YACOVELLI Dropped ‘Since Emilia’, Bringing The Grunge Back

Sometimes I enjoy music the most when somebody brings an unusual instrument through a dirty rock song, and somehow makes the whole thing feel alive again. A baglama opening a neo-grunge track from New York? Beautiful. That tiny Greek folk instrument sounds like it escaped from a cigarette-filled tavern somewhere near the sea, jumped into a taxi, then ended up smashed against distorted guitars in Hell’s Kitchen. That’s the kind of strange decision I respect.

YACOVELLI’s new single Since Emilia arrives soaked in heavy 90s alt-rock spirit. Though swinging nicely between Seattle grime and New York basement-club sweat. Alex Yacovelli leads the charge with confidence in this thing. And it looks like he already survived enough underground stages to stop caring about trends. The man played alongside Weezer during their Madison Square Garden debut, studied voice at NYU, earned recognition in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition beside Meghan Trainor, and still kept the DIY garage mentality glued to his hands.

Since Emilia Runs on Grit

The song opens with that baglama melody before everything goes into a thick D-flat riff strong enough to wake my neighbours again. Then the hook comes in with the swagger of that old-school grunge records that I still love.

Alex describes the lyric as “a poetic riddle,” and honestly, that explains the charm perfectly. Emilia floats through the song like a Fata Morgana nobody really catches. Even better, somebody once shouted after a Mercury Lounge performance that they’d “find Emilia on social media.” Alex answered with “good luck.” Fair play. That’s the kind of smoke I love inside a good story.

Meanwhile, the music video pushes the madness further. Liverpool, Manhattan, oceans, skies, club dates, underwater hallucinations, moonlit imagery. The whole thing moves like a fever dream, after too much rock mythology and strong coffee.

Alex Yacovelli and the New York DIY

YACOVELLI clearly came out swinging. There’s years of New York underground life buried inside this project. Mercury Lounge, Rockwood Music Hall, Bitter End, Arlene’s Grocery – all those venues that shape musicians differently. Two things can actually happen here: they either build your instincts or chew you alive before midnight.

And honestly, I respect artists who leave scratches, dirt and scars on their music, instead of keeping everything clean for playlists.

Go follow YACOVELLI on socials before Emilia disappears again into the subway noise. Bring decent speakers too, your little laptop deserves a day off.