The independent musician and DJ is focused on creating a dance music project where the music, not the artist, takes center stage.
Byline: Lyssanoel Frater
In the modern music industry, artists are expected to not only produce music, but also cultivate personal brands with large audiences. Social media has had a significant impact on the music scene, with an increased focus on visibility, personality, and consistent public engagement.
Yalla Habebe is an independent musician and DJ in the electronic and Afro house genres, and he is taking a different approach to the mainstream music industry. Instead of centering himself, he’s placing the spotlight entirely on the music he creates. He has adopted an anonymous persona to shift the audience's attention back to the music.
Building an Artist Identity Without Revealing His Own
“I cover my face on all public appearances. It allows me to perform and build without an ego tied to my project,” Habebe explains.
Habebe’s goal is to separate the individual from the artistic work. He wants the music to be centered, not himself. Through this approach, he believes the audience can fully focus on the music, the ambiance of the live performances, and the overall musical experience.
Artistic identity can exist without celebrity, Habebe believes. His visual identity may be anonymity, but it’s not a marketing device. It’s a way for him to still be recognizable on the stage, but retain his privacy.
Learning the Craft Independently
Habebe has been passionate about music since he was 12 years old. Among his musical inspirations are American DJ John Summit, Brazilian DJ and record producer Vintage Culture, and Swiss electronic music producer and DJ duo Adrian Shala and Adrian Schweizer of Adriatique.
“I’ve always been passionate about music and learned to produce music on YouTube and through online courses,” says Habebe.
The independent mindset that compelled him to be a self-taught musician continued to fuel his music journey as he developed his technical skills and dove deep into his creativity. Through this process of self-discovery, Habebe refined his music and his approach to his future music career.
Taking Control Beyond the Studio
Like many artists, Habebe faced numerous challenges while trying to find the right label for his music. Eventually, he made the critical decision to launch his own label, inspired by Vintage Culture, who had independently released some of his own music.
Habebe had worked alongside what he calls some “industry greats” and understood the industry. To ensure that his music found its target audience and attracted listeners, he set about mastering the social media marketing side of releasing music on Spotify. For any independent artist, branding, release planning, audience development, and social media promotion are essential.
Within the first month of releasing his music, Habebe says he has generated more than 300,000 streams.
The Musical Journey Ahead
Habebe has garnered attention for his reinterpretations of familiar songs such as “The Way I Are” and “Move Ya Body.” Habebe plans to continue releasing music to maintain his momentum, and the dance-oriented releases are just the start of his journey. The musical artist has long-term goals he is determined to achieve and aspires to be a prominent artist in the dance music scene in a few years.
