BÉBE YANA is the alternative princess that Korean music has been waiting for. A rising star, her music inspires many and is destined to continue to do so. Having started her career in the K-Pop group EvoL and having since then evolved into a powerful soloist, BÉBE YANA has shown a lot of growth throughout her career so far.
She is currently signed to A MASS CULTURE and there's no doubt that she is going to take the Korean music industry by storm in the very near future. A talent like this deserves more spotlight and recognition.
So, let's take a look at BÉBE YANA's musical journey from her idol days to now.
YANA 101: Everything You Need To Know About This Queen B
BÉBE YANA is an Australian-Korean singer-songwriter. She was born in South Korea but moved to Australia with her family at a young age and lived there for about 10 years. Having lived abroad her entire life, she had rarely encountered Korean pop culture.
However, upon watching Korea in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and discovering artists like BoA and Lee HyoRi, her desire to reconnect with her home country and become a performer grew. She then moved back to South Korea to pursue her singing career in her early teens.
A MASS CULTURE
Exploring BÉBE YANA's Musical Journey and Eras by Name
Some fans might know BÉBE YANA by other names such as 'Hayana' or 'Strawberry Princess', etc. Let's learn how each of these names associates with the musical eras of the ultimate BÉBE YANA.
Hayana: Her K-Pop Idol Debut as a Member of EvoL
BÉBE YANA became a trainee at the tender age of 13 years old. However, a couple of years into her training, she felt that she wanted to focus on her studies again. When she felt ready in 2012, BÉBE YANA auditioned to join Stardom Entertainment.
EvoL was a 5-member girl group that debuted on Aug. 10, 2012, under Stardom Entertainment. They debuted with the mini album "Let Me Explode". During this time, BÉBE YANA went by the stage name Hayana, as we mentioned before. She was a sub-vocal and lead dancer in the group.
EvoL was best known for being a self-producing group as they had a say in most of their styling, music, and choreography, producing a lot of it themselves.
This is what made them such an evolutionary group.
You can get a feel for BÉBE YANA's idol persona in the group's debut song 'We are a bit different' here or in the video below.
Their sound at this time was a type of EDM that was uncommon in K-Pop and that many fans had been craving. Many were sure that the group would be hugely successful. However, EvoL, unfortunately, disbanded in 2015.
When BÉBE YANA reflects on her time as a member of EvoL and as a K-Pop idol, she often mentions how this phase of her career was fundamental. This is where she learned all the fundamentals of making music, being in the studio, and performing. She describes her time with the other members as an energizing period filled with memories.
Hayana: The Soloist - A New Beginning
BÉBE YANA was still quite young at the time of the disbandment and says that the restrictive nature of her time as an idol made her crave normalcy. After the group disbanded, she went back to school and focused on experiencing new things that she didn't have the opportunity to do before like traveling.
After a much-needed break, she returned to the world of music and made her solo debut in May 2017. Her debut digital single is 'Wish'.
'Wish', as one example, is a sweet-melodied R&B song that sounds like butterflies fluttering in your stomach when you're with that special someone. She shows off her rap skills and the song accents her pretty vocal color to a tee.
You can listen to it here or in the video below.
BÉBE YANA: The Ultimate Soloist
After a hiatus, she returned to the spotlight with a new stage name, BÉBE YANA (pronounced Bay-bee Ya-na). The new name/persona was all the more special because she got her fans' input in the choice. The name is a play on the word 'Baby' and the bay area where she lived in Australia.
This fresh start would be the catalyst for her growth as an artist.
Since then, one can see a lot of conceptual development in her music. In particular, it boasts a lot of musical freedom with room for intricate concepts that speak to her personal experiences.
BÉBE YANA gets a lot of her musical influence from '90s and 2000s (Y2K) music. You can see the tango between the old school and futurism in most of her music videos and even hear it in the sound of her songs.
Her music can be summed up by the word 'authentic' and doesn't restrict itself sonically. Her sound is complex in the sense that it fits into multiple genres, outside of conventional K-Pop. In fact, affirming her status as an alternative Korean music princess.
The authenticity of her music largely stems from the fact that she produces it herself. She writes and composes a fair share of her music, relaying her inner thoughts and the messages that she wants to be conveyed to the world aurally.
BÉBE YANA prides herself on creating self-expressive music that is relatable and accessible to her listeners. This is why most of her songs have that addictive quality that keeps you going back to listen to more, they're easy to fall into.
A MASS CULTURE
Space Mulan, Strawberry Princess, and More: The Many Sides of BÉBE YANA and Her Music
Besides 'BÉBE YANA' and 'Strawberry Princess', you might've heard of or know her by many other nicknames. This is, in fact, part of her creative concept. Each of her musical eras is associated with various personas. Hence, the approach we took to this article.
Each of her comebacks is as highly conceptual as the last and she finds fulfillment in putting effort into creating fresh and unique concepts.
Strawberry Princess
Strawberry Princess was born during BÉBE YANA's 'Strawberry Kisses' era.
This era is all things K-Garage, retro, "The Matrix", "Alice in Wonderland" and more. 'Strawberry Kisses' takes you on a journey through different dimensions as you go down into a rabbit hole where the only outcome is to fall for BÉBE YANA and her music.
You can listen to 'Strawberry Kisses' here or meet our Strawberry Princess below.
Space Mulan
Space Mulan is a female character, born in 2022. She's progress and initiative just like the Disney princess Mulan. However, she has a modern twist. This era featured a lot of contemporary Asian motifs.
'SPACE MULAN' as a musical piece feels like the OST to a night cruise along the Milkyway. It embodies everything futuristic but nostalgic at the same time. The song's heavy bass and addictive techno beat juxtaposed with her honey vocals make for the perfect listen anytime and anywhere.
You can listen to 'SPACE MULAN' here or meet her in the video below.
These are only a couple of the personas that BÉBE YANA has shown us so far. Many fans have stated how excited they are to see more of the personas that will come with each changing concept in the future.
TMI Interview: Get To Know Even More About BÉBE YANA
Kpopmap had the pleasure of getting in touch with BÉBE YANA to get to know some TMI facts about her. We talked about her favorite cartoon character/princess, and her pet peeves, and even got a peak into her musical process ahead of her new song release titled 'CHEMISTRY'.
'CHEMISTRY' is scheduled for release on Wednesday, June 21st at 6 PM KST, and will be available on all major music platforms. Check out the official teaser here or below.
What is the last song you listened to before answering this interview?
My new song, 'Chemistry'. Doing my 100 times monitoring for the mixing lol. Hope you guys will enjoy it once it’s out!!!!
Your favorite cartoon character or princess?
Sailor Moon 💖 I was the biggest fan of Sailor Moon. I had her doll, and costume, she was my everything when I was little.
If you could eat only one food for an entire month, which food would you choose and why?
Tacos. Easy to eat and always the best.
One of your pet peeves?
Cucumbers. Just cannot…not my thing
Which word do you use the most in your daily life when you’re impressed?
Crazy & Lovely💕 I think I use these often when I’m excited.
Two other interesting facts about BÉBE YANA that you might not know about her is that she's the biggest fan of the summer Olympics and used to want to be a national athlete swimmer when she was little. This just goes to show how she's always had a winning mindset, even in her childhood days.
There's definitely a reason that many are dubbing BÉBE YANA 'a top rising artist' and 'the next big thing'... We're excited to see what she accomplishes in the future of her career.
To keep up to date with her musical releases and updates, check out her official channels here: YouTube / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify.
What do you think of BÉBE YANA and her musical journey? Let us know in the comments!
If you're a fan, share one thing you love about her or your favorite song by her in the comments for other fans to discover!
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