Amunaso - Yembela (Single) + 10 Questions

R&B-Soul singer, songwriter and artist Amunaso shares her new single ‘Yembela’, out everywhere now.

With roots in the Congo, raised in the Netherlands and settled in Brussels, Amunaso creates captivatingly dreamy and soulful music, with powerful and intimate lyrics that transports her listeners to another realm. Understated yet evocative, Amunaso is an artist deeply connected to her roots, with a commitment to exploring profound themes through both her music and visual representations. ‘Yembela’ (which means ‘sing’ in Lingala) plays homage to her Congolese roots.

Starting out with a more tropical afro/zouk kind of feel, Yembela needed time to become what it is now. Amunaso says, “I had already decided I wanted to release Yembela but I wanted to record it with the band instead. In August 2024, Nathan my the guitarist suggested we try a slow-jam kind of drum pattern. We tried it. I liked it. It felt more intimate and emotive.

Naming artists like Mereba and early Jhené Aiko, Amunaso released her first album ‘The Moon Listens To My Stories’ on 11/11/2022. The project is a cinematic, melancholic ensemble of 13 songs and narrations about releasing the old and walking into a new chapter of creation and possibility.

2025 sees a turning page in Amunaso’s creative journey, creating a different sound with influences from Soul, R&B and Congolese Rumba. Welcome to Amunaso’s universe.

Amunaso sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

I think my love for music comes from my dad’s side. He had a huge collection of CD’s and cassettes back in the day. He has an interesting fascination for music installations and has like 12 headphones. When I was about 8, he bought me a mint green stereo and installed it in my bedroom. That’s when I really discovered my love for music. I would steal his CD’s and cassettes and play them in my room, then write my own poems and songs to them. He had a wide range of genres: from Congolese Rumba to pop to R&B. Papa Wemba, Gloria Estefan, Phil Collins, Craig David, UB40... I remember this one particular CD he had with a bunch of 60’s classics, that’s where I first heard ‘Sitting on the dock of the bay’ by Otis Redding. I was just a child but for some reason I felt so connected to the song and his story. Another song that stuck with me then was a song called ‘Something inside so strong’ by Labi Siffre. I remember the goosebumps I felt when I heard it. Some songs just stuck with me and touched me very deeply, even though I never fully understood what they sang about until much later.

2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?

Mereba. I feel very connected to her. I can sense her spirit through her music. I first heard about her when I was just starting out in 2019/2020. Her album The Jungle is the only way out will always have a special place in my heart. Black Truck is the soundtrack to my life. Magic Words from her album Room for living really touched me as well. I love the harmonies on that one. Rider is the song I played all summer 2021.

Cleo Sol. Know that you are loved made me cry when I first heard it. Her music reminded me of how important it is to stay authentic when creating. To make sure I never forget to put God in it. Heaven, Mother, Gold… It’s hard to name just one favorite album. But Go Baby, Desire and Golden child are some of my favorite songs that inspired me for my own music.

And of course: Lauryn Hill, Sade, Solange. Big inspirations. They all embody authenticity and what it means to stay true to yourself. That’s why I love them.

3. Can you tell me more about your new single ‘Yembela’? What inspired you to write it?

TRANSLATION

‘Yembela nga’ is Lingala and means ‘sing for me’. ‘Yembela’ is actually not a correct full sentence, literally it translates to ‘sing for’ - but it’s just a catchier title that way :)

SACRED LOVE

Yembela is about sacred love. It’s a love letter, prayer and lullaby all in one.

I think love, music and God are all connected. And this song embodies that for me.

I believe everything we do and say is a form of prayer. We tell and show God what we want by the way we choose to live our lives, the choices we make. Music is one of the greatest forms of prayer for me because it’s spiritual in its essence. It’s one of the deepest forms of communication with God and to me, it’s a way of writing out my life story and the messages I’m receiving.

I hope people feel the energy of sacred love through this song. Divine union that makes you feel like you are ONE with that special person. A love orchestrated by God.

RECORDING PROCESS

Yembela started as a very different genre actually. I was sent a beat in 2022 by Darryl Croiset. The beat was titled Fly. It had a tropical afro/zouk kind of feel. I loved it. I wrote and recorded Yembela (first demo) at home in 1 night.

2 years later, I went to record the instrumental in Isaiah’s homestudio in Brussels with a full band. He has transformed his whole living room into a studio full of instruments and machinery, but so cosy. He recorded all the musicians and helped a lot with arrangements for the track. He also helped to get me a drummer last minute – the drummer I had originally asked, canceled the day before recording day. so we quickly had to find another drummer. Thankfully it worked out.

The session was fun. I already had an idea of what I wanted for the song, but once we were in the studio we tried a bunch of new things.

I love the guitar, so I wanted it to be the star of the track (besides me of course :)

I wanted a dramatic, climactic guitar solo for the ending. I also felt like it would make sense to really play into call-response for this song. Like, I sing to the guitar. The guitar sings for me. The harmonies respond to my lead. The keys do some adlibs in between. The bass is the glue. Perfect.

So Nathan (guitarist) started playing the solo for the ending and I think he did it in only 2 takes. The rest is history.

VOCALS

I recorded vocals for the demo that day in the studio, but I always prefer to record the actual vocals for the song at home. Especially for super intimate songs like this one. I like to take my time and to really allow myself to feel the emotions the music evokes in me. Understand them, where do they come from? Why am I feeling this way? Talk to myself, talk to God, sip some tea, visualize the feelings again. Then write them down, record it, listen to it, rewrite. I want to make sure all these emotions are able to be sensed in my vocals and in the track.

I like my songs to feel dreamy and ethereal so I always add harmonies and backings. Then finally I stack where necessary to make the vocals sound more present and full. At home I can do all of this comfortably on my couch with my blanket, with some candles lit. So yeah, long story short, I recorded all my vocals at home.

I also like to take my time with mixing. My sound engineer Loïc taught me a lot about panning and vocal stacking so I love playing with that in the mix. I also love using lots of reverb and delay, it’s part of my sound. We always fight about how much to use but I always get my way eventually lol.

INSPIRATION

Where the inspiration comes from... God. Sometimes it’s a real-life experience that inspires me, other times it’s a daydream, a vision, a prayer, a movie. Most of all, my feelings. When I write, I usually imagine whole scenarios in my head. I’m basically in my own world, making the soundtracks to my movie.

When I first listened to Darryl’s beat, I closed my eyes and I saw a couple deeply in love, dancing under a palm tree near the sea. Random, maybe not. I just started humming along and at some point ‘Yembela, yembela nga’ came out - the rest just flowed.

I like to mix in some Lingala in my songs. It’s a part of who I am and how I normally talk as well. I mix Dutch with English, French, and Lingala too when I’m with family or Congolese friends.

So, that was 2022. When we finally recorded in 2024, I had grown a lot in those 2 years. The song naturally matured along with me. Where the first version had a more playful and summery feel, the final version feels poetic.

Now it isn’t just a couple dancing under a palm tree. It’s a love that’s boundless, timeless.

4. How would you describe your sound?

Dreamy, soulful, introspective, atmospheric, spiritual, powerful.

5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?

People telling me how much my song Lobiko touched them. I wrote that song at a very vulnerable time. It was scary for me to release it, it’s the most intimate song I’ve written alongside Yembela. But it made me realise that the realness and authenticity in my music is its greatest strength.

Having my first headline show last January in Marni Brussels. They promoted my concert throughout the whole city, my face and name was everywhere. It was touching because Amunaso is not just my middle name, it’s my grandmother’s name. It represents my heritage, and to see it plastered over billboards and posters moved me.

Also, being able to open for Reinel Bakole twice in 2024, in Ancienne Belgique and in Minard Ghent. She’s an amazing artist.

6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

Haha, I might need advice myself! But i would say, stay true to you. Sounds corny but it’s really the most important thing imo. There will be so many distractions, opinions, lots of challenges… you’ll feel like you have to keep up with everything and everyone. But make sure you take the time to quiet the noise and listen to yourself. What do you really want? What really aligns with your values and who you are? Pray. Follow your intuition. Don’t just do what ‘they’ are doing. Dare to walk your own path. But. You also need people. Surround yourself with people who you feel are genuinely rooting for you. That’s not always easy to discern. But things will fall into place when you don’t force it.

7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?

Calya J, super talented babe. Singer, rapper, producer, amazing performer, I’m not sure if there’s anything she doesn’t do. You can just tell she lives and breathes music.

Saxon or @King_ombe on instagram, he mixes rap and poetry in such an effortless and elegant way. Very unique. Can I brag about our song Go Home?

Golden boy aka Garcon Doré. Amazing producer, artist and DJ. His vibe: Trapsoul but make it cinematic. He also produced Lobiko and most of the songs on my first project The Moon Listens to my stories.

April Maey, afrobeats but she gives it her own playful twist. Her music is easy to listen to but touches on intimate topics without it feeling too heavy.

8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?

Aqyila FALLING INTO PLACE

Alex Isley WHEN

Naomi Sharon OBSIDIAN

9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?

Eat, laugh with loved ones, travel, walk in the sun, talk to God, dress up cute, sleep.

10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?

My phone cause literally everything is in my notes app, my Spa water, my Hurraw lip balm.