An Exit Strategy
She made her Lollapalooza debut this year on the special Rising Star stage presented by BMI. Then she released her EP titled Exit Strategy. Now, she's headlining shows for the first time in her career. Yana, a rising artist from California, is growing from being a TikTok artist into a self-made artist carving her own path in the music industry.
By releasing original music on TikTok and posting the catchy hooks she came up with, she gained thousands of views. But along the way, those views turned into listeners, and that was the beginning of what we’re witnessing today.
One of the best parts of watching an artist grow on TikTok is how unfiltered the process is. Original music is shared straight from a draft recording, before any production or edits are made. We get to hear the idea first. Sometimes that rough draft turns into a full song, and other times, that’s all we ever hear. But then we begin to hear the artist experiment with their sound. Each release, whether it’s something unique, catchy, fun, or deeply vulnerable, pushes the artist closer to discovering who they are and what their voice truly sounds like.
The thing is, this is a different type of era, where artists aren’t afraid to show their process, making a diary out of their final product. Yana is a perfect example of that.
The 22-year-old rising star started off by releasing short versions of original music. As time went on, she began releasing full versions, and now we’re hearing polished studio recordings. They’re a little more professional, sure, but her authenticity stays grounded in the creative artistry that helped her thrive in the first place.
You could simply call it indie pop, but better yet, imagine walking down a street, a light breeze brushing your face, as you quietly embrace the people around you. That’s what listening to a Yana song feels like.
Coming off two sold-out shows for her Exit Strategy EP, Yana’s living the kind of dream rising artists only hope for. And it all started with one video and sharing her voice.
