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Q & A | Stella Santana "Yayaya" EP

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Stella Santana is a cocktail of 70’s rock, 90’s R&B and 20’s charm. She is the daughter of Carlos Santana, but has made a stage for herself. As an independent artists with strong musical roots, she has created music that shines on female empowerment and self-reliance. Getting her gritty and raw sound from New York City itself, her music has a unique flare. Her striking independence and self-confidence is apparent in her mindset and music. Her new EP _Yayaya_ will release on November 20 and women all over the world will be inspired to choose themselves over anyone else. But in the mean time she just dropped her latest video for “All The Time.” We had the pleasure of getting to ask her some questions about her self- love journey and her new EP. Check it out below. **Stella Santana Q&A** **How are your songs from this EP different from your others?** I co-produced all the songs on this EP so they feel like a bigger part of me, like they're more my sound. **Have you seen your style change over time?** I have grown a lot into myself as an artist and in doing so, production became a significant part of my process. when I make music now--on my own and also when I collaborate--I know what I want, I know how to explain what I want, and I know when it sounds the way I want it to sound. **Your song “yayaya” is very empowering and promotes self-care. What inspired that?** My sister actually wrote that song and as soon as I heard it, I was like, “YES THIS.” It's very sassy and it resonated with me immediately. **What has your journey of finding independence and self-love looked like?** I've always been independent but I think my journey has been a lot about trusting myself when I intuitively wanna do something or not do something, but maybe it's not what others are trying to do. I used to question that voice and make it quiet, not rock the boat, but then shortly after, i'd start to see signs that maybe I was right in the beginning. I'd usually ignore those too and keep trying to make something work, because I’m not a quitter, but abandoning things doesn't always mean quitting. I've learned to listen to what's being presented to me, instead of trying to make it what I want it to be. **What is your favorite part of your new EP _Yayaya?_** There are lots of favorite parts of this EP but I think the biggest one is that I really feel like I’ve grown and I can hear it in all these songs. **What is the overall vibe of the rest of your album?** Sonically, this project is more dynamic compared to my first stuff but still cohesive in the way I've chosen laid back/funky bass + drums sounds/rhythms to juxtapose my voice, which is more bright, smooth, and sometimes jazzy. There's a song for every mood. **How does New York influence your style and your music?** I felt inspired by the energy in NYC the minute I got off the plane when I moved here 10 years ago. I also feel like it's forced me to create a space within myself where I can go and feel calm amidst the extreme energies that are constantly flowing at all times and all seasons in this city. But I've always appreciated it and gravitated toward this place, and the stillness I’ve been able to find within myself has manifested itself into my voice and my delivery on a track. The dynamic or extreme energies have manifested themselves in the production as it occupies the space around my voice. **I love that you are such an advocate for female power. Have you seen a change in the power women hold, what do you think still needs work?** I am grateful to be surrounded by women of all ages who not only believe in themselves but also fight for other women around them to occupy the spaces they deserve in their industries. I think there is a spectrum, or maybe a continuum, on the journey of "stepping into your power" (as a woman) and it starts with a "hey, you can't do that to me!" kind of energy, which is a healthy beginning phase but I think it's also powerful to move past that stage, where I feel like I am now, where I don't really feel the need to defend or clarify myself to people (i.e., men) who don't understand. I feel like, if you get it you get it, and if you don't that's not my problem because I get it and i'm clear, and others' confusion is not longer a reflection of me. I usually take it as a sign that if that person can't see me, they probably can't (or choose not to) see other things that are staring them right in the face. I don't judge them for it, but it's not aligned with me so I keep it moving. I think there's a time and a place to stand up and defend and also to just walk away and know that something is not for you and leave it at that - conserve and tend to your energy.