Yael Santé: The Panamanian American musician on the way up

Cooking to the rhythm of salsa

Yael's family left Panama to start a new life in Denver, Colorado. "My grandma and her husband opened up a funeral home called Angel's Chapel. It's a pretty big business now," Yael shares. "My grandfather, who stayed in Panama, owned a very successful restaurant. They threw a festival to honour his life after he died. There’s so much history, so much legacy!"

While growing up, Yael felt a bit different from other kids. "My mum learned English, but she still has an accent. She was hesitant to speak Spanish to me, probably afraid I'll have issues with English. It ended up in quite a mix - nowadays, my grandma speaks in Spanish, and we respond in English."

Yael's heritage has played a significant role in her sound. Throughout her childhood, she watched her grandma dance to salsa playing in the background while cooking favourite family recipes. "I want to make a record that people could dance to," Yael smiles as she reminisces.

Showing support even when unsure

“My family has always supported me to pursue a creative career, but they were honest with me, telling me to be ready to put in the work to succeed.” Yael was determined and stuck to her promise of working hard not just on her music but hustling with a part-time job to pay bills while she prepared for her Berklee audition.

Inspired by melodies she heard while growing up, whether hip-hop, jazz or soul, Yael's aim was never to make music just to become famous. Instead, her intention is to create music that evokes emotions.

"My ultimate goal is to help people to release their feelings, whether it's anger, love, joy or sadness," she shares.

Know how to plant good seeds

Yael draws on her heritage and musical upbringing for her sound, and her own experiences and emotions when it comes to songwriting. Her music is all about her personal experience and she embraces the way it can take her back to past moments and memories. She explains, “My first album, Romance EP, was about my very first intense heartbreak. My heart was going through so much turmoil, but once I released my music, I felt so free.”

After her deeply personal debut EP, Yael is now pushing her creative expression even further. Her new single, Bloom, is a story about how she was raised to be careful about the things she does, who she spends time with and what type of energy she invites in her life.

"Our life is like our garden. We have to plant the right seeds and water them carefully. When you have a purpose in life, you have to protect it by all means. Take care of yourself before carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. That's what Bloom is about," expands Yael.

To all aspiring musicians…

Frustrated with some of the unhealthy associations in the music industry, Yael is passionate that there's no need to compare artists with one another, especially female artists. "What's the point in focusing on someone's body, when music is for your ears, not your eyes," she says.

"Comparison creates a mindset of competition which is not necessary. We are all different, we all have different challenges, different upbringings, and there's no universal truth about where you are supposed to be in this moment in life."

One thing that is helping her to push the needle forward, as taught in Berkeley, too, is the power of good marketing. Yael is currently utilising the power of social media to make her music heard and put herself and her identity first. "There's a lot of fake perfectionism on social media - and I don't want to be that person who's trying hard to look perfect," she said.

Yael leaves us with words of support. "Regardless of where you are, don't let the outside voices intimidate you. Believe in yourself and put in the hard work - you can do it."

Connect with Yael Santé

Instagram: @yaelsante

Website: https://yaelsante.com

Facebook: YaelSanteMusic

Yael Sante on Spotify and on iTunes