South African singer-songwriter Yandani has released his debut EP, About You, a six-track project that weaves together contemporary R&B and pop to explore themes of love, relationships and self-discovery.
The 20-year-old artist, who has built an online following of more than one million on TikTok through cover performances and original content, recorded the EP over two years in London, Durban and Cape Town. Production was handled in collaboration with Stephen Barnes and Sacha Skarbek.
Musical direction and themes
Yandani described the sound as a blend of R&B and pop, aiming for music that feels emotional and relatable while remaining uplifting. “Even when the songs deal with difficult situations, there’s always a feeling of confidence underneath everything,” he said.
Rather than following a single narrative, About You presents a series of songs that capture different emotional stages of young love, including infatuation, uncertainty, heartbreak, healing and self-worth.
“The project is really about young love and all the emotions that come with it. Relationships, situationships, heartbreak, confidence and everything in between inspired these songs. I wanted each track to capture a different feeling that people can relate to.”
Yandani said he hopes listeners will identify with the emotions reflected in the songs. “I hope people hear something they recognise in themselves. Whether they’re in love, heartbroken or just trying to find confidence again, I want the music to remind them that it’s okay to feel everything and still know your worth.”
Songwriting process
The songwriting was guided largely by instinct, with each composition developing from melodies and production ideas. “My songwriting process always started with hearing a beat. Stephen Barnes, Sacha Skarbek and I would start building melodies together and then I’d follow wherever the music was taking me emotionally,” Yandani explained. “What I wrote about always depended on how the beat made me feel.”
The EP’s lead single and title track, ‘About You’, centres on devotion and the vulnerability of falling in love. Yandani said the song was written for listeners who want to express their feelings to their partners.
Tracklist
The six-track project comprises the following songs:
- ‘About You’
- ‘Touch’
- ‘Undecided’
- ‘Forget’
- ‘Room 212’
- ‘Honeydew’
