- Words Isabelle Cassidy
Multi-instrumentalist Yellow Days speaks on his love of Ray Charles, desire for connection and new EP, ‘Inner Peace’.
Yellow Days is London’s George Van Den Broek, a self-taught musician whose 2022 has already consisted of a prolific run of releases. Still only 21, he’s accumulated streams in the hundreds of millions, and George has come a long way since choosing his moniker aged 17 in rural Surrey.
As the first track from this year’s ‘Slow Dance & Romance’ suggests, George is “A Soul Man” through and through. Carrying the likes of Ray Charles as his musical inspirations, the artist’s releases this year have sonically pushed Yellow Days into broader territories. With each EP built around a specific sound or style, from psychedelic rock to jazz-funk, latest project, ‘Inner Peace’, treats listeners to seven dreamy tracks. Entirely self-produced and performed in his East London home studio, he tells me 2022’s releases so far represent “a catalogue” of his “mindset in lockdown”.
We caught Yellow Days during a string of dates in North and South America, as he begins to wrap-up what has been a very busy few months. From a love of the soul greats to his goal of connection with “anybody and everybody” through his music, check-out the full interview below.
Hey! Where in the world are you speaking from?
Hello! I’m currently in LA playing music with some folks out here. Writing new music before I have a few shows in Mexico City & LA.
Congratulations on ‘Inner Peace’! How do you feel it compares to your other projects this year? I know each are exploring different musical influences, could you tell me a bit about that?
I was really happy with ‘Inner Peace’ it felt very me, bit of a return to my earlier sound. But equally still pushing new ideas. Like a lot of the music I’ve been dropping this year it’s me playing nearly all the instruments and was written during the lockdown where I was grasping onto music as an escape.
It comes as the third instalment of a series of EP’s this year, seems like it’s been a busy few months – have you been spending a lot of time in the studio? Do you enjoy the recording process?
I’m always in the studio – I love touring and playing shows but I’m definitely a studio guy. I always been a writer so for me that’s the best place to be cos it’s where it happens. So to me it’s not like do I enjoy it, it’s my life and I love it.
You play all the instruments on ‘Inner Peace’, do you feel like that makes you more protective of a project as your musical baby?
Absolutely, it’s closer to home if you do that way. It’s something as I mature as a musician I think becomes more of my prerogative to fully go there musically. I grew up on Mac Demarco and Tame Impala who both played all their instruments so for me both are great like it another person can help elevate the song that’s cool too but it’s really like what sounds best.
Speaking on influences, American R&B was instrumental in your musical development – do you carry those influences with you now with Yellow Days projects? What genre is currently hitting your headphones the most?
Ray Charles always is still my guiding influence you know in terms of purity and how to perform a song. Recently though on a lot of these projects for me the music that was pushing me was Sam Cook and Marvin Gaye. A more faucetto softer voice and working the distortion from time to time.
You’re on a desert island, with one song downloaded… what is it?
If it’s one song, and song only, I’d have to go for “A Fool For You” by Ray Charles.
‘Harmless Melodies’ (2016) has picked up massive streaming counts, how do you reflect on it now as a debut album? Do you feel like you’ve evolved musically since then? I know you’ve discussed your voice maturing…
You know, I love that music and I love the life it’s given me. I feel massively grateful for the level of understanding I’ve received as an artist, whether lyrically and musically. But I’m determined to add to the story and keep developing as an artist. I do believe I’m a musical force to be reckoned with and sometimes it takes more time than others for something to fully translate.
Why do you think tracks like “A Little While” and “Gap in The Clouds” have struck such a chord with listeners?
You both those tunes were directly written from intense things that happened in my life. Losing love and finding it – I think when you’re really hurting or happy your musical senses are heightened. Your ability to tap into universal emotions – but yeah those were intense times for me in my life, so I think people like the sound of pressure, like how they make diamonds.
If people take one thing away from your new EP, what do you hope that is?
‘Inner Peace’ is me telling the story of a modern person flirting with spirituality and the idea of God and searching for peace in an ignorant Gen-Z way. I was watching myself try and find myself as a 23 year old, aware of the fact a lot of what I’m thinking and feeling is phantom. So, with regards to what people should take from that – I guess relate to the kind of longing for meaning western societies tend to fall short of.
You’re playing Mexico City, LA & Phoenix in the next few weeks, it must be mad being able to play and have support from fans so far away from home – you’re not in rural Surrey anymore! Do you feel like you’re suited to touring?
Me and my guys have been out touring since we were 17, so I’ve grown up in the tour bus and in the studio you know. Touring I get to really sing, I’ve always been a singer so for me on tour I get to go out and perfect a set – you know I used to sing songs for my mum when I’d get home from school. So that kind of performer thing is in my blood.
Do you have a dream gig venue? Maybe one you’ve already played?
You know all gigs are great in different ways – like you could have the best set of your life in a piece of shit venue if the energy is right. Typically the big ones are better! But nah, I don’t look at music like that, it’s all about connected to anybody and everybody at any time with sounds.
Aside from some big shows, what’s next for Yellow Days?
All the EPs I’m dropping this year are part of a catalogue of my mindset in lockdown. So this year I’m really sharing where I went artistically during the pandemic. But if you know me, you know the music always keeps coming and we don’t make half hearted shit!