Love is in the air this Valentine’s Day. Or rather, pop singer-songwriter Yaniza and her new single “i love you” is gracing the airwaves.
Armed with a ukulele, infectious smile, and sprightly voice, Yaniza Doré is a walking ray of sunshine spreading joy wherever she goes. Her work fits the bill for feel-good music, equipped with happy melodies and whimsical themes. The New York City native practically channels the energy of the metropolis through her and into her life and music, radiating the same hope, acceptance, and wonder that it is known for.
Released on February 5th, “i love you” tells the story of a crush-stricken Doré battling with the likelihood of her infatuation being unrequited. Always one to look on the bright side, she focuses on how happy her person of interest makes her while acknowledging the possibility that they don’t feel the same.
Staying true to her brand, Doré made sure to create a sonically peppy and upbeat landscape to lay the backdrop for her seranation. In an interview with Buzz Music promoting the single, she said of working with producer Kornel Sylwester, “We really wanted to use sounds that represent how it feels to have a crush. Chimes were essential because they sound like twinkling, or that gleam one gets in their eye when they’re smitten.”
Doré’s triple threat of being biracial, bilingual, and Jewish provides her with a one-of-a-kind platform to reach a wide audience and stand out in such a competitive industry. She utilized this edge on Spanglish track, “Contigo,” effortlessly weaving between the two languages throughout the song, keeping the listener on their toes for which one she will choose to rhyme with each line.
Originally a guitar player, Doré picked up the ukulele when she studied abroad in London in college, she also revealed in the interview. Though she chose the instrument for its size and portability, she stuck with it because she really likes “how happy and cheerful the instrument sounds,” and also how it was able to connect her with listeners.
After her song “Fly Away (Free Bird)” started gaining some attention on YouTube, where she has nearly twelve thousand subscribers, she received an influx of fans asking her to make ukulele tutorials. Not only did she embrace their curiosity online and start posting the requested how-to videos, but she also started to teach ukulele in her spare time as well, a flexible job that allows her to record and tour.
“i love you” finishes with a half-wistful, half-defeated sigh, but this is far from the end for Yaniza, who shares that this is only the beginning of her latest musical era filled with equally bubbly and romantic songs.
