I snuck away from my parents to climb on stage and sing “My ABC’s”. From that moment they knew that I had a passion for performing. When I got a bit older, I started entering contests and soon got noticed by a Performing Arts Studio called Nixpac. The studio helped to bring up my confidence in performing and singing and gave me the opportunity to travel and sing in competitions around my home island and even in Las Vegas. All of this eventually led to me joining The Voice Kids Philippines Season 3 in 2016. The contest was such an amazing and fun experience for me and though I didn’t win, I did gain many supporters who I’m very thankful for. All of these experiences have helped create inspiration for the music that I write.

My heart is filled with a passion for singing and music and if it wasn’t for God, my parents, family & friends, and everyone who believed in me I wouldn’t be where I am now. I am very thankful and blessed to have them in my life and because of them I am able to follow my dreams.

Teenage Indie Artist Rachel Jaymes Inspired by Friends
Teenage Indie Artist Rachel Jaymes Inspired by Friends

MT:  Who are some of your musical influences? When did you know music was your calling and when did you figure out why you needed to pursue music as your career?

YSSA:  Some of my musical influences are Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, and Ariana Grande; but there’s so much more. I knew music was my calling when I realized how much I love to sing and even perform. I figured out why I needed to pursue music as my career when I knew it’s something I dreamed about and I saw that other artists are inspired by what I do and that’s what I want to do. To inspire people and I want people to know what if you have a dream, go for it because I know I was one of those people who had a big dream.

 

MT:  How long have you been singing and performing for?

YSSA:  I have been singing since I was two-years old, and I’ve been performing since kindergarten at my school talent shows.

 

MT:  Who do you enjoy listening to as a fan? 

YSSA:  As a fan I enjoy listening to definitely Ariana Grande (She is amazing), Panic at the Disco, Queen, Billie Eilish, and more.

 

MT:  When was your very first recording and release?

YSSA:  My first official recording and release was “Girl Gang”, but when I was 10 years old, I wrote, recorded, and released a song called “Make Myself Proud”.

 

MT:  You recently released your single “GLOWIN”.  Can you explain how this more about the meaning of the song and how it ties into your music goals?

YSSA:  The meaning of “GLOWIN” is like the feeling you get around this one person. It’s like whenever you are around them you feel like all your worries are gone. This ties to my music goals because I want people to express how they are feeling.

 

MT:  You are now 14 and you wrote your first song when you were 10.  Can you describe your current sound? Has your sound changed since you wrote your first song?

YSSA:  My current sound is Pop and R&B. My sound has changed a lot, I think.  I didn’t really know what kind of songs I was into before, but now I know what I like and what feels like me.

 

MT:  Your performances are full of energy and excitement. Do you have a favorite performance to date and why?

YSSA:  My favorite and scariest performance was when did a concert opening performing River Deep – Mountain High by Ike and Tina Turner. It was a full house at the Hawaii Theater, and the audience was full of energy while I was performing. During the song, there was a fairly long instrumental interlude and all I could think about was coming back in with vocals at the right moment. Luckily, I was able to make my mark, and finish out the performance striving off the crowd’s energy!

 

MT:  What has been your biggest challenge in your music career so far? How did you overcome that obstacle?

YSSA:  One of the biggest challenges since I am a High School student also is time management. I had to find the balance of dividing time career wise and of keeping up with my class assignments. At times it can be very difficult, because both are important, but I always manage to complete every project, at time in the early midnight hours.

 

MT:  From what you have learned about your challenges in the music business, what advice would you like to give upcoming new artists?

YSSA: The advice I would give is to work hard for what you believe in, stay committed, and never stop trying.

 

MT:  Besides singing, do you play any musical instruments? How long have you been playing them?

YSSA:  I have been playing the piano since I was 10, and I actually just started playing the ukulele this year.

 

MT:  What’s a typical day for you? Do you work on your music every day? What other activities or hobbies besides music do you like to do that your fans may like to know about?

YSSA:  A typical day is all day every day I sing lol. Then I find ideas to write about, work on them, and go outside and get some fresh air. I like to play volleyball just with the people with my neighborhood and fun fact I like to pull weeds out the grass lol. It’s so satisfying.

 

MT:  Where can fans find your music when it is released?

YSSA:  You can find my music on all digital platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud.

 

MT:  Do you have any specific rituals or do anything specific before you head out on stage or even before you record your vocals in the studio?

YSSA:  Before going on stage I shake off all the nerves by jumping up and down. Before I record, I just get in my zone and stay really quiet, and I am barefoot when recording. That makes me feel comfortable and in touch with the material.

 

MT:  Do you have any up-coming performances you would like fans to know about? Is there anything else you would like to announce for your fans or anything you would like them to know? 

YSSA:  Due to the COVID 19 Pandemic, my scheduled performances and appearances had to be canceled.  My fans can keep up with upcoming announcements, song and video releases by checking out my Linktree account @ https://linktr.ee/yssaofficial_. I have also released my first newsletter which you can find there and subscribe.

 

MT:  Thank you so much for your time YSSA, I really appreciate it and all the very best with all your future endeavors!

 

LINKS TO YSSA BELOW

Indie Teenager Singer YSSA Posses The Wow Factor