Yebba
Yebba, born Abigail Smith in West Memphis, grew up with gospel in her father’s church. These spiritual roots remain the beating heart of her music. Her early collaborations with artists such as Drake, Ed Sheeran, and Stormzy quickly confirmed her status as a vocalist capable of elevating any genre with technical precision and deep soul. This extraordinary craftsmanship was honored with a Grammy Award for her collaboration with PJ Morton on 'How Deep Is Your Love', even before she released her debut album, 'Dawn'.
This debut, released in 2021, was produced by Mark Ronson and featured contributions from icons Questlove and Pino Palladino. It established her name as a fearless storyteller capable of transforming grief into groundbreaking music. Within the industry, Yebba is widely regarded as a "singer’s singer"—an artist whose immense vocal control and musical intelligence are revered by her most legendary peers. In a world full of autotune, Yebba distinguishes herself through her ability to execute technically complex vocal runs with surgical precision, while always protecting the raw, emotional core of her story.
With her new album 'Jean', a tribute to her late grandmother, she enters a new chapter. The record, which she self-produced alongside John Rooney, is the result of a five-year journey through Arkansas, Dallas, and New York. 'Jean' is defined by creative freedom, forgiveness, and self-reclamation. While exploring themes of love and healing, she remains steadfastly true to the gospel conviction that made her unmistakable from the very beginning. It briefly seemed as though she might bypass Amsterdam during her 'Jean Tour', but fortunately, nothing could be further from the truth: on Tuesday, July 14th, Yebba will perform at Paradiso for the very first time.
