Yael S. Copeland On the Making Of “Match”
What was the initial spark or idea that led to the creation of "Match?"
“Match” was the last song I wrote for the EP. All of the songs were written while I was visiting NYC for a vacation and fell in love with it. “Match” was a song I wrote before leaving home to officially move to NY. I was sleeping at my best friend's apartment and had 2 suitcases and a guitar ready to go. I felt like the image of a match fits the feeling I felt. I just needed to ignite it and it would start a fire.
How did you work with the producer or engineers to bring your vision for this song to life?
The producers for this song are actually the best friend's I spoke about! I stayed at their apartment and I played the song with my friend - Shir Frum ( An amazing musician herself), the song. I recorded the demo on her bed with a laptop and then we worked on it together with her partner and music genius, Yotam Agam. They finished the song while I was in NYC and really made it very special. Here I recorded vocals at Gry Studios with my amazing partner and a wonderful musician and producer Ariel Arellano. It was mixed by Noah Georgeson, who produced the other tracks on the EP.
Because we are so close it was very easy to understand and work together and it just got to this very natural place of combining acoustic and electronic sounds, keeping it on a low flame but allowing the feeling to grow and travel just like the lyrics suggest. I love Yotam's beats and Shir has the best ear for melodies.
How does "Match" fit into your overall artistic vision and what can listeners expect from you in the future?
“Match” is another brick in this world that I am currently building. It's a part of the journey, it's the moment I decided to make this big life change. Now that I'm in a different chapter, after a year and a half in NYC, I can look back at this person who decided to leave everything behind and ask questions. I can look forward to my future and try to understand how to get to where I want to be. I can think about my present and understand if this is what I imagined when I wrote “Match.”
I have 5 more songs from the EP coming out this year and hopefully creating, evolving and finding new exciting sounds for the next project.
Was there a pivotal moment in your life when you decided to follow your path as a musician?
Music was always a central part of my life. I grew up listening to music at my parent's house. My dad's "Dad Rock" and my mom's Cuban and Salsa music. I picked up a guitar at age 13. A red Fender Strat. Music has never left my life ever since. It's what leads me. The other thing I do is usually to pay the rent. I remember seeing big concerts when I was little and being extremely moved by the sound of people clapping, of the power music has, of feeling a part of something bigger than you. Music will always be here, it's my longest relationship.
What's your favorite part about performing live? How do you connect with your audience during a performance?
I love playing live, I can tell the audience a story both by maybe letting them into the backstory of the song and by performing with intention. I like making people laugh, I keep it light and awkward although my songs are pretty heavy.
