Introducing Yeija, the half-Japanese, UK-born, Germany-based artist who is making her first foray into music with an emotionally rich, alt-pop debut single, ‘Spell On You’. Inspired by her time with Hamburg’s choir Born to Sing, Yeija weaves together layered harmonies and orchestral flourishes into this soft and dreamy arrangement. Her spell-binding vocals convey a subtle vulnerability as she explores the experience of loving someone in pain. That reality of losing oneself as you put all your time and effort into helping someone else heal is so honest and relatable.

This isn’t your average pop song, both thematically and sonically. The use of sweeping strings and ambient textures provides a touch of the theatrical, emphasising the weight of the situation as the singer-songwriter moves through love, compassion, heartache and frustration, until finally the track reaches a cathartic release. ‘Spell On You’ is a seriously impressive debut and it provides a tantalising insight into Yeija’s forthcoming EP, Devil’s Room.

“I wrote this when I was in a relationship with someone who I wanted to change. He also wanted to change, so I stayed but I lost myself in the process. This song is like waking up from a dream. I want it to feel like a hug, because it is okay to keep trying and fighting for love over and over again… but it’s also okay to leave.”

Follow Yeija on Instagram.