Dork Radio

Live

Live 24/7

Dork Radio

Nilüfer Yanya has ridden the hype wave all the way to her debut album; as it prepares to drop, the real journey starts here

"It's not really about me anymore," she says.

If we told you Nilüfer Yanya, the 23-year-old Londoner known for her minimal, plucky guitar tunes, had made her debut album a sort of post-apocalyptic sci-fi record, would you be shocked?

Well, that's what it is. ‘Miss Universe' centres around a fictional health company ‘WWAY HEALTH" (think Black Mirror meets Flat Tummy Tea Co), with their phone service, narrated by ‘Miss Universe', greeting the listener when they hit play.

‘Miss Universe' wasn't meant to be a concept album (and Nilüfer still might not think it is), but it's definitely a different direction for her. If you got to know her as a minimalistic singer-songwriter type, there's far more to her first full-length than just a girl and her guitar.

Experimenting with different instrumentation was on the album checklist – and it gets pretty diverse. There's a classic emo vibe on ‘Heavyweight Champion Of The Year', pop punk-ish guitar on ‘Angels', Florence-sized drama on ‘Baby Blu', as well as some sparkly, psychy pop on ‘Safety Net' and ‘Heat Rises'.

"The songs are just songs, right? But the production kind of really makes the songs sound like something. So some of them are very much in the pop direction, we were listening to a lot of pop music. I think a lot of it is like an amalgamation of my music tastes; I think that comes through.

But the WWAY HEALTH narrative (now complete with its own website) came more naturally. She says that, originally, it was just supposed to be a load of songs together (like a normal album, duh), but stringing it together with a storyline helps her understand her own work.

Whether intentional or not, the idea is genius, and the interludes in question are fantastically witty. Splitting an album up with tracks titled ‘Warning', ‘Experience?', ‘Give Up Function' and ‘"Sparkle" GOD HELP ME'? So brilliant.

On her debut single ‘Small Crimes', Nilüfer plays the part of a thief, so she's no stranger to adopting another persona in her lyrics. And don't just expect to hear from Miss Universe on the album, or Nilüfer for that matter. She's a great storyteller (again, she doesn't think she is, though).

Nilüfer grew up in a pretty artistic household and was initially encouraged to ‘do' music by her uncle, who she still writes and records with. "I hope we get to keep writing together." Is it weird though? "Not really. I guess you quickly forget that they're your family. It just ends up being two people working together, and I guess if they're not your family you're more aware of their presence, you're more aware you're working with someone.

And her sister makes the music videos! "She directs all my videos, and we work pretty closely together on all those things. I mean she's heard the songs from when they were demos, so there's a whole process. It's like a project." An endlessly talented bunch.

Keeping it familiar in every way, most of the album was recorded in London – and a little bit in her uncle's studio in Cornwall – and she'll be returning to London for her biggest show yet later this year, bringing the Miss Universe idea to life.

Taken from the April issue of Dork, out now. Nilüfer Yanya's debut album 'Miss Universe' is out 22nd March.

Words: Abigail Firth

Watch’s Before Doors sessions

Intimate, stripped-back live sessions filmed moments before the doors open. Raw sound, real rooms, no second takes. Subscribe on YouTube so you never miss a new one.

Subscribe on YouTube Watch the latest →

Nilüfer Yanya has ridden the hype wave all the way to her debut album; as it prepares to drop, the real journey starts here

All Points East 2026: Quadeca wants to keep everyone guessing

Watch’s Before Doors sessions

Ghosts, mice and backflips: mary in the junkyard are having too much fun to overthink it

Joe Newman jumped out of the alt-J plane

2000trees 2026: Reclus.É are ready to make some noise

Nilüfer Yanya has ridden the hype wave all the way to her debut album; as it prepares to drop, the real journey starts here

Related Articles

All Points East 2026: Quadeca wants to keep everyone guessing

Watch’s Before Doors sessions

Ghosts, mice and backflips: mary in the junkyard are having too much fun to overthink it

Joe Newman jumped out of the alt-J plane

2000trees 2026: Reclus.É are ready to make some noise