Yebba Returns After Five Years
Yebba makes a powerful comeback with her sophomore album 'Jean' after a five-year absence from the spotlight. Critics are praising the record's emotional depth and blend of devastation and liberation, with Yebba's personal journey shaping much of the songwriting. The project is being hailed as a standout in 2026's R&B landscape.
Yebba's acclaimed 2021 debut album, "Dawn," was named in honor of her mother, who died by suicide in 2016. The album, which served as a way to process her grief, was produced by Mark Ronson and featured collaborations with A$AP Rocky and Smino. Before her debut, the Arkansas-native first gained viral attention with a 2016 Sofar Sounds performance of her song "My Mind." She also won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance for her collaboration with PJ Morton on "How Deep Is Your Love." While she hasn't released a solo project in five years, Yebba has remained an active and sought-after collaborator. She was notably featured on Drake's 2021 album "Certified Lover Boy" on the track "Yebba's Heartbreak" and also contributed to a 2025 project by Tyler, the Creator. The new album, "Jean," is named after her late grandmother, who helped raise her. The project moves beyond the raw grief that defined her debut and instead centers on themes of inheritance, strength, and faith passed down from her grandmother. Yebba took a more insular and independent approach to creating "Jean," co-writing and executive producing the album with John Rooney. The album was written over five years in Arkansas, Dallas, and at New York's iconic Electric Lady Studios, capturing a period she describes as her "adulting years." The lead single, "Yellow Eyes," showcases a more restrained and intimate vocal performance from the singer, a deliberate choice she said was about experiencing singing in a different way than she had before.
