YATTA is a Sierra Leonean-American vocalist, producer, and composer. Their playful approach to sound and performance is characterized by textural electronic sounds and rooted in improvisation, humor, and surprise. Their debut EP,Spirit Said Yes!was released on New York label PTP and planted their stake in the city’s underground music scene. Over the years they’ve shared stages with a range of artists, like Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Cardi B, Laaraji, L’Rain, and The Sun Ra Arkestra.
YATTA’s second release, WAHALA (2019), served as the foundation for An Episode: Ricky’s Room, a self-written and performed theatrical production commissioned by New York cultural center, The Shed. Released to critical acclaim, the record earned a feature in Bandcamp Daily, and was named one of Fact Magazine’s 25 Best Albums of 2019 and one of Pitchfork’s Best Experimental Albums of 2019.
In 2020, YATTA releasedDIAL UP, a collaborative album with poet, musician, and frequent collaborator, Moor Mother. The duo performed selections from the album at The Getty alongside Moor Mother’s free-jazz ensemble, Irreversible Entanglements. In 2022, the single “Fully Lost, Fully Found” was named one of Adult Swim’s Best Singles of 2021 and was featured in the Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning film, Nanny. This year, they contributed a track to Jazmin Jones’ film, Seeking Mavis Beacon.
YATTA has performed in and presented installations at MOMA PS1, MOMA, MOCA, New Forms Festival, Sonic Acts Festival, and The Kitchen. Their music has been reviewed in magazines like The Quietus, Nylon, Pitchfork, Fact Magazine, and The Wire.