Many of us were forced to retreat into our homes and escape bustling city streets, at least periodically, in recent years, due to those pandemic-induced lockdowns we found ourselves in. However, for violinist Diana Yukawa, formerly a signee of Sony Music and BMG, escaping busy streets for her own more self-contained patch of the world was something she ticked off years ago after she left London for the Cotswolds, with hopes of starting a family. Two young daughters later, motherhood and a quieter lifestyle have vastly remoulded her approach to her art as manifested in upcoming album Spirals.

Released on her own Longbody Music label, the record is the culmination of the changes the former teen prodigy has seen in her life, and the next step in her musical journey, as she highlights below, one that is still somewhat in its infancy. Lead single “Unfolding” and the freshly released “Returning”, written by Yukawa herself, signal a release defined by blissful artistic autonomy, typified in the captivating music video for “Returning”, which Yukawa helms alone, proving all she needs to command her own path is herself, and a violin of course.

Head below to read our chat about her love of the violin, life in the Cotswolds, and Spirals, now…

Hi Diana, how are you?
Hello! I’m very well thank you and hope you are too!

Where are we speaking to you from right now?
I’m currently in my living room at home in the Cotswolds.

When did you first pick up a violin? How long have you been playing?
I first picked up the violin at the age of five, after begging to play one for a while, so I was very happy when I finally got one! So I’ve been playing for many, many years.

Who is one artist you take the most inspiration from?
Tough question and I couldn’t pick one. As a young child I idolised Jascha Heifetz and Fritz Kreisler. When I first started experimenting outside of classical music, I was mad about Ryuichi Sakamoto and Craig Armstrong.

Congratulations on Spirals! Talk to us about the inspiration behind the album!
Thank you so much! I’m thrilled Spirals has finally come to life. The inspiration behind this album is very much centred around becoming a mother for the first time. Some of the material on the album is stuff I wrote ages ago when I was pregnant with my first daughter, who is now almost five. So it’s an accumulation of music I wrote over the past six years and family life is a big factor in it. It’s also inspired by us moving from London to the Cotswolds, which was such a change but a very fulfilling one.

This is your sixth album! How do you think your musical process has evolved since your first?
My first two albums were classical albums, so things have changed quite a bit. I feel like I’m still very much in the early part of my musical and creative journey. It’s a constant journey, really, and I’m really excited for what’s to come next.

Do you have a favourite track on the album?
Oh no! Hard question! Ok, probably “For You” and “Unfolding”.

You also have your own indie label, Longbody Music! What inspired this venture?
Being on a musical path that ventured out of the classical world, trying to find my own voice, it wasn’t always easy to be fully understood and supported by major labels, because it was different. So I decided to really take the reins and do things on my own. And the name Longbody music is inspired by my dachshund, Bentley.

You relocated to the Cotswolds! Do you think motherhood has influenced your work?
Yes! And I’m so happy we moved here. I miss London, don’t get me wrong – but we go back frequently and I have such a full and rich time when we go back, I have a better relationship with my home city than when I lived there, so I feel like we have a great balance. We wanted to be closer to nature and we love it so much. It’s a beautiful part of the country and feels like the right place to be raising our young daughters.

Absolutely, motherhood has influenced my work more than I could have imagined, from the writing to the performance. I feel more centred, grounded and confident than I did before and I feel that has really impacted my musical life positively.

What is one fact about you that we wouldn’t be able to find out about you on a press release?
I have a filthy sense of humour!

Aside from this album release, what else are you looking forward to this year?
I’m looking forward, in a bittersweet way, to my eldest starting school next week! It’s a huge milestone for us all, but I am so proud of her and honoured to witness her growing up, as I am with my youngest, too.