Hi Yorke! Your current single ‘sorry in advance’ is so catchy! Tell us a bit about what inspired it and how it came to be?
Y: I have a song called ‘Window Shopping’ that came out a few years ago. I was heading to the studio in an Uber,  or a train, or something, and I got a notification that it was charting on Shazam in Japan! I was like 'that’s amazing!', and I was thinking what if I had of written the song in 2024. I was thinking about how different my perception of dating would have been. So I went into the studio and I wanted to kind of wanted to write 'Window Shopping'’s sister song that was, where I have a bit more hindsight now.

What’s something that younger Yorke wishes she could have said sorry in advance for?
Y: Ooh, I would probably say sorry in advance to my mum for making her drive me everywhere when I was younger.

You started writing songs when you were eight. Can you remember what the first song was that you wrote?
Y: I do. Unfortunately. It was called 'Baby', and I think Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby’ was probably out at the same time, so I was probably inspired. Ha ha. I had Word Art and I typed it all up, and every word was a different font. It had this 'brat'-coloured green background and I printed it out. I’ve still got the piece of paper - I wrapped it up into pieces and took it with me everywhere, my little song.

Aww, cute! You’ve supported some pretty cool Aussie artists like Kita Alexander, Amy Shark, and The Veronicas. Did you learn anything from them or did they give you any advice?
Y: I think every tour that I go on, I try and come away with as much inspiration and knowledge as possible. Definitely I love watching all those artists play every single night to try and analyse, watch, and think 'oooh they’re saying this at this time and that’s interesting because I could do that'. But I think the thing that I always take away is how kind everyone is. I have gotten to hang out with Kita on tour, Amy was in and out but every time she saw me; she would take the time to hang out. They are so willing to help emerging artists which is incredible, and I think that’s been the takeaway.

What’s been the coolest moment in your career so far?
Y: Definitetly supporting Lewis Capaldi. I think that was pretty insane. It was just before COVID hit, so it was a pretty good way to go out. I had never played to rooms that big and there was a moment where everyone got their phone torches out. I always wanted one of those moments of my own, so it was pretty special.

You’re about to drop your new EP, unfinished business. How would you describe it?
Y: I think it is a melting pot of all my favourite influences and all different parts of pop music that I love thrown together.

One of the tracks ‘the villain’ is an absolute bop! What inspired this song?
Y: I kind of had the concept of the whole EP and I knew I wanted to write a song called 'the villain’ during the making of it. I was kind of reflecting on times that I probably haven’t been the best person in a romantic sense, and I think women can be the bad guy as well even without meaning to be and sometimes that’s okay. You just have to own that.

You’re heading over to Japan after the EP is released to support Japanese rock band, Indigo la End – very cool! What are you looking forward to for this show?
Y: We are actually playing 'sorry in advance' with them - there’s an alternate version that exists in the universe where they are on the song as well, and we are playing that in their set so I think that will definitely be the highlight. The lead of the band started using the song like ‘in the movies’ to walk on stage and it’s also the song I use to walk onstage, so that's very funny. I have seen footage of it - they walk out very serious and my vocals are playing, and everyone stands up and claps. They’re bowing and it’s just so cool to see my song used in a completely different way. I DM’d them and told them how grateful I was. One thing led to another, and I sent them 'sorry in advance' and said 'hey what do you think?' and they wanted to be on it.

So cool! Have you been to Japan before?
Y: No, I haven’. It it will be my first time. They are my biggest audience, so I have wanted to go there for a while. I am excited to meet heaps of people. It’s gonna be crazy and I am really excited.

🫶 Yorke's new EP, unfinished business is out June 13. 🫶

🎵 Check out more of our chat Yorke in the July 2025 ‘Curious Creatures’ issue of Total Girl, out NOW in Australia (June 23 in NZ). Plus, keep your eyes on our channel for more with Yorke! 🤩