Yolisa on Authorship, Folk Roots, and Experimental Electronic Futures
- Editorial Board
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
An in depth conversation with Yolisa on musicianship as exploration, live performance as shared ritual, and the evolving language of electronic music.
Today we have the pleasure to have Yolisa on Goathead
GHR: Hi Yolisa, great to have you here. What inspired you to start writing music?
Yolisa: Thank you for having me, Goathead. I began writing music during my studies at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki. Studying music technology at both Bachelor’s and Master’s level opened a pathway for me to explore musicianship as an experimental journey, approached through different roles of authorship. I found that deeply inspiring.
Focusing on my own music also created a safe space where I could consciously develop the areas I had chosen to grow in. Each project became a step toward strengthening a particular aspect of my practice, and that ongoing sense of development continues to motivate me.
GHR: Can you tell us more about your experience performing live, and what has been your most memorable moment on stage?
Yolisa: I have been singing since childhood in many different ensembles, especially choirs such as the Helsinki Music Centre Choir and Philomela, as well as in the SibA Folk Big Band. I have also played synthesizer in Synthestra, an orchestra made entirely of synthesizers.
Concert culture in Finland reflects the scale of our small country. Many genres that exist on the margins attract relatively small audiences. People listen attentively and applaud politely.
A completely different experience came in 2019, when I toured Germany with the SibA Folk Big Band and performed at the Rudolstadt Festival. Together with two other vocalists, I stood on stage night after night in front of thousands of people dancing wildly, reacting as if we were rock stars. It felt completely unfamiliar and surreal.
That same trip sparked a deeper realization for me. I became aware of the shared space between performer and audience in layered ways. Through folk music and improvisation, I experienced a profound inward journey that felt both disorienting and deeply relieving. Singing connects us to one of the oldest continuities in human history, and folk music can serve as a return to that lineage. Improvisation in live performance can lead to a state of flow, though that experience differs greatly between musical genres for me personally.
GHR: How is your songwriting process structured?
Yolisa: My approaches to songwriting vary widely. Sometimes I begin with drums, searching for beats and combining them with melodic textures. Other times I draw inspiration from film music, using the idea of a leitmotif as a starting point and building production around it. Improvisation plays a large role in my work.
Music production has been a long journey within my authorship. It has required years of time spent in studios, listening carefully to different formats and styles of music. At this point, I can work surprisingly far even from home as a bedroom producer, which I find both amusing and inspiring. Still, nothing replaces a high quality studio environment when it comes to recording, mixing, and having a dedicated space to fully focus on the creative process.
GHR: What motivates you to create music and bring awareness to different situations through your songs?
Yolisa: By nature, I throw myself fully into things, though I was very shy throughout my childhood and well into adulthood. Through music and sound, I have been able to express not only myself but also things beyond me, giving them a tangible form while maintaining control over parts of the technical process. That experience is empowering.
Each project is an exploratory journey into a vision, an idea, or an emotion. A life without full commitment is impossible for me. Creating different solutions, stories, and the possibilities they open motivates me to immerse myself deeply in projects, forms of expression, and the learning that comes through them.
GHR: Could you share some insight into your upcoming projects?
Yolisa: My upcoming projects explore experimental approaches within electronic dance music. I always combine my own voice with other sound material. Rhythm, melody, hypnotic patterns, and a sense of humanity sit at the core of my work.
Follow Yolisa on Instagram and listen to “Lydia’s Theme” on all platforms.
