Yola (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yola
Yola in 2019
Background information
Birth name	Yolanda Claire Quartey
Born	(1983-07-31) 31 July 1983 (age 42) Bristol, England
Genres	Country soul R&B Americana
Labels	Easy Eye Sound

Yolanda Claire Quartey (born on July 31, 1983), known as Yola, is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. Her first album, Walk Through Fire (released in 2019), was highly praised. It earned her four Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist.

Her next album, Stand for Myself (released in 2021), also received great reviews and two more Grammy nominations. Yola started acting in 2022. She played Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who is called "the Godmother of rock and roll," in the movie Elvis. In 2024, she began performing on Broadway in the musical Hadestown, playing the character Persephone.

About Yola's Early Life

Yola was born in Bristol, England. When she was young, her family did not want her to pursue music. They thought it was not a realistic job. Yola's father left when she was almost two years old. Her mother raised her alone and found it hard to make ends meet. Because of this, her mother was against Yola's dream of becoming a singer.

Yola found more freedom to explore music when she went to grammar school. Later, she attended university in London. She used her student loan money to support herself while making music. However, she eventually left university and could not pay her rent. Yola was without a home for six months when she was in her twenties. She even spent a week asking for money on the streets. This helped her get enough money to travel back to Bristol.

Yola's Music Career

Before becoming a solo artist, Yola was a guest singer and sometimes a songwriter. She worked with British music groups like Chase & Status, Sub Focus, and Massive Attack.

Starting a Solo Career

Yola decided to start her solo career after her mother passed away in 2013. She released her first solo music collection, called Orphan Offering, in 2016. In February 2019, she released her first full album, Walk Through Fire. This album was released on Dan Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound record label and received a lot of praise. The album's title refers to a fire that damaged Yola's home, which she managed to escape.

Music critics loved the album. AllMusic called it "an extraordinary record." Brittney McKenna from NPR Music said Yola was "an artist sure to stun audiences for years to come." The Wall Street Journal described the album as a "breakthrough" for a talented singer.

Making Walk Through Fire

Walk Through Fire was created at Dan Auerbach's Easy Eye Studio in Nashville. Auerbach produced the album and brought together many talented musicians. Yola and Auerbach wrote most of the songs together. Other songwriters also helped. Famous musicians like Vince Gill and Molly Tuttle added their voices to the album. In March 2019, Yola performed songs from Walk Through Fire on CBS This Morning for the first time on American TV. She also sang on two songs for The Highwomen's first album, along with Sheryl Crow.

Performing at Newport Folk Festival

Yola made a big impression at the Newport Folk Festival in 2019. Rolling Stone magazine said she was "the single most sought-after voice" at the festival. She performed her own show and also sang with other artists like Dolly Parton and Dawes. People came from all over to hear her sing.

Walk Through Fire earned Yola three Grammy Award nominations. The album was nominated for Best Americana Album. Her song "Faraway Look" was nominated for Best American Roots Song and Best American Roots Performance. Yola herself was also nominated for Best New Artist.

Acting and New Music

In February 2020, it was announced that Yola would play Sister Rosetta Tharpe in the movie Elvis. The movie, directed by Baz Luhrmann, was released in 2022. In December 2020, she was featured in Ringo Starr's song and video "Here's To The Nights."

In July 2021, Yola released her next album, Stand for Myself. To celebrate, she started her "Stand For Myself Tour" in February 2022. She also performed a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden in October 2021, opening for Chris Stapleton.

On July 2, 2024, Yola made her Broadway debut in Hadestown at the Walter Kerr Theater. She took on the role of Persephone. In September of the same year, she released "Future Enemies," her first new song in three years.

Yola's Music Releases

Studio Albums

Extended Plays (EPs)

Singles as Lead Artist

Singles as Featured Artist

Awards and Nominations

Yola has received many awards and nominations for her music.

See also

In Spanish: Yola (cantante) para niños