Q&A with YX
YX
TikTok Fame And Beyond.
New Jersey singer-songwriter YX (which stands for Your X) has been skyrocketing to TikTok algorithm fame since 2020 with his heartfelt, witty, and totally off-the-cuff song creations about everything from passing gas to commenting on his girlfriend taking forever to do her makeup. YX has hilarious spoof covers of Kid Rock's "Picture" (it's not the loving ballad you think it is) and Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years" (about starving and waiting for his girlfriend to decide what's for dinner). According to YX's manager, he's singing all the time. YX even has a video where he pops into a gymnasium and turns on his opera voice like it's no big deal.
Don't get it twisted, though. YX, whose real name is Yuni, is one hilarious guy, and he's also incredibly talented, almost entirely self-taught on seven instruments and a writer and producer of hundreds of tracks, amassing 1.6M fans on TikTok. He's getting looks from heavy-hitters in Hollywood and the entertainment industry from Tisha Campbell, Shawn Mendes, and Justin Timberlake, who commented on YX's videos or reached out. He also counts Rihanna as a follower! It has all taken off for YX in a major way because of the raw and personal track "PTSD", which has a phone number associated with the content so fans can text him directly at 781-995-4791. YX is not one to shy away from his own battles with PTSD and mental health. After a trying year for so many, YX embraces his imperfections and gushes about his loving girlfriend, who puts up with his many shenanigans, embarrassing songs, and pranks. All in the name of art and creation, with a side of love.
YX has been a breath of fresh air as people have been stuck in isolation, showing us the realities of home while laughing at ourselves. See, we laugh at Yuni and even his girlfriend a little, but we are really laughing at ourselves. Yuni is making music relatable again and in the best way. Not on a stage, not at a concert or festival or morning or late-night show. He's at home where it means the most ever. The talented singer is submitting songs to major artists and has several records in the works with some megastars. They see he's a funny guy but that he writes really empowering music too. True to form, when IndieWavves spoke with YX he was singing a new song that is pending placement with one of these prominent artists. Read on for more about the randomness of his material and what he hopes to spread to his nephews and nieces. He also shared how PTSD doesn't define but instead motivates him and not to mention the outstanding music on the way from the rising star.
IndieWavves: You have sung about the word bitch, farting on your leg, dick pics, and more. Have you ever heard the expression you could sing the phonebook? Have you ever tried, and what do you think is the most random thing you have ever sung to or about?
YX: Well yeah, I have heard that expression, and the crazy thing is my girl sometimes will randomly test me, but usually it's about personal things. Like if we experience something funny. I'm very random, so one time we had a very intense night of sex, and it was called "Ice on the Balls". But it was a romantic song. The more comfortable I got with my girl, the more comfortable I got sharing it. I wrote a song called "I Love Your Period". I think I pushed over the line - I'm always open to singing about something crazier. Someone told me to sing about fried chicken but make it sexual like I like my chicken how I like my women. I think it was more of a song for men or for anyone who has to deal with their significant other dealing with that, trying to make light of the situation. Like, I know you are going through something, but I'm here for you, and I understand what you are going through.
IW: What is the song with the lyric "Right now, you're looking for a piece of me" called? That one is such a groove, superb harmonies. Did you write and produce this song?
YX: "Ready" - I wrote and produced that one. There's an artist on my Instagram named DeAndre who is signed to Ciara and Russell Wilson's management company. I did two records for him. "Wait" is one that I posted that I did with him on my Instagram. Everything happens on the spot, so I know I can write something funny or emotional wherever I am. I just get inspired by actual life experiences. Everything that's on my Instagram - "PTSD", "Hostage", "Solita", "Hold On" - these records are all coming out. I write and produce everything on my own the majority of the time. I have over 400 songs that I have written and produced. Artists and actors are calling me asking my lawyer or manager for this record or that record—a lot of blessings. I have a song with Izzy Larena called "Diabla" coming out. [XY has some others on the way by big names that we cannot discuss at this time].
IW: Your song "PTSD" is an acronym for "Pray Til Something Is Different", and it may go down as your signature song. It's a brave thing to do not only talk about PTSD but then to sing about it and put a song out about it. How do you balance the need to perform this and to put it away so you can just live in the present and find your happiness?
YX: I have this conversation a lot, and being able to talk about it is probably the first time I feel like I had a breakthrough. My girlfriend actually noticed I had some problems and some deeper issues, and she said, "why don't you write about it?" If you heard the entire record, you could listen to me falling apart toward the end of the song - in my voice. With everyone reaching out to me, it helped me feel less alone and that we can have a conversation and begin to heal. We don't want to be judged or called crazy. Everyone is going through something, like mental health. But there are times when I'm not altogether, and "PTSD" allowed me to open the door to feel free and capture a presence and say it's OK not to be the strongest man in the room. We are all just kids on a playground. I feel like PTSD is something I still deal with. It has made it easier to live in a more comfortable space with myself and open doors to have people mention them and thank me. One guy was on the verge of suicide and saw "PTSD", and he saw how I made people laugh and how I was honest. I feel like, as humans, we are only here for each other. If we really try to communicate, it would solve a lot of things by now.
(continued)
IW: It must be overwhelming how far-reaching your songs have resonated. Did you ever think some posts on TikTok would turn into worldwide fame?
YX: I posted the music, and I'm going viral, and we're getting all this attention, and I'm turning down all these shows. I love my personality. We are random and hilarious, but I'm always creating, and she's always keeping me centered. My mother can barely speak English, so she can curse me out, and it makes no sense. That's the best feeling in the world when a song can outlive what I'm doing. People from parts of the country and world I've never stepped foot on. To know I can reach them, that's energy. It literally is energy, communication, vibrations, like I'm with you too. Pain is pain, and so is love. Whether I'm on your show, I'm going to be great cause I have my fiance, my dog, my family, my boy Mateo when all this was taking off, and I got there just by being myself. I'm just a guy with a ukulele and messy hair just killing the game. It's the same conversation I have with my nieces and nephews; just be yourself.
IW: Was the word "bitch" rehearsed when you made that song ("B.I.T.C.H."), or you honestly made it up on the spot?
YX: I was practicing the word "shit". I was trying to come up with something to film, and I wasn't sure. I don't do these videos often because I don't want to ruin my relationship; I need to keep the peace. But I need to be creative. My girl is beautiful, super smart, she is independent, and that really inspires me. I thought I could turn the word "shit" into a positive. She was literally in front of the mirror taking beautiful pictures - Beautiful, Intelligent, Tough, Caring, Honest - this is the only time I can ever positively say this word. That is it because I don't call my girl that ever.
IW: Does your girlfriend truly get pissed off at your videos and sharing personal stories? She did throw that pillow at you.
YX: Ninety percent of all of this is random and on-the-spot. Her reactions are unexpected, and I'm surprised we're still together. She's super patient. The pillow - there was a mood that day. I tell my friend that I have to check her mood before I check the weather. It's all to get her out of her funk and all about beautiful things, and this song "Solita" ended up going viral, apologizing to her about posting the song about being in the bathroom doing No. 2. I apologized immediately with "Solita" and then immediately with "I Love Your Period".
IW: What was your learning timeline to play seven instruments, and what do you find yourself creating the most with?
YX: Well, I had a rough childhood, so my mom would try to keep me busy because I have ADHD, and I was always running around. After high school, I didn't want to go home, and the first instrument I picked up was the trumpet during a program at school, and then I learned to play the piano through vibration cause I can't hear too well in my right ear. For a lot of the music I do now, people are confused about how I can do so many harmonies and bend notes, but it's all through vibrations. I still don't know how to read music; I can just play like it's no issue. I tried guitar, viola, picked up the ukulele, and I just figured it out within minutes. Making music was something I was always supposed to do. It helps me cope, and I create a lot on the piano and the guitar. The last one I learned to play was the guitar. I taught myself everything because my parents couldn't afford to get me lessons.
IW: Your voice is a blend of classic and new R&B. There are moments of Ne-Yo, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Drake, and even Justin Bieber in your voice, as well as some of the best groups and singers from the 90s and early 2000s. What are a few songs or artists that, no matter where you are they take you back or make you smile or break out into song?
YX: For me, I'm from that era with Usher and Maxwell and Brian McKnight. Currently, it's JP Saxe and even this guy Ben Platt; oh my god, he got this song called "Can't Imagine". Novo Amor and Mumford & Sons. I showed Mateo, and he hated it for a little bit. They're folk and American; it's mind-blowing what they do. I like things that are definitely lyrically driven. That JP Saxe record "Line By Line" describes the person he loves in a song - YX sings line by line lyrics. Julia Michaels too, she has a record that I love called "Little Did I Know".
IW: How has your music, energy, and persona helped people during the lockdown culture? Like can you talk about maybe some messages or comments you have received from fans who were moved by your voice or who found comfort in your humor and videos with your girlfriend and dog?
YX: Every day, I wake up to a message, whether it's depression or PTSD-related, but it's also about how we treat each other. I have sixteen nieces and nephews, and I bring them around a lot because I need them to see how a man should treat a woman. My girl is the whole package, and she's someone who I want my nieces to aspire to be. My life is random and funny, but when I get messages from people about how she's so patient with me, but like any couple, we have our ups and downs, but it's how we navigate those waters. Sometimes when I don't want to fight, I just go and run and hug my girl. I get messages from people who miss their husbands. The best thing we did, especially during the lockdown, is we got to know each other. If we are stuck together, I want to know everything about you, and you won't have to say a word. We watched movies and did puzzles together only to have one piece missing. We got Uso my dog for my anxiety, and he's been amazing. If I'm here, I'm going to give people some hope. People called us the couple of 2020. I was just releasing it because I was just proud of my relationship. I love this girl, I love my life, we are stuck in this situation, but we don't need to be depressed about it. Don't get me wrong, we ate a lot of food, we got really fat, I got gym equipment now, we played hide and seek, we bought a Nerf gun. I really took that time - the way I saw it is if I got sick and didn't take every moment to enjoy my time, we just had a fantastic time with my girl. If we ever got locked down again, we would be good. Long story short, we had a lot of sex, we had a lot of jokes, we saw many movies, we ate a lot of amazing foods, and we got to know each other. We can definitely be married for 50 years and be very happy.
Written by Michael Menachem
Photos by GoodGuy Media Group
Connect with YX: INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD | TIKTOK