Single Review: Little Joy

Named after a beloved bar in Los Angeles, Little Joy is the latest from pop singer-songwriter YAHYAH, reminiscing on the girls’ nights of her four-year stint living overseas. After writing professionally for other artists with Genuine Music Group, YAHYAH turns her eye back to her own artistry with this track.

YAHYAH boasts a deep, smokey vocal tone that feels both passionate and carefree, and with the help of a highly produced vocal breakdown in the chorus, her voice also jumps and jitters as she toys with melody and rhythm. Structurally, the track is somewhat repetitive, but this is hardly unwelcome when the present sections are so catchy. YAHYAH’s clear songwriting talent particularly shines in the percussive rush of each pre-chorus, where she calls out for “one more night in East LA” with her friends. Happy songs are frequently criticised as shallow, but Little Joy expresses such a genuine love for these memories of Los Angeles that its depth feels fit to burst.

Little Joy bounces comfortably in the realm of commercial pop, produced and co-written to perfection by Will Henderson. Whilst the majority of the song conforms to pop conventions, small, sparkling moments of experimentation, such as a skittering ending like a skipping tape, make it stand out from tradition.

Like its glittery, goofy collaged cover art, Little Joy is a bright yet honest pop tune with a clear statement on nostalgia’s highs and lows, well suited to the strangeness of recent lockdown days. The mysterious future project YAHYAH has in store for listeners will certainly be a treat for fans of this exciting tune.