Nashville-based English vocalist Yola is bringing her country-soul sounds to Australia for Bluesfest. She's one of Elton John's favourite new artists and has recorded a stunning "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", and her magnificent "Faraway Look" is the greatest song Dusty Springfield never recorded. ILYOS looks at the woman who was just nominated for four GRAMMY Awards.
Produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys at his Easy Eye Studio in Nashville, Yola's debut Nonesuch Records album Walk Through The Fire was simply one of the great albums of 2019. The album features contributions from Nashville greats including Vince Gill and Charlie McCoy, and the legendary songwriter Dan Penn, who co-wrote classic songs like "The Dark End of The Street" and "I'm Your Puppet" back in the 60s.
It scored her four GRAMMY Award nominations - in the Best New Artist, Best Americana Album, Best American Roots Song ("Faraway Look") and Best American Roots Performance ("Faraway Look") categories. Not bad – especially the three American/Americana categories – for a young woman from Bristol! Up against a tough nomination list, Yola didn't win an award but put on a sensational performance alongside Gary Clark Jr. as part of the Aerosmith MusiCares set.
Dan Penn is a name synonymous with the expression "country-soul", which refers quite literally to the natural blending of the two seemingly disparate styles. They were seemingly different styles if only because they sat on either side of the race/colour line, but it was a natural blending because county and soul both come from the heart, and both also came out of the Southern States of America. Although there were white country soul singers in the 60s - including a young Alex Chilton upfront of Dan Penn's proteges the Box Tops; Dusty Springfield, when she recorded in Memphis; Dan Penn himself; and even Elvis when he went back to Memphis in the late 60s and cut soul-inspired hits like "Suspicious Minds" – country-soul was predominantly artists of colour singing country-style songs. It was a tradition that already existed when Ray Charles released his landmark Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music album in 1962, and Yola continues that tradition, following in the footsteps of other greats like Percy Sledge, Aretha Franklin (her "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" is a Dan Penn tune, but she was recording Hank Williams as far back as 1964), Candi Staton, Solomon Burke and Mavis Staples.
Yola's magnificent voice says it all. Check out the following clips from this incredible new artist– including a few of "Far Away Look" because you'll want to hear it again as soon as it finishes – and make sure you catch her here live in April - tour dates below.
Faraway Look on Jools Holland
Faraway Look
Faraway Look on Jimmy Kimmel
I Don't Wanna Lie on Jimmy Fallon
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road on Jimmy Fallon
Walk Through The Fire
It Ain't Easier
Love All Night (Work All Day)
Yola plays Bluesfest and is on tour with Brandi Carlile in April
06 April 2020 - Hamer Hall, Melbourne
08 April 2020 - Enmore Theatre, Sydney
12 April 2020 - Town Hall, Auckland NZ
Listen to Yola on Spotify
Listen to Yola on Apple Music
