[Content warning: This article mentions topics of suicide, grief and loss.]
On March 6, Abbey Smith, known professionally as Yebba, released her sophomore studio album: “Jean.” Named after her late grandmother, “Jean” is an introspective, explorative and emotionally mature display of artistry.
Throughout her career, Yebba has used music as her way of processing grief and loss. Soon after her performance with Sofar Sounds of her first original song, “My Mind,” she lost her mother to suicide. While the lyrics and original meaning of the song was about a lover’s infidelity, her tragic loss led the song to be imbued with her own mental health and the memory of her mother. Her first studio album, “Dawn,” named after her mother, served as a commitment to taking her grief and turning it into something beautiful.
Five years later, “Jean” demonstrates the same level of reflection with an added sense of serenity. Yebba still sings about her heavier feelings in songs such as “Yellow Eyes” and “Alright” but balances it with a lighter reminiscence and playfulness.
The main element that ties the diverse concepts of “Jean” together is Yebba’s unique voice. I believe that Yebba is one of the most skilled vocalists of our generation. She is technically skilled, effortlessly embellishing her melodies with clean and precise vocal riffs and runs, such as in “Different Light,” and showing off her expansive vocal range in “Aggressive.” She is incredibly adept at packing nuanced emotions into every note, varying her timbre, breath and vibrato for every song in order to vocally illustrate her message.
Yebba released “Yellow Eyes,” the lead single of “Jean,” on Feb. 20. This song is an immediate contrast from the rest of her discography, as she trades in the thicker instrumental texture of “Dawn” for an accumulative sound built upon a soft yet percussive guitar line. “Yellow Eyes” illustrates the cognitive dissonance of the nostalgia that comes with breaking out of a toxic cycle. Yebba employs a soft vocal timbre throughout, making the lyrics even more poignant, singing, “Think I’m jealous about movin’ on / I still like it the way that it was.” Not only is this song musically compelling, but its emotional complexity sets the tone for the rest of the album.
“Jean” opens with “Forgiveness,” a gentle ballad reflecting on her journey throughout her career and how the events in her life have impacted her relationship with her public persona. She sings, “No money, no nepotism, no favoritism, no nothing / But I stuck to my guns and God made good on His promise.” “Forgiveness” is incredibly effective as an opening track, establishing the balanced perspective on life Yebba displays throughout the album.
Throughout the record, Yebba blends her typical R&B style with a variety of genres, displaying her versatility and creativity as a musician. “Waterfall,” which was originally released in October 2023, is an atmospheric and relaxed tune supported by light synthesizers and layered vocals. “Aggressive” features a heavily distorted guitar line and powerful vocals that feel reminiscent of classic rock ballads. “Of Course” is heavily influenced by hyperpop, utilizing glitch-like vocals and heavily layered synthesizers. Throughout this exploration of styles, Yebba stays true to her signature sound, incorporating raw vocals—including a laugh and spoken line in “Of Course”—that assert her artistry and its dominance across the styles she dabbles in.
A personal highlight of “Jean” was “West Memphis,” a tribute to her childhood in Arkansas. This song is musically the lightest, featuring only vocals and a softly strummed guitar for the first verse. She sings, “But what flows from that same place / Is this tragedy we all know is the truth / That country ain’t a costume.” The track is tinged with nostalgia and melancholy, and I believe that it perfectly encapsulates the contemplative spirit of the record.
Yebba closes the album with “Water & Wanderlust.” The song ends with a sampled quote from David Sylvester in the BBC show, “The Visual Scene,” chopped and layered to align with the song’s beat. The final result outlines an important philosophy about how creating with the goal of profit or clout can take away from the integrity of art. Sylvester’s sample states, “A bad tendency, to measure every artist by his last exhibition / So and so’s no good, five previous shows, which were very good, doesn’t seem to matter / It gets forgotten too quickly / This kind of pressure is very dangerous.”
“Jean” is a testament to Yebba’s growth and a beautiful reflection of her own personal journey. Her voice, creativity and experimentation work together to create a stylistically diverse record that still remains cohesive in its lyrical themes. Overall, “Jean” cements Yebba’s legacy as an artist who is not afraid to be raw and vulnerable, and I look forward to seeing how she continues to use her music as a form of emotional expression.