Yali Blank is a singer, songwriter, and producer whose electro-pop songs balance vulnerability and groove. She grew up on classical piano and orchestras, later moving into production for film and ads before letting her own music take center stage. A survivor of childhood bone cancer, Yali Blank channels resilience and curiosity into every note, proving that limits exist only where you place them.
With “Bad Trip” out now, we took some time to hear from Yali Blank. Read below to learn more about Yali Blank, the story behind “Bad Trip,” and what’s to come.
Hi Yali Blank! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?
My full name is Yael Blankstein, but since I was little everyone called me Yali. When I started putting out music, I wanted something that felt like me, but was easy to say in any language. ‘Blank’ came naturally from my last name.
What city are you from, and where are you based now?
I live in Haifa. It’s not the obvious place for an electronic artist, but I love it. There’s space, greenery, and I have a small studio at home. That calm helps me focus when I’m deep in creation.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?
Music has been with me forever. I started with classical piano and spent years in orchestras. During my army service, I got curious about production and sound. I worked on music for films and commercials for a while, but I kept writing songs on the side. At some point, it felt like the right time to share them.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
I’d probably call it electro-pop, but it moves around a lot. There are electronic layers, some ambient, a touch of hip hop, and of the Mediterranean music I grew up with. I like that it’s hard to define, it makes me feel like I’m creating something that’s truly mine.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
I’m drawn to art in many forms. Photography, painting, fashion, dance. I also enjoy cooking. It’s a kind of therapy and a way to reset my mind. There’s something about layering flavours, adjusting balance, sometimes ending up somewhere different from what you planned. It reminds me a lot of producing music, gives me a quiet break from the studio and lets ideas settle in the background.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
James Blake showed me you can blend electronics and emotion without losing either. FKA twigs inspired me to treat sound and visuals as one language. I’ve learned a lot from Flume about how production can stay playful. There’s also Air, and the music I grew up with: rock bands, bits of metal, plenty of classical repertoire, and a lot of Mediterranean pop in the background. All those layers stay somewhere inside the songs, even if listeners don’t hear them directly.
What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?
When a song of mine was placed in a Netflix series, I watched the scene a few times in disbelief. It wasn’t about exposure, it was about seeing something that I wrote at a keyboard live inside another story. Because I also compose for film and ads, it felt like two paths meeting, the private writing and the commissioned work, and giving me a quiet sign that I was on the right track.
What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?
To respect my own rhythm. It’s easy to feel that like you have to release faster, chase trends, or shout to be heard. But whenever I’ve slowed down enough to listen to what the song actually needs, the result has been stronger and I’ve been happier living with it.
Now onto your release, ‘Bad Trip.’ What inspired this song? What is ‘Bad Trip’ about?
It came from a stretch where I felt restless, stuck inside my head. Old thoughts about how I look and move, leftovers from dealing with a disability were louder than usual. I didn’t want to write a heavy song about pain, I wanted to write something that could lift me out of that spiral. ‘Bad Trip’ started as a way to flip the feeling, to put light on it. The beat arrived first, and suddenly the topic didn’t feel heavy anymore. It felt like an invitation to let go.
What was the creative process like when making ‘Bad Trip?’
I came in with a melody and some rough words, and worked with a close friend to shape the lyrics. Then, I sat with my producer and we tried to push the sound away from what I usually do, while keeping it natural. Even though the theme comes from a heavy place, we wanted the song to feel light and energetic, like choosing not to stay in the dark part of the story.
How long did it take to complete ‘Bad Trip?’
It came together in just a session or two. Some tracks need months of reworking, but here everything flowed naturally. That ease gave me a sense that the song was sitting in the right place, that it felt authentic without having to fight for every detail.
What is your favorite lyric in ‘Bad Trip’ and why?
‘Look in the mirror, I just wanna say I’m in love with you.’
It’s a very simple line, yet there’s strength in it. For me, it’s a reminder to love myself as I am, even the parts that aren’t easy. And that’s what I hope listeners will take – to sing it to their own reflection, to allow themselves that small, honest kindness.
What message or messages do you hope fans take away from ‘Bad Trip’ and your music in general?
That liking yourself doesn’t have to be a grand gesture or a motivational speech. It can be quiet, playful, private, like dancing alone in the kitchen or catching your reflection and smiling without a reason. If the song makes someone feel even a little bit more at ease with who they are, that’s all I’d hope for.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
My debut album is coming out this winter, and ‘Bad Trip’ will be part of it. I’m putting together the live shows around its release, building a set that lets people hear new songs and also discover sides of my music that I haven’t shared yet.
Where can we follow you on social media?
You can find me everywhere under @yali_blank:
– Instagram
– TikTok
– Spotify
– Apple Music
– YouTube
Before you go, let’s ask you something random. If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
I’d tell her not to wait for the ‘perfect’ moment to show up. You don’t need everything figured out to start. The songs, the shows, the people who will understand you – they come as you move. I spent years hiding work because I felt it wasn’t ready enough. Looking back, I wish I’d trusted that the raw version of what I had was already worth sharing.
Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!
