Words by Skylar Sanders
Against a sunset-drenched backdrop of palm trees and power lines, Nilüfer Yanya’s silhouette languidly twirls a rose between her fingers in the music video for her new single, “Where To Look.” Drifting in and out of focus, Yanya seems only faintly aware of the camera, uninterested in performing in any traditional sense. There’s no lip syncing, no dramatization or reenactments – just a quiet refusal of spectacle. The result is a one-take, projector-worthy visual that speaks volumes in its restraint. After all, “There’s nothing to say.”
Yanya shared the single, which will appear on the tracklist of her upcoming EP, “Dancing Shoes,” fresh off the heels of the already well-loved “Cold Heart.” Opening with a cascading piano melody followed by electric guitar, “Where To Look” reflects her versatility and talent as a cross-genre artist. Dabbling in indie rock, jazz and psychedelia with strong electronic influences, Yanya is known for her eclectic palette and range. Her distinctive presence shines in this track, as she layers velvety vocals with a cinematic production style that’s easy on the ears and effortlessly poetic.
In a press release, Yanya shared, “We started writing this song for the album, but it was tricky to get it off the ground at the time. Then when we came back from tour, it suddenly clicked. Melodically, it’s one of my favourite things ever. Very glad I was able to give it the time and breathing space that it needed.”
What begins as a melancholy meditation on love, lust and the passage of time slowly unravels into controlled chaos, distorted guitars and foggy narration, culminating in a soundscape that aches in all the right places. Lyrically cryptic and steeped in grief, Yanya’s story unfolds in fragments. She croons, “The years I’ve worn / Leave no trace / And from my shoulder angels fall away,” toeing the line between sharing too much to be relatable and just enough to be understood.
There’s something deeply intimate about bringing a song into the world without the ball and chain of a clear narrative, and Yanya masters it with “Where To Look.” Coded lyrics like “Even if she tries too hard / I love you less from far away / There’s nothing to say,” defy conventions, laying the groundwork for a space where meaning is co-created by the listener – something only excellent art is capable of. In a culture obsessed with emotional instruction, Yanya leaves space for ambiguity. It’s almost like she’s saying, “This was for me, but it’s yours now. Make what you want of it.”
Loudspeaker Collective 