Meet Amayajane | Artist, Photographer & Clothing Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amayajane and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amayajane, how does your business help the community?
My businesses focus solely on self-love and promote the act of supporting each other as a community and healing in order to fulfill our true purpose. I hope to evoke the utmost confidence in people and to break down society’s beauty standards. To truly love one self is a journey to peace of mind. I also encourage people to believe in themselves and their abilities, not just their physical appearance. We must have patience with ourselves and believe in our craft in order to succeed. There is so much talent and potential that people do not see in themselves, I hope to help them see it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started my photography business 44DidIt (@44didit on Instagram) when I first got my camera in April 2021. Photography has been an interest of mine since high school. I love taking pictures as I see beauty in everything.  I’m big on romanticizing and documenting my life. My pictures are mainly portraits of other people. I love seeing people happy with the pictures I’ve taken of them, and boosting their self-esteem.

Come July 2021, I started a model casting business, Unworldly Castings (@unworldlycastings on Instagram), with my friends Alexis and Luci. Running a casting business is a big passion of mine; it gives me the chance to help people find and emit their inner self-confidence, and also incorporate my love for photography and videography alongside it. I moved into my first apartment that same July and I knew that it would shift a lot for myself and my businesses, as I would have more space and freedom to do the creative things I wanted to do. It was not easy when I first moved out. I struggled, went through depressive episodes, and cried many nights due to life, and death around me. Moving out meant a lot of alone time, so as months went by I got through this by healing, finding myself, learning, reflecting, writing, reading, building my confidence to the T. Around this time I was learning a lot of lessons around friendships and relationships. God has really been teaching me to be weary of who I trust, and that I should never be dependent on anyone but myself. I am the beholder of my destiny. I turned my pain into purpose and wish to inspire others to do the same.

I started recording music in February 2022, so it’s still new to me but I am grateful for the amount of love, streams, positive feedback and attention, offers, and opportunities it has already brought me. My artist name is Yaya Jane. I have dropped two singles “Siah Interlude” and “Jus Let Me Go” on all platforms, and I am currently working on an EP along with visuals to go with it. I hope to encourage people to put themselves first and walk with confidence through my music. Oftentimes, love and heartbreak can make us lose ourselves. I want to help them find their way back to themselves again and heal their wounds through my lyrics and through my empathy, letting them know they are not alone. I want to speak their thoughts and feelings that they aren’t able to articulate, process or understand. Helping people heal through loss and heartbreak is the most fulfilling feeling, I feel it’s my true calling. As you heal and work on yourself, it echoes in every aspect of your life.

I launched my very own clothing brand in March 2022, Unworldly Couture (@unworldlycouture on Instagram). I fell in love with designing my own clothes and making them unique pieces. Wearing my brand and getting complimented on my different pieces is the best feeling. It has always been a big dream of mine to own a designer clothing brand. I hope to boost confidence through this brand as well. When your outfit is fly, you walk different!

I feel what sets me apart from others is my purity, my encouragement towards finding and loving yourself, and that I do this, not for the money, but because it is my purpose.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We could go to the beach in LA or Orange County and either have a picnic, or eat out, but we definitely need to have good eats. Proabition has a DJ and would be a great restaurant for day drinks. We would ride the electric scooters, go roller skating, visit a museum or two, visit some views, make music, go to the studio, take pictures, vlog our whole trip.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I would like to shoutout God. My deep connection with God and my journey through spirituality has helped me so much with my self-growth. I’ve had countless awakenings and epiphanies that have helped me get through my toughest times. God is miraculous and I see that everyday. I thank my parents, Barry and Mitus, for raising me tough-minded and working hard to give my siblings and I this life. They are my motivation and inspiration, I admire them both for their successes here in the U.S. as they both came here from the Philippines. The amount of hardships they’ve overcome, I know I can overcome anything. I wouldn’t be here without them, without a doubt, and I can’t wait to return the favor and give them a life of luxury. I thank my siblings, Alicia, Ameilia, and Noah, my backbones. They are my built-in forever best friends. I thank my cousin, Neo, whom I first started making music with in high school. He encouraged me to take it more seriously. I thank Jovan, for helping me start my music career and getting me studio time, all the photographers, videographers, producers and engineers who have reached out offering to work or collaborate and helping me begin my career. I thank Alexis, a dear friend and my very first roommate, whom I share many of the same interests with. I thank Calvin for consistently supporting me everyday, inspiring my craft, and making sure I am on top of my tasks and daily routines. I thank Pháyln (@shotbyphvlyn on Instagram), an amazing photographer, and Cole (@cole.foe on Instagram), a very talented engineer!  Last but not least, of course, my supporters, my followers, the people who interact with me, and/or buy from my businesses. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of God, my ancestors, my spirit guides, my family, my friends and loved ones, and my followers. My younger self would be so proud!

Instagram: instagram.com/theyayajane

Twitter: twitter.com/theyayajane

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCY8pClZ-CB6qGYdl07CqCbQ

Other: Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/fortyfour/1297878883 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/15DgIZNCDhQ8jzRzQ2t7xu?si=bas4Hw8ZQBiJ0Wi47Q6IuA
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/yayajane
Clothing brand: unworldlycouture.storenvy.com