Meet Deva Yoder | Singer songwriter

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

Hi Deva, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. When I moved to Denver at 18, I was so ready to move on, but these days I get nostalgic for it. I have two teenagers, and I wish so much that they could have experienced a small community of friends the way I did. I’ve been reconnecting with old friends recently and I feel that it gets me in touch with my roots. There is a deep acceptance that you find when it comes with having old friends that know you and still forgive you. It’s very precious. In a small town, when there was something to do, you did it! Festivals, raves, punk shows, poetry readings… I did all of these and never felt out of place at any of them. I can say for sure that it made me who I am.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When I was 23, I was told I was already too old for the music industry. That discouraged me for a long time and I tried to just focus on raising my kids and did music on the side as a hobby. Now I feel like, if I’m already too old then screw it, I’m gonna do it anyway. I feel that I can relax into the music more at this stage of life and there is absolutely no pressure. My message to the listener is to just be present, and music is a fantastic portal into the present moment. When we miss the present moment, we miss out on life and I don’t want to miss any of it!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Great question because I literally just did this over the weekend with one of my oldest friends. We went to see Jawbreaker at the Fillmore, went on a five and a half mile hike up near Chief Hosa, and had dinner at the Mercury Cafe and stayed for the poetry slam. I absolutely love the Mercury Cafe, and it has been a fabulous resource with my teenage daughter. Anyone visiting Denver and wants local color shouldn’t miss it.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My bandmates are phenomenal players and even better people. Nat and Geneveive Nelson are so giving of their time and not just to me but the entire musician community of Denver. They started a non-profit service called Tortuga that does guitar and amp repair, website design, band hosting, etc. Eric Webb has been playing bass with me for years, Matt Kingham, my cello player is classically trained and helps make sense of all my song writing notes, and my husband and drummer, Brian, is my grounding foundation. I am thankful for all of them beyond measure.

Website: Devayoder.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deva_yoder/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DevaYoder

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devayodermusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaceHSIgXP8

Image Credits
Karicummingsphotography amykwrightphotography jimmimnaphotography