Species: Morbid Pop

Name of Specimen: Yunyu

Yunyu: (yoon-yoo), n. 1. Meaning: Beautiful Rhythms

Current Habitat: New South Wales

Makes a sound like: Tori Amos/ Bjork/ Yoko Kanno

First Documented Existence: Triple J Unearthed (WA)

Yunyu is a psycho musician whose songs range from love to violent murders. Her hobbies include visiting psychosis self help forums and studying murder case files. She also writes with the help of Ouija board and is an obsessive-compulsive people watcher.

Her musical career started when her mom named her Yunyu (meaning beautiful rhythms) and auditioned her into a classical music nazi concentration camp when she was 3. Don’t ask mom why. For this, Yunyu will always be torn between extreme thanks and torture.

Like all misfits, she found the classical environment a little lacking in humour and vice versa, the music nazis found her to be lacking in discipline and talent. After countless, merciless tortures she finally tunnelled to freedom with nothing but a very blunt, leadless, pencil at age 9.The trauma of the near death experience caused Yunyu to connect with Zombies and the Spirit world on a deep, personal level.

Yunyu’s weapon of choice is keyboards and pianoforte. Occasionally, when she clamours attention and variety, she plays the Gu Zheng — An age old oriental instrument.

Yunyu does not speak in tongues, but she can write in 2 languages (Mandarin and English) and speak in 5 - (including a smattering of Japanese, Cantonese and Hokkien )

Yunyu won Australia’s Triple J Unearthed. She is one of 3 winners out of 1500 entries.

When Yunyu won the Unearthed radio competition she thought a gig referred to GIGABYTES. Upon learning the truth of gigs, Yunyu spent the first year puking back stage and performing.

Yunyu pukes less now.

Her song, “You are Expendable” topped the Canadian college Charts for a month peaking at No.6.

Lenore’s Song is Yunyu’s most requested song at gigs. It is a reply letter to Edgar Allen Poe’s – ‘The Raven’. Writing dead people love letters is Yunyu’s idea of romance.

Yunyu’s album Spiked Soul was recorded at Soundbaker Studios in Perth with producer Rob Agostini. Drum sounds have been created from the sounds of Sai and Nanchaku samples from Yunyu’s proud stash of Japanese weapons – Since her escape from the classical realms, Yunyu has lived in mortal fear that her classical past might come a-hunting.

As a result, she’s always armed, overly paranoid and hears voices, which she calls the muses.

Borrowing crew talents from “Lord of the Rings” and “Superman Returns”, a film clip of Lenore’s Song which consisted of 17,000 digital pictures was made. During production, Lenore’s Song mysteriously killed 6 machines and spooked 1 editor. The film’s creators think the song is cursed, and is potentially more powerful than Sadako’s home made video in “The Ring.” Yunyu is weirdly honoured by that opinion.

Yunyu likes her anime. Obsessive complusive re-visitations to Neon Genesis - Evangelion, Rurouni Kenshin and a steady diet of Hayao Miyazaki films (see Fireflies) mean that songs come off as sounding a little cute and J Pop influenced. She, however, worships literature from the dark side. So the music industry says she makes cute, morbid pop.

“Whatever,” So says the muses. “Play our music, or face our wrath from beyond….”

Other facts of interest for music industry people who happen to read this.

Yunyu won Australia’s Triple J Unearthed, In case we need more info, winning this is like a big break for musos just starting out.

Yunyu won.

And Yunyu is still waiting to know the meaning of “The Big BREAK”.

Yunyu had no idea that what a gig was when Unearthed. Her showcase gig was her debut one. Unless you count the live piano performance that Yunyu did at the conservatorium when she was 8. She thought a gig meant GIGABYTES. That is unfortunately, the sad Truth.

She once single handedly ran a radio promotion and topped the Canadian college Charts for a month peaking at No.6.

She played in Fuse Festival.

She hates drugs and smokes and is not a rockstar and might never be. She does, however, aspire to be a rather celebrated musician.

Yunyu’s other music incarnation is Yunyu and the WAKELESS. That’s when her band flies over to Sydney from Perth.

Other Non incidental facts:
In the world of Pop music, Yunyu will celebrate her 4th birthday this November.

Yunyu also aspired to be a film director, but her biggest achievement film wise was a directorial debut for a high school project. The play was about an effeminate and sadistic Pharaoh who got assassinated by the 20th Century army boys. The play did not go down well with educational authorities.

Yunyu would one day like to share a song with Neil Gaiman, Yoko Kanno, Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickinson. (She’s got a long list so you don’t want to get her started).

Yunyu can also be seen defending The X-Files series from time to time. She thinks it’s the best thing that happened to mainstream television.

So there, Yunyu’s obligatory life story till now.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

In a vile effort to reduce the number of duplicate questions I receive, I have posted a listing of the questions that we get asked the most (we have posted our answers too!). Please take a look through these before you send me an email. The answer desired might already like in the midst…

“What is it with the spiders?”

Spiders are gods that brought stories to the world. I am god and I tell stories. I also have delusions of grandeur.

“Yunyu, are you Chinese?”

Yes, from Singapore to be exact. I came over to Australia to do a Commerce Degree. Then I got mad and distracted. Music is relatively cheap therapy until u include recording costs.

“What is (insert song) about?”

I’ve revealed as much as allowed on my liner notes. Any more revealing and I will be slain on the altar of Arachnidom under the 2613 penal code of Muse’s laws of non-disclosure.

“Where can we buy your CD/tunes?”

The CDs exist only in the cyberverse at the moment.
If you live near US/UK/ Canada – CDBABY
If you live near Australia – Earshot Music

For individual tunes:
Try Mperia (has whole album)
Itunes (coming soon)

“I hate buying from the internet, can I just get it off you?”

Use that as a last resort. You must learn to embrace the cyberverse. But if you must, send a money order of AUS$25+shipping costs (which we can work out) to:

PO Box 627
Gordon NSW 2072
Australia
Attn: Yunyu

Include also your human name, your address and your email. My slave monkeys will then process your order. We are not as efficient and your orders might be cave-man slow. So…
Embrace the cyberverse…join us…join us now…

“Do the special minion packages still exist?”

Yes they do, Not many left though, I will let you know when I’ve sent my last ones out. ”

“What does your name mean?”

Beautiful Rhythms.
I know. Shut up, blame grandma and mom.

“May I have your autograph?”

Yes. Send us your address, or better yet, mail something to be autographed to the address below. (also include a self addressed envelope)

“I have offerings/artwork/poems of greatness for you my spidery mistress. Where can I send it?”

Send all offerings to:

PO Box 627
Gordon NSW 2072
Australia
Attn:Yunyu

I’d love you to also post your artwork on my forum (under minion offerings) so that other minions may also worship your greatness. Please include URLs and other info you may like for your altar of worship

“Since you are offering some of your stuff for free, can I just have the whole album/insert other song name for free?”

Well now, can I come into your house, desecrate your living space, maim your pets, corrupt your offspring, party all day in your house( with your food) invite all my flying monkeys over, steal your supper and not pay rent?
There’s your answer.

“I bought your album, will you kill me if I shared it with my friends/ ripped it a billion times?”

Please do, if they like it tell them to buy some. I rely on your big mouth for food and rent. And I really don’t care what you do with the tracks you paid for. Fuck Digital Rights Management.

“I took pictures at your last show and they’re amazing. Do you want me to send them to you?”

Yes. Yes. Yes. Send them to yunyumuse@gmail.com. I will post them up. Also send links u want me to link.

“When are you playing in my city, goddammit?”

Workin’ on it. Tell your local show promoters about us. Gather an army of zombies, surround the city until your promoters beg us to come.

“I want to help you promote shows. Do you have a street team?”

We’re on to it. Really.

“I run a club and want to book you.”

Joy…! Email management@yunyu.com.au

“How long have you been playing for?”

Privately, since I was a foetus. Publicly, since 2003. I have also been “stage-fear-puke” free since 2005.

“When is your new album coming out? What songs will be on it? I am sick and fucking tired of waiting.”

I just shat out this new album. Give me and my muses sometime to recover and frolic. Also I think my muses are staging a revolt let me calm my kingdom first.

All will be well.