Q&A: YAZ on Leaning Into Instinct and Vulnerability on ‘Dancing in my Room’
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY SHEVON GREENE ☆
FOR BRITISH POP ARTIST YAZ—the EP title Dancing in my Room is a reflection of where her life is right now. It’s a phrase that simply “fit” her music and slowly became an intentional project, shaped by a year of living with these tracks and letting them mirror her real life.
Written during a creative stretch in Los Angeles, the EP leans more into a classic pop sound all while still being uniquely YAZ. This time, instead of approaching the project with a strict structure, she allowed each track to unfold naturally, focusing on them as thoughts and diary entries instead of polished statements. Those moments added up resulted in a confident and unfiltered body of work. She captures shifting dynamics in relationships, moments of self-awareness and a balance of vulnerability and control.
Tracks like “Difficult” showcase a sense of impulsive honesty, whereas “PDA” is bold and has an all-consuming energy to it. Dancing in my Room is a great example of emotions not being fully resolved, but still written with YAZ’s heart on her sleeve in her own honest and unique way.
We caught up with YAZ to talk about the project, letting go of perfection and finding confidence in the process. Keep reading for more.
LUNA: When did the idea of Dancing in my Room click as the center of the project, and how did you decide on that theme?
YAZ: I thought of Dancing in my Room as a title and it immediately stuck. I felt it fit my music perfectly, “dancing” being liberating and expressive and “in my room” personal and vulnerable. I lived with this music for a year before it came out and spent a lot of time singing in the car with my friends, and dancing in my room. It felt right.
LUNA: The songs have been described like unfinished diary pages. Was there anything about writing this way that felt different from your past work?
YAZ: I didn’t approach any of the songs on the EP like I needed to write and finish a song; they are all thoughts and experiences manifested. When I first started in the industry, finding my way with songwriting was a lot more structured. To be honest, I love both [of my] projects. This EP is really everything I was navigating in my life at the time rather than a formulaic record.
LUNA: I love the self-awareness in songs like "Difficult" where you kind of call yourself out in real time. Is it hard for you to write lyrics like that and sit with them, or is it more of a release to do so?
YAZ: “Difficult” in particular was the last song I wrote for the EP. It was my last day in LA—I brought my suitcases to the studio and quickly blurted it out before my flight. We thought we had finished the track list, so I think for that reason it was the most experimental and free song we made; it was definitely a release.
LUNA: I loved the "PDA" video, especially with the setting in the movie theater and everyone around you turning into your date! What was the idea behind that perspective?
YAZ: My amazing director and good friend Richard Pope (Relta) conceptualized the “PDA” music video. The song is so clear and direct; I wanted the video to show me lusting and yearning for someone in a visually interesting way. The idea is that I see this guy everywhere I look, I can’t stop thinking about him—and this physically manifests.
LUNA: "PDA" has such bold and direct lyrics when it comes to desire, especially compared to some of the more reflective songs on the project. What made you want to lean into that energy?
YAZ: When I write, I either want to pour my heart out and be as honest and vulnerable as I can or feel like the most confident, empowered version of myself. I think writing “PDA” was a mix of both; the guitar is sexy and so I ran with that as a feeling. I definitely want to explore writing more bold songs like “PDA,” it’s really fun.
LUNA: Some of the project seems to explore changing dynamics in relationships. Do you like to document those moments as they happen based on real experiences or do you reflect on them afterwards?
YAZ: As things are happening in my life, I’ll definitely take a mental note and the ideas for songs come naturally in real time. Sometimes it takes a while to have a fully formed feeling in a relationship or experience to write a song.
LUNA: What makes this current sound feel like the most "you" right now?
YAZ: I guess lyrically it’s very me. I also just love guitars. I’ve been having such a fun time performing this music and I had a lot of fun making it.
LUNA: What did writing the closing track "Literally me when I was 11" help you understand about who you are now?
YAZ: “Literally me when I was 11” was the longest song to write. I wanted to really refine the things I want to hear when I’m feeling sad or doubtful. This song has really been like a supportive friend to me. What I had in mind when I wrote it was that I was writing to my younger self, encouraging her to keep believing in herself. But, really, I still need to hear all of those things sometimes—I think everyone does.
LUNA: What's next now that the project is out? Live performances, more music?
YAZ: Hopefully more live performances; I will perform anywhere I can. I love performing so much, it’s when I feel the most alive. I have lots more music in the vault to share later, but for now I want to share Dancing in my Room and let it reach its audience.
