Yola Offers Acoustic Renderings Of New Singles For WFUV [Watch]

Yola appeared in a recent installment of WFUV‘s Live For WFUV series, where she performed acoustic versions of two singles from her upcoming album, Stand For Myself. The singer-songwriter’s Dan Auerbach-produced sophomore record is out on July 30th via Easy Eye Sound.

Recorded at Nashville’s Easy Eye Sound, the session finds Yola donning an acoustic guitar with minimalist keyboard accompaniment. With this stripped-down approach, listeners were able to get to the core of Yola’s latest singles, “Diamond Studded Shoes” and “Stand For Myself”.

Beginning with Stand For Myself‘s lead single “Diamond Studded Shoes”, the song offers a refreshing acoustic return for the British musician. Even with Auerbach’s steady hand in Stand For Myself—as well as Yola’s 2019 debut Walk Through Fire—these acoustic renderings are where the soul of Yola’s music can really shine through. On the working-class anthem “Diamond Studded Shoes”, her message regarding the eternal class struggle is unmistakable in its naked confrontation of the listener.

The proceeding performance of “Stand For Myself”, beyond being a stirring rendition, was also indicative of Yola’s path moving forward. The studio version of “Stand For Myself“, released last month, was a pop throwback to the R&B of the 90s honoring strong Black female singers like Missy Elliot. In a statement attached with the single, Yola noted that “I kind of got talked out of being me, and now I’m here. This is who I’ve always been in music and in life. There was a little hiatus where I got brainwashed out of my own majesty, but a bitch is back.” Luckily, it appears that Yola is still being herself as she continues to mine the acoustic side of her music, even if the studio aspect doesn’t always align with the singer-songwriter following she has quickly developed.

Watch Yola perform “Diamond Studded Shoes” and “Stand For Myself” for Live For WFUV.

Yola – “Diamond Studded Shoes” (Live For WFUV)

[Video: WFUV Public Radio]

Yola – “Stand For Myself” (Live For WFUV)

[Video: WFUV Public Radio]

[H/T JamBase]