Interview with Yvette Young of Covet

Interview Transcription

Yvette Young of Covet interviewed by Zane Bird Smith

Zane: You are listening to KZSC Santa Cruz. This interview with Yvette Young of Covet was recorded on October 14th, 2025. And I’m here with Yvette Young of Covet. First off, you’re on your tour right now, as you just said, how’s that going? 

Yvette: It’s going great. The tour is with this band from Japan called LITE, and an artist I really like called Wiley Hopkins. And yeah, I kind of selected this lineup to be really diverse and showcase a lot of different kinds of music. And, you know, we did a little tour with LITE in Asia, and it was really fun. They put on really energetic, entertaining shows, and it’s just been really cool. LITE and us are sharing a bus, and it’s been a fun bonding experience. And yeah, I think so far I’ve had a lot of fun on this run.

Z: That’s great. Oh, my gosh. Also, yeah, I was going through your social media and, yeah, you were talking a little bit about how this tour and this album have been kind of a fresh start for you. I obviously don’t want to encroach on whatever you’re not comfortable talking about. But would you be willing to talk about the process of trying again after your hiatus into this new album? 

Y: Yeah, I released a single called “Denouement,” and that word in French means, like, the conclusion, kind of like when all the bits and parts of a story finally come together at the end. And for me, this song is kind of like me putting a temporary pause on the project (Covet) because I want to do some other stuff. We do have some touring planned, maybe in the East Coast with LITE again, but that’s kind of up in the air right now.

Yeah, it’s just been, you know, I feel very lucky to have this current crew because a lot of them have been with me through a lot of really, for lack of a better word, traumatic tour experiences. With accidents happening or, you know, just unsavory people doing stuff. And yeah, it’s just been a lot of stress. And so I kind of went through this whole thing where I’m just like, I honestly, I don’t know if this life is for me because it’s just, like, really – I think a lot of people have this really glamorized view of what touring is, but I find it to be extremely mentally taxing. And it’s hard because I never really get to, like, be in one place for a very long time. So, yeah, I think I just really want to take some time to recharge my tank. I think I’ll better serve everyone if I rest for a little bit and then I come back with, like, you know, a fresh outlook on everything. And yeah, I will say this tour in particular has been extremely healing for me so far, just because I think I finally have the right people around me. I’ve been through lineup cha

nges and stuff with… yeah. I had to let people go for doing, for lack of a better word, bad stuff.

And it’s just really, it’s never fun to…. Even if someone is not like, you know, uh, how do I put this? Even if it’s, like, a bad situation, parting with people that you’ve toured with for a long time is still painful emotionally, you know? It’s like a breakup, like, the relationship can be so toxic and bad, but it still, like, feels terrible, you know? So, yeah, this particular experience has been really healing because I have a crew of a bunch of really amazing people. And then LITE’s just super polite and we’re all friends, so it’s great.

Z: Oh my gosh, lovely. Yeah, I’m also wondering, on the musical side of things, how has Catharsis, your new album, been in your musical evolution? Like, what stage is it at and how has it come to be? 

Y: Yeah, I guess I wrote that whole album, I think, like, around the pandemic time when I was shut in. And I wrote all the songs, demoed ‘em, I learned how to record myself, which is really cool. And then I ended up in the studio, but then, you know, I did –, the lineup change happened during the release of the album. So I was like, well, I’m just gonna release these, but then to protect myself, I’m gonna make sure that all the people on it are people that I feel, you know, comfortable with. And then, yeah, Jessica, my current drummer, got to drum on one of those songs. But yeah, I think that album kind of still has a bit of the past for me. This new single that I put out, “Denouement,” it definitely…, it kind of reflects my current interests a lot and, like, combining guitar music with more electronic production and kind of like a more whimsical pop sound, so.

Z: Cool. That’s really exciting. Yeah, I also know that you are a visual artist, too. And I heard that you made a lot of your albums. Is that true? 

Y: Yeah, I do all the album art and I design all the merch. So, like, Covet is my band, like, everything is kind of just like my blood, sweat and tears. But it’s really fun getting to do that kind of stuff and figure out how you want to present your music visually.

Z: So cool. Do you feel like you’re, do you feel like your visual art and your audial art, do they intersect in any ways? 

Y: Definitely. I think I work both things very similarly, like, very detail oriented and both are therapeutic. Like, I can easily get lost writing a part and um, just like I can get lost, you know, drawing something. And I think the way that I use colors in my visual art is the same way I use, like, tones and textures when I write Covet music. And, yeah, ultimately, the aim of both is to, like, convey an emotion and tell a story. So I always put emotion at the forefront.

Z: Cool. Yeah, that’s really exciting. Personally, I really just love your art. I don’t know, all the covers look so cool. And, like, I think going with that too, what’s kind of the theme of Catharsis, and how does the visual art collaborate with that storyline? 

Y: Yeah, the theme of catharsis is, like, kind of just, like, I wanted to sound like a bit of a story from start to finish. And I wanted it to be kind of pretty continuous. And, yeah, the girl surrounded by birds, like, the whole album is basically about jumping into, like, a fantasy world. And I feel like that picture I painted for the cover, it’s kind of like someone ascending to, like, a fantasy, like, heaven-like place. And, yeah, I kind of wanted it to just feel, like, very whimsical, fairytale-ish. But also, like, there are heavy moments in the album. I think there’s two songs that are probably our heaviest on that record, “smolder” and “coronal.” And, yeah, I think every good story, it’s not just a bunch of beauty. Like, there’s… In everyone’s life, I think there’s a lot of pain, which I think music is a great outlet for. And I kind of wanted the whole album to be very dynamic and reflect the highs and lows of just, like, what a story would be, which is telling, you know, the tale of, like, the life and birth of someone.

Z: Cool. Oh, my gosh. Great. Yeah, I guess with that, another aspect: what genre would you classify your work as? And, do you… Does thinking about genre help you in your creative process at all? 

Y: I feel like, if anything, it kind of hinders me, because certain genres have certain rules and connotations. And I think I kind of like sitting down and making something with zero expectations. Like, of course, if I’m in a session setting, I’ll want direction. Like, if I’m supposed to be writing a pop song, I like that kind of limitation. Sometimes creativity comes out of limitation. But for me, I want –. Covet; I named it that word because, to me, to really want something is kind of how I feel when I’m making stuff. Like, I hear this thing in my head, and I really want to see it come to fruition. And I’ll do everything I can to make it sound the way I want in my head. So, yeah, I guess, for me, when I think about a genre, sometimes it can be limiting. And, like, I’m like, ‘oh, I can’t use this kind of sound’ or whatever. But I really like Covet to be kind of a mishmash of, like, every genre that I really love. Like, there’s metal moments, there’s prog moments, there’s math rock moments, there’s post rock moments. Like, now there’s electronic moments, like, punk moments, jazz moments, everything, you know. Music rules and I think, this project is just supposed to be a celebration of music.

Z: Yeah, definitely. I hear those elements definitely coming through. And also, you’re from San Jose, you’re from the Bay. 

Y: Yeah!

Z: How has living in the Bay and being from there, how has that been in a relationship with your music? 

Y: I definitely grew up going to, like, house shows and stuff in San Jose. Played my first show at X-Bar in Homestead Lanes. Yeah, I just kind of cut my teeth doing open mics and random DIY shows. I listened to a lot of, like, emo and stuff like that. And now I’m, yeah…. It’s kind of wild. I no longer live in the Bay. Like, I moved to the woods because I was kind of tired of people. But, like, I still have a lot of love for, you know, my local music scene. And it’s really cool getting to come back and visit.

Z: Yeah, now you are the emo that you listen to, which is great. 

Y: Yeah, haha. Yeah, that’s never changed.

Z: And I’m from a radio station where we come from a lot of music nerds. And what are the things that you nerd out to, that goes into your music making process? 

Y: I’ve been really excited about, kind of, like, learning more about production lately, because I recorded and produced the last single. And I’ve been doing a lot of my own solo stuff these days, alongside my friend. Yeah, I think I’m kind of really interested in that. Definitely, like, I can tell that my nerdiness comes more so from just, like, songwriting and producing and recording rather than playing the guitar. Like, I love guitar, but for me, I think it is just a vessel for all the ideas that I have. I love piano as well. I also play violin. Yeah, I like talking about, I like chasing tones. Like, I love, to me, I think a melody is great. But, like, if you present it in the right way with just, like, the perfect tone, it can, like, really hit and be impactful. And it can, you know, depending on what kind of tone you use for melody, it can make you feel a billion different type of ways. And I think lately I’ve been just more interested in, like, even scoring, like, the way that music can transform a scene in movies and things like that. I just got to do, I just got to play guitar for the Superman movie, which was really cool. And that was really fun for me to try to, you know, enhance the emotion that was already there. So that kind of stuff I get really nerdy over. And also, like, I just love spreading the joy of how music is supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to be a way to express yourself. I’m not the most, like, assertive person. And, like, I think I taught myself how to play guitar when I was in the hospital. And for me, it was a really big outlet at the time, therapy. And for everyone out there who, you know, maybe words fail you, I think it’s super important to have an outlet. Like, you know, it can be anything. It can be painting, drawing, guitar, piano, dancing, poetry. Like, just any sort of creative outlet, helping people become more confident in themselves and have an outlet for expression; I’m just super passionate about that.

Z: Love that. Yeah, yeah. And then you were talking about it a little bit before – so cool that you did some stuff for the Superman movie. That’s great. I loved watching that movie. How was that experience? 

Y: It was really fun. I’m really grateful for the trust of the composers. And, yeah, every day I would just sit at my house and wait for cues. And I was just on retainer for a month.

Z: Whoa. That’s interesting. That’s kind of cool. Like, fully remote session musician, I guess. That’s fun. 

Y: Yeah. If I hadn’t taught myself how to record during the pandemic, I wouldn’t have been able to do  that job. Because I’d have to go to a studio.

Z: That’s cool. That’s good skills to learn. And, yeah, you talked about it, you hinted at it at the beginning, of final tour for a while. What are your next projects that you’re interested in at the moment? 

Y: I kind of want to just go into my little cave and make a bunch of music. And I definitely want to do some solo stuff, more solo stuff. I’m kind of interested in perhaps starting a new band with a different sound. Yeah. I really feel strongly about creating, like, a really safe environment for myself with music. I think some of the scenes that I toured in in the past, like, I have a lot of love for them. But definitely there has been misogyny and creepiness that I’ve encountered. It’s been really disheartening. And I’m realizing that, like, to me, music is a sacred thing. And I really want to, like, protect myself in order to keep passionate about it. So whatever new projects I make, like, I want to make sure that I am putting the right message out there. And attracting the right people who agree with my ethics and how I feel about providing, like, a safe place for everyone.

So, yeah. I think, yeah, this is something that I just want to be super conscious of, because, you know, like, when people come to shows, it’s also important for everyone to feel welcome.

Z: Yeah. Do you feel like that comes out in your music? You’re, like, definitely, like, inclusivity and the element of, yeah like, safeness. Do you feel like that manifests in any way? 

Y: Definitely. Like, music for me is, like, it’s my survival. And, like, I want the music itself to feel like a big hug, of course. I want it to be empathetic. It’s, like, instrumental. And I think instrumental music is the most empathetic because it listens to you instead of telling you how to feel with words and lyrics. And certainly, I think, you know, at the shows, I really care about, like, I have a really diverse crew. And I always want the lineup to be really diverse, too. So, it’s not just, yeah, like, a big old sausage fest or something. Hahaha. So, yeah, nothing against that. But, yeah.

Z: Yeah, definitely. Cool. Yeah. Thank you so much for talking to me today, I really appreciate it. I’m excited for the show tonight. Anything else that you’d love for KZSC listeners to know?

Y: I’m just super grateful to be able to go on tour like this, I don’t take it for granted. And for everyone supporting live music, thank you so much for helping artists thrive. And I just hope everyone’s doing mentally and spiritually okay. And, you know, if you want to come out to a show and just feel stuff and have a good time, I’d love to see you.

Z: Great. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Um, what’s the best way for people to find you? 

Y: I am on social media. You can do at Yvette Young on Instagram or at Covet Band. I’m not a super big TikTok user, but I am there. If you want to go there. And then I’m on YouTube as well if you want to keep in touch with, like, my videos and things like that. I post a lot of, like, tutorials and riffs and just kind of, like, gear rundowns, things like that.

Z: Cool. That’s great. Yeah. Thank you so much for talking to me. And I hope you have a great show tonight. 

Y: Thanks so much, Zane. You take care. I appreciate you.

Z: Thank you. Have a great day.

Y: You too. Bye-bye.