Pick of the Week: Nilüfer Yanya “Stabilise”

By Lauren Surbey, Staff Writer

26-year-old English singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya is preparing to release her sophomore album Painless on March 4. “Stabilise” is her first single off of the album. With her consistent low vocals and grungy guitar, the sound is representative of the song’s meaning. “Stabilise” speaks for anyone in their mid-twenties who feels like they’re going nowhere. 
 

THE MEANING & SOUND OF “STABILISE” 

Yanya takes a nihilistic approach in her song with the lyrics “there’s nothing out there, for you and me. I’m going nowhere.” Her lyrics sing like she’s having a quarter-life crisis until the chords change along with the song’s chorus. This is where we realize that she’s battling to find her place in life while simultaneously feeling the need to be her own savior. Lines like “I’m not waiting for no one to save me” reveal the harsh, yet somewhat empowering reality that you are ultimately on your own in this life. 

Between the punk-rock guitar and the electronic progression of “Stabilise,” Nilüfer Yanya makes it apparent that her music was influenced by The Strokes and The Libertines. 
 

WHERE IS NILÜFER YANYA GOING? 

While “Stabilise” takes on a rather skeptical view of life, Yanya is very successful in her work. She released her debut album Miss Universe in 2019 and a three-song EP Feeling Lucky? this time last year. In the past, she has toured with The xx, Broken Social Scene, and Mitski. She has also appeared on the BBC Sound of 2018 longlist. This past week, she released North American and European tour dates for her forthcoming album, Painless. You can see Nilüfer Yanya perform “Stabilise” live at Cambridge’s The Sinclair on May 6, 2022. 
 
Every Monday, our music staff brings you a new Pick of The Week, detailing some of our favorite songs. Check out our previous Picks of the Week here, and make sure to tune in to WERS 88.9FM!