Yaya Bey announces her new album do it afraid out June 20th via drink sum wtr. She first signaled this new chapter of her career with surprise new single “merlot and grigio” featuring Father Philis, and brings do it afraid into clearer view with two new singles “dream girl” and “wake up b*tch” also out today.
These two new songs embody the duality of do it afraid – the fantastical, fun-loving funk of “dream girl” is all about “escaping to the party for a little while” and “really tapping into your desires – knowing there’s a million heavy things that need your attention but also leaving room for fantasy.”
These two new songs embody the duality of do it afraid – on “wake up b*tch”, the album’s opening track, Yaya wastes no time setting the tone, opening the album with searing realism through a single, meticulously-rapped verse that ends with the melodic question of “what are you afraid of?” It’s a cathartic release that opens the door for “dream girl” and the embrace of fantasy. As Yaya puts it, the song is all about “escaping to the party for a little while” and “really tapping into your desires – knowing there’s a million heavy things that need your attention but also leaving room for fantasy.”
“I wrote this album from the most vulnerable parts of me, which contrary to what many people want to believe about me, is not my trauma but my desire to love, to feel joy…to be free,” Yaya says of her new album. “In this life, pain and loss are promised to us; it takes real courage to dance in the face of the inevitable. To savor the now and make it beautiful. I come from a people who are masters at this. Onlookers like to make a spectacle of us. Rob of us of our nuance. But the truth is we are brave, resilient and joyful. I made this album for us. May we continue to do it afraid.”
Following the album’s release in June, Yaya Bey will be embarking on a headlining tour in September across the East & West Coasts. General on-sale begins Friday, April 25th at 10am local time. Yaya will also be playing a hometown festival set at Governor’s Ball in June.
Do it afraid is a commitment to embracing life as it comes, finding peace in the power of human movement and connection, even if life’s circumstances have left one scarred and afraid. Yaya’s journey to finding peace in that duality has led her to do it afraid, a collection of resolutely fun, full-hearted and clear-eyed songs that draw from R&B, hip-hop jazz, soul and dance music. On the album, Yaya worked with a wider cast of co-producers including BADBADNOTGOOD, Exaktly and Virginia musical collective Butcher Brown, with additional guest features from Rahrah Gabor, Nigel Hall, and others.
Yaya Bey 2025 Live Dates:
6/7 – New York, NY @ Governor’s Ball Festival
9/10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
9/11 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
9/12 – Brooklyn, NY @ 99 Scott
9/13 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
9/16 – Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5
9/18 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
9/19 – Urbana, IL @ PYGMALION
9/23 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
9/24 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
9/26 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
9/27 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
