Check Out Shyanne Yellowbird’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shyanne Yellowbird

Hi Shyanne, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Ever since I was a little girl, I was always singing. Mostly at home though or in the presence of my family. I was so shy when it came to interacting with those outside of my immediate family. Then, when I entered middle school, I was very focused on academics until the last year of college.

After graduating from Columbia University with a Bachelors in Film and Media, I secured a full time job working in tech. With my adult money, I was able to fund creative projects I had always dreamed about. This led to the creation of Shy Yella, my music alter ego.

Through Shy Yella, I executed three music videos, one mixtape, and a handful of singles. As a lover of music, my songs explore a range of genres from rap, pop, soul, and dance. As an Indigenous artist, I am also working to incorporate sounds from my culture into my pieces as well. I am still working on finding my unique sound. But, it was been a pleasure to explore my creativity while in my 20s.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not. When I released my first song in 2020, I was so scared to post it on socials because this life path was so different from what many of my peers were pursuing. Pursuing music isn’t guaranteed and because you’re venturing off the traditional path, there’s bound to be people who doubt, question, and don’t expect you to succeed. Growing up as a shy girl: 1) I was scared to be seen and 2) I was scared that people were going to laugh and judge me. I got over that by realizing my life is not theirs and theirs is not mine, so it doesn’t matter what others say.

I had to realize what was important to me. I didn’t want to wake up 20 years from now regretting following this inkling to pursue sonic creativity, so I got over those fears pretty quickly. Furthermore, I realize the risk of pursuing art as an Indigenous creative is also stacked against me. I’ve been given so many opportunities, so I don’t want to waste them given my background. But, again, at the end of the day I have to be happy with the life I create for myself. To some extent, I feel like staying in an office job limits who I am as a person.

Going back to my music endeavors, I’ve had trouble working with producers and camera men as well. Some of the experiences I’ve conquered, I can’t believe I already faced those so early in my career. If anything, all of the challenges have just prepared me to learn from my mistakes so I can pursue the next project with more knowledge.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Shyanne Yellowbird is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans film, fashion, photography, music, and painting. A member of the Samson Cree First Nation, she has spent most of her life in Seattle, channeling her passion for various mediums through content creation. Outside of capturing events and lifestyle content, a central theme in her work is elevating Indigenous representation in the mainstream. Whether through music, storytelling, or fashion, Shyanne is dedicated to amplifying Indigenous voices and perspectives.

Her fashion interests have led to her working with and promoting Indigenous brands like Decolonial Clothing, The NTVS clothing, Indigenous Intentions, First Citizen, and Hustle Tribe streetwear. She also designed and handmade her own limited sustainable clothing line, YTB, in collaboration with Thrift Collective which went on to sell across the country.

Since graduating from Columbia University with a degree in Film and Media, she has worked at both Columbia Records and Amazon Music. In regards to her personal music endeavors, she has released three music videos, one mixtape, and numerous singles under the moniker, Shy Yella.

In her early years, her paintings were featured at the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation (UIATF) gallery. She also designed the logo for UIATF’s Ina Maka Family Program which represented the program for 10+ years. Her film and photography work has also granted her the opportunity to work with National Geographic, the Washington State Department of Health, and pitching a documentary for Netflix.

Her diverse skill set, combined with her business and organizational background, equips her to execute any project with precision and ease.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
While I hate to say this — from my personal experience, it is all dependent on vibes. If you don’t click with some one, it’s going to be difficult to build a meaningful relationship. But, don’t be discouraged if you can’t be everyone’s friend. You’ll find the people that are meant to be a part of your journey. Nurture those relationships.

In regards to networking in general, be yourself and insert yourself in places you have a genuine curiosity about. Having a mutual interest in a subject or place will help you better connect and relate to people.

I think if you do good work and execute projects that are important to what you’re focusing on, the people you’re meant to connect with will recognize and come to you eventually.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themindofshy/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFwefsGle6M&t=181s&ab_channel=shyyella
• Other: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/shyyella/the-money-mixtape