10 May 2023

Singer returning home for a dream launch

8 August 2022 | Samuel Davis

HARD work has paid off for Cooktown singer-songwriter Yazmindi, who will launch her debut album next week following a successful crowd funding campaign.

Having released her debut EP in 2014, the indie-folk artist’s long awaited full-length Dream On was recorded at Mountain Kauri studio with Mark Myers.

To pay for the 11-track album, the DIY musician raised more than $14,000 through online platform Pozible.

“We only hit the target recently which is huge,” Yazmindi said.

“It means I can finally cover all my expenses and a lot of effort goes into it.

“There were days of crying and thinking ‘I’m an idiot. Is this even going to work?’”

In return for funding the LP, supporters could receive a CD, merchandise, handwritten thank you letter and more based on the amount they pledged.

A similar campaign from Rockhampton songstress Hayley Marsten, who raised $30,000 for her forthcoming release, inspired the talented artist.

“I definitely looked at what Hayley did. You’ve just got to put yourself out there,” she said.

“I looked at her old campaigns and I loved the videos she posted on social media.

“She just kept going and I thought ‘just don’t give up. Just keep going.

“We had a chat about it and she told me how much work it is.

“But you can get creative with it. You feel like you’re annoying everyone but it’s just what you’ve got to do these days.”

Yazmindi, along with her band, will launch the album at Black Mountain Unplugged music festival on Friday, August 19.

“It’ll be super sentimental. I like to plan everything with my music,” she said.

“Coming back to Cooktown, where I had my first festival gig and launched my EP, will be special. Having my family and friends there will make it a really wholesome weekend of celebration.”

Yazmindi’s latest single, also titled Dream On, is out now.