Yung Sum California

Bedroom pop powerhouse producer Yung Sum from the US midwestern state Wisconsin has revealed his stunning new single "california", via Black Box. An original piece, written, produced, performed, mixed, and mastered all by Yung Sum himself, "california" is a balmy summer essential track.

"california is about learning to love yourself, getting through obstacles that prepare you for future growth. The writing, and production process was straightforward," Yung Sum said. "I came up with the main line, 'I'm afraid to love you now,' and it all fell into place. What I'd like for people to take away from this track is that it's okay to struggle and push yourself to be where you want to be. Just don't be too hard on yourself." 

Primed for chill summer nights, Yung Sum's "california" is a modern take on a classic love story with a plot twist: the love story is one with yourself. The introduction melody, interlaced throughout the track, leads the dreamy vocals into telling a story of loneliness, and fear. The chorus breaks with a beat that emphasizes the emotional feeling of chaos when faced with self-doubt. Opening with "I'm afraid to love you now," and closing with "but something's on the other side.." highlights the theme of hope and abundance on the other side. You just have to learn to say "i" before you can say "I love you."

Bound to the limits of Covid lockdown, the visualiser piece for "california" features a live from Yung Sum's home studio rendition of the song. True to his artistry and talent, this live version sounds exactly in line with the mastered recording of the song. In this organic, homegrown video we see Yung Sum immersed in sound, totally in his element. 

Michael (Mikey) Rodriguez, proficiently known as Yung Sum, is at the brink of causing a global scene in the music industry. With over 7 years of music production and songwriting under his belt, he's wildly amassed over 5,000,000 streams across platforms. Michael started producing at the age of 12, and has carried his class professionally for over 3 years, releasing his first project, "Journals", in the fall of 2019. Bringing us into 2020, he's put out over 10 singles, and an EP entitled, "Stages", which has gained over 700,000 streams on Spotify alone. Mikey currently resides in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Yung Sum's work has been featured in over 9 Spotify Editorial playlists (Fresh Finds, Study Break, Libra, young & free, New Music Friday Christian, and more) and has been written up by both Early Rising and Before The Data.

Yung Sum makes feel-good indie pop custom made for gen-z. He hypnotically experiments with musical styles ranging from Pop to EDM with a dash of Hip-Hop, while moving fluidly through the Pop space. His recent track, "Moving On," most recognizable for its unique take on catchy chorus-driven pop music, and has been featured on marquee Spotify playlists. Yung Sum is at the forefront of the game.