YDE | Releases Short Film Accompanying Debut EP ‘SEND HELP’

YDE is an Australian-born, US-raised, Filipino multi-hyphenate. Born Breanna Yde, the singer/songwriter launched into the limelight as a young actress. Having landed her first leading roles on Nickelodeon, the artist is no stranger to the screen.

In her short film SEND HELP, released shortly after her debut EP of the same name, the artist returns to the screen, but this time to deliver an emotional rollercoaster of sorts. With soft tracks like “Uncomfortable”, the artist bears her soul, conveying the relatable struggle of accepting love and affection. Conversely, coming-of-age anthems “Old Her” and “Never Too Young” explore the trials of young love against the backdrop of the female experience. “I’m craving humanity and craving truth. So, the making of SEND HELP was seeded and rooted in being human and trying to articulate that experience,” the artist shares. 

 The short film, choreographed by Nadine Olmo, is a collection of a few of the EP’s tracks—all equally compelling in their own way. With soft and subtle transitions between each track, the artist carefully weaves together a story of love, life, and identity. The film, as well as the EP are now both available for your streaming and viewing pleasure.

Read below for our Q&A with the artist, where she delves into the making of the EP, navigating songwriting during the pandemic, and where she sees herself going forward.

What was your main source of inspiration for the short film?

I wouldn’t necessarily say that there was a direct inspiration for the short film. As the EP, SEND HELP, was coming together it felt natural to create a large body of visuals instead of stand-alone music videos. It was a serendipitous natural evolution as we were creating this body of work. 

Why did you take a three-year gap between writing and releasing your EP Send Help?

 I wish it didn’t take three years. The time was in part due to COVID as well as me naturally not wanting to release something I felt wasn’t ready to be put out in the world. The process of writing the songs, honing in on the production and telling the story that I wanted to tell naturally took three years to complete. 

What would you say are the central themes you drew from in the creation of Send Help?

 I don’t want to be redundant, but I truly feel like articulating the human experience was the primary theme for my EP. As I was writing each song, I unintentionally always came back to the common thread of searching for truth and searching for the thing that draws everybody together: our humanity. There isn’t one human being on earth that isn’t human, and that is the one thing that will always bring us together. It is the central through line for every person. 

Towards the end of the short film, you are dancing with what appears to be a different version of yourself. What does this signify for you? 

“Old Her” is the song that this visual takes place in. The track is all about feeling trapped within your own identity. I loved the idea of visually representing the version of yourself who you identify with and the you who you are in the present moment going back and forth in this natural dance of life. It is all about freeing yourself from expectations and learning to just be. 

What do you hope for the future of your musical career? How do you see yourself expanding your scope as an artist? 

I’m excited to make more music. Creating music is what drives me forward, and what ends up playing out will play out. I love writing, performing, and obviously the visual aspect of a project is exciting for me. Right now, I’m in an exploratory state and am seeing where life takes me. Who knows what the future will hold!