Let Your Freak Flag Fly with YellaCatt’s Latest Single, “The Show”

By: Ley Calisang
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Another smash hit from YellaCatt is on the way in the shape of her newest song, "The Show," which was released this year. In "The Show," this budding indie star displays how her unique vocals and chops can pull off such an incredible performance. Creating a sophisticated work of art without straying into the potentially overly complex area can be challenging, to say the least, but YellaCatt's "The Show" proves that this electro-pop singer is one to look out for. 

You'll experience a different musical vibe when listening to the song, especially when the music video is playing in the background. The most amazing aspect is the captivating electronic beats that will have you bopping and dancing. It can all be summed up with the lines, "I stand tall, open heart, but I take no shit, and I'm running the show." In the song, the line "I've been a beggar, I've been a Queen and everything between, but I'm letting it go" is meant to speak about letting go of the past so that one can go on and discover new life.

The verses have a flirtatious and bewitching tone that is cheeky and amusing. The pre-chorus is rather more demanding than the verses that came before it, asking potential suitors to walk the line. The chorus will tell you about her past and where she is at this point in her life, which is one of self-love and empowerment.‍

YellaCatt is well-known not only for her powerful voice and openness but also for the lessons of self-acceptance and love that she spreads through her music. She has never been shy in voicing her support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

YellaCatt hails from the shores of the Pacific Northwest and has been the frontwoman of several indie rock and pop projects. Her roots are in rock and the blues, and she is now expanding into the pop genre with an exotic edge. She has recently teamed up with LA producer Jonny Joon to create a sexy, rich electro-pop sound. Her music focuses on emotional expression and personal empowerment by weaving a deeper message through infectious beats and strong vocal melodies. Also a visual artist, YellaCatt is the headpiece designer of The Plumed Serpent atelier. Her designs have featured Nicki Minaj and Daphne Guinness music videos with Lizzo in Rolling Stone. Her muse comes from the natural world, the feminine form, mysticism, fashion, art, and the cosmos. She has also been a healing arts practitioner for 17 years and is a sound healer, reiki master, and clairvoyant.‍

YellaCatt sits with Flaunt Magazine to talk about her latest song, "The Show," and to share her journey as a musician. Read more on the Q&A below.

‍Flaunt Magazine: Listening to your music takes us to a different world. How important is it for a musician to be able to tap into specific emotions that makes listening to your music an eargasmic experience? ‍

YellaCatt: I think music can activate emotions depending on what you're listening to. If it's buried in you, songs can often draw emotions out if you are open to it. It can be an amazing release! For the ultimate eargasm experience, open yourself up to the music and let it take you into another world. Let it make you dance!‍

FM: Have you always been into the electropop genre? Who were your greatest musical influences?‍

YC: I have always had an eclectic taste in music, and in my earlier days, I loved bands like Portishead, Massive Attack, and Bjork. In my teens and 20s, I was also a total rocker and had a couple of rock bands. I would be doing high kicks onstage with a cigarette in one hand and a whiskey in the other. I'm from Seattle, so bands like Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam were my world for a time. I also loved classics like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin and punk bands like NOFX and Fugazi. Now I am into unique artists like Dawn Richard, Doja Cat, Active Child, and Phaeleh. I am obsessed with making good pop music with an air of exotic and eccentricity.‍

FM: Many processes go into creating a song — from producing the beat to writing the lyrics and recording. What is your process when you're creating your songs?‍

YC: I write with the amazingly talented producer Jonny Joon (aka Jonathan Hakakian) in LA. We usually start with a vibe and a beat and build a song from there. He is a classically trained musician with a Moog synth that he can create the most amazing sounds on. We geek out on that thing together. We usually work for a couple of days writing the music for each track, and then I take it back home to Seattle to write the lyrics and vocal melody. I like to light candles, summon the muses, and get witchy with it to get inspired. The music draws the lyrics out of me, and I must be open to receiving it. If I try too hard, it won't come. Once that's done, I head back down to LA, and we tweak it together to find the song's ultimate expression and then record vocals.‍

FM: Can you share about your latest single, "The Show"? Where did the inspiration come from?‍

YC: The Show is the story of someone who has been through emotional trials and betrayal. When you go through the belly of the beast and face your pain and shadows, you find a deeper sense of self-love, respect, and healing on the other side. The big message of the song is to not allow your pain or even your previous glory to define you. You have to let it all go to move on, be free, and live in the moment. Through healing trauma, you learn to have strong boundaries while still having an open heart, and this, I believe, is the ultimate empowerment and self-love.‍

FM: Your songs display a showcase of female empowerment and female sexuality. How important is it for you to bring that out to the stage?‍

YC: It's everything. I think it's what I exude onstage -- it's just what comes out of me up there. It's the energy that inspires everything I do creatively. Hopefully, I encourage others to let their freak flag fly and express themselves. Sexuality and sexual energy are the creative principles of the universe and should be celebrated and revered. It's the source of all life! Bring it! That energy must be allowed to be expressed healthily. For those who shame it, certain religions, for example, create a great imbalance within themselves and their communities. We need healing in that arena.‍

FM: You express your craft through avant-garde fashion, which parallels the uniqueness of the type of music you create. Was this coincidental, or have you always been the type of person who goes against the grain? ‍

YC: I am obsessed with fashion, as it is the foremost visual aspect of self-expression. It's true. I am attracted to the avant-garde and unusual. I love how fashion can transform you and express your feelings on any particular day. The things I wear on shoots and the stage are fantasy, ones that I would love to live in. If I could, I would wear catsuits every day. I have an amazing stylist in LA, Melvin Sanders, who has also introduced me to some amazing designers. I don't know if I go against the grain, but I dance to the beat of my drum. ‍

FM: You have several singles that you have released, and now you have "The Show." What's next? An album? A tour?‍

YC: We have four more unreleased tracks coming out over the coming months, and I am in the planning stages of a West Coast mini-tour in 2023. I am excited to continue playing shows! It's so fun and challenging in the best way. I love it.

For more details on YellaCatt, visit her website at https://yellacatt.com/.