Blessed with a rich and sultry voice, one would assume that Yola Carter (nee Quartey) was born to be an R&B diva. Yet, the Bristol, UK native was destined to take another path. Immersing herself with country and Americana as a child, the direction she’s taken is both ground-breaking and wonderfully refreshing.
Having to sneak out of the house to perform with her friends, Yola’s vocal flexibility earned her work as a singer with Massive Attack, Iggy Azalea, and The Chemical Brothers. As the vocalist for Phantom Limb, she was finally able to express herself in the genre she loved. Once she struck out on her own, she stayed with country/Americana and never looked back.
Iin 2016 she released her debut EP Orphan Offering. Three years later, her full-length album
Walk Through Fire was released, produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys at his Nashville Studio. With this record, she shares personal stories of not only relationships gone bad as well as surviving an actual fire that damaged her both physically and emotionally. Walk Through Fire has received a great deal of critical praise, with NPR describing the records as “the work of an artist sure to stun audiences for years to come” and The Guardian citing its “glorious, sun-soaked southern contentment, from the resplendent expanse of Yola’s strong, versatile voice…” The Queen of Country Soul indeed.
Ride Out in the Country
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