English singer-songwriter Nilufer Yanya brought her show to August Hall in San Francisco last month. Yanya’s music defies classification, though the expressive restlessness and mix of wandering indie rock and jazz influences place her with the likes of King Krule and Aldous Harding.
The young singer kept her onstage energy subdued, preferring to direct her passion into her performance rather than flashy choreography or set design. Yanya took the stage without fanfare, plunging directly into the soulful and understated “midnight sun.” She spoke little between songs, allowing the audience to experience the ethereal effect of unbroken transitions between her set with favorites like “stabilise” and “The Unordained.”
Though Yanya has been producing music since 2014, including demos on SoundCloud and the release of several EPs, her debut studio album only dropped in 2019. Since its release, Miss Universe has enjoyed critical success for Nilufer Yanya’s poetic lyricism and expressive production. Her latest release, Painless, dropped in March 2022 and has received similar praise.
Nilufer Yanya in San Francisco
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