in the 1990s, Yoni Ayal spent most of his time playing basketball and making beats in his friends’ basements. His early musical influences were a medley of Ethiopian classics and FM radio—two things his parents listened to at home. A gifted musician, he is a classically trained pianist who studied at the prestigious Royal Conservatory in Toronto. He also spent some time in New York City before settling in his current home, in Los Angeles, in 2014. Despite having a difficult first year in L.A.
“At first, I was just excited about what could happen—I had no money, no connections. I would wake up, go get coffee and make beats on my headphones. Eventually, I started meeting people who would help build my initial creative community. I paid close attention to what they were doing and listened to [figure out] how I could fit in. People started noticing my potential.
. It connects you directly to the words, the melody and the voice. We might as well speak softly and get to know each other.”“A big part of my morning ritual is writing lyrics. I cruise around the canyon in L.A., listen to a voice note or a demo and spitball lines. Then I go back to the studio and transcribe; that ’s a big part of the lyrics. In terms of the music, it usually starts with a sound and an ambience. As soon as I get a feeling, I grab the bass guitar and start singing.