Loyle Carner returns with video single 'Yesterday'

Loyle Carner (Mercury & BRIT nominee, NME award winner) returns with his first single and video of 2020, “Yesterday”, out today via Republic Records.



Loyle Carner is often praised for the perfect matching of music to lyrics and is known for his love of golden age Hip-Hop. On “Yesterday” worlds collide as critically acclaimed producer, Madlib, has provided the beats that sit under Loyle’s inimitable flow and uncompromising verses.

Loyle has always cut an impressively idiosyncratic figure within the UK rap and hip-hop scenes, offering up intimate, introspective vignettes about his day-to-day life. However, on “Yesterday” we’re hearing and seeing the boy become a man, and as he grows to understand the world around him, he learns to speak out against political and social discrimination.

The video for “Yesterday” has been directed by Loyle and his brother Ryan (The Coyle-Larner Brothers), it’s a compelling and touching coming-of-age film where Loyle comes full circle, it walks tall and resonates long after. For this ambitious film that was shot in one continuous take, the directors enlisted crew members from Hamilton’s stage team to make their vision come to life.

“Yesterday” was premiered by Annie Mac on BBC Radio 1 and is currently Annie’s Hottest Record. Loyle has also been announced as the first host of the new BBC 6 Artist In Residence, his first show aired on Tuesday and is now available on BBCSounds. The show is the first of ten that Loyle will host, with this initial one celebrating the vast and exceptional discography of Kanye West, with follow up shows diving deep into the catalogs of Madlib, J Dilla, and other iconic producers.

Loyle on the single:

“It’s no secret Madlib is my musical hero. I wrote this almost 2 years ago, but at first had trouble with clearing the sample and thought it would never see the light of day.

“It’s really just about what it is to be black and white, in a world where you pretty much have to be one or the other.

“It hurts the way I felt about my race back then, is the same way I feel now. Nothings changed since my last entry, nothing’s changed since the last century.

“I hope that soon this song is nothing more than a reminder of a different time, and collectively we’re able to move forward to a time of more respect, acceptance, and understanding.”

About Loyle Carner:

In 2019 Loyle Carner released his Silver sophomore album, Not Waving, But Drowning, to huge critical and commercial acclaim; the album charted at #3 in the UK Charts and he sold out Alexandra Palace in 8 minutes. This follows the wild acclaim of his Gold debut album, Yesterday’s Gone, which saw Loyle nominated for ‘Best Newcomer’ and ‘Best Male’ gongs at the BRIT Awards alongside a Mercury Prize nomination for his debut album. Last year he collaborated with DJ Shadow and Dave East on “Taxin’.” While he also has a feature arriving next month with Erick from the Flatbush Zombies.

The duo The Coyle-Larner Brothers who are signed to Spindle made their directorial debut earlier this year with a film for rising star Arlo Parks. Their video was an intimate and stylish exploration of the pain, jealousy, and confusion experienced when lines between platonic and romantic love blur. Then came the call from EA Sports who enlisted the Coyle-Larner Brothers to produce a film celebrating the arrival of Eric Cantona as an icon in FIFA 21, in There Is Only One King.