Listen Live
Donate
 on air
Schedule

KCRW

Read & Explore

  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Culture
  • Events

Listen

  • Live Radio
  • Music
  • Podcasts
  • Full Schedule

Information

  • About
  • Careers
  • Help / FAQ
  • Newsletters
  • Contact

Support

  • Become a Member
  • Become a VIP
  • Ways to Give
  • Shop
  • Member Perks

Become a Member

Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

DonateGive Monthly

Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
Cookie Policy
|FCC Public Files

Morning Becomes Eclectic

MBE May 3: Yola talks Sister Tharpe, ‘Stand for Myself,’ and making bootleg mixtapes

Novena Carmel
Novena Carmel
Hand-Picked Music Indie / AltSoul / Funk
This year alone, Yola has been nominated for two Grammys, taken the stage at both Coachella and Stagecoach, and will soon make her film debut as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Baz Luhrmann’s forthcoming Elvis Presley biopic. She found a rare moment of respite to hang with us in the MBE studios to catch up on her many endeavors and talk creating her triumphant latest album “Stand For Myself.”
This year alone, Yola has been nominated for two Grammys, taken the stage at both Coachella and Stagecoach, and will soon make her film debut as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Baz Luhrmann’s forthcoming Elvis Presley biopic. She found a rare moment of respite to hang with us in the MBE studios to catch up on her many endeavors and talk creating her triumphant latest album “Stand For Myself.”
May 3, 2022

This year alone, powerhouse songstress Yola has been nominated for two Grammys, taken the stage at both Coachella and Stagecoach, and will soon make her film debut as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Baz Luhrmann’s forthcoming Elvis Presley biopic, “Elvis.”

She’s managed to find a rare moment of respite to come hang with us in the MBE studios to catch up on her many endeavors and talk about claiming the space to create her triumphant new album “Stand For Myself.” We go deep on Sister Tharpe’s throughline in rock music, self actualization, “things a boujee Black woman needs,” and the epic saga of Yola’s somewhat botched first record purchase, which ultimately led her to the warm embrace of radio fandom and bootleg mixtape making.

Join us for the full convo starting at 57:41 with the station-wide favorite Yola song “Dancing Away in Tears.”

Elsewhere on today’s show, we continue to prove Yola’s astute point that everything is connected. Weatherman David Lynch’s latest request of the James Brown classic “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag (Part 1)” blends seamlessly into a brand new stomper from LA’s Gabriels, into KCRW’s number one most played album of the week, Toro y Moi’s “MAHAL.”

Plus, an assortment of tunes that tie it back to our guest of honor all along the way.

Show Credits

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Anthony Valadez

    co-host of KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Novena Carmel

    Host of Morning Becomes Eclectic, co-host of Lost Notes

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Anna Chang

    Producer, KCRW Music Department

    Continue Listening

    See All
    • Morning Becomes Eclectic

      Morning Becomes Eclectic December 31, 2025

      KCRW’s signature music program — defying format since 1977.

    More Shows

    • Eclectic24

      KCRW's all-music channel blending the collected talents and tastes of all KCRW's DJs into a single voice streaming 24 hours a day.
    • Live From

      Intimate performances, fresh sounds, and candid conversations.
    • Tyler "Boogie" Boudreaux

      Part wax. Part digital. Pure heat.
    • Resident DJ

      Thomas Dolby drops original mixes just for KCRW. Every Friday in December.

    • LeRoy Downs

      Exploring the multitudes contained within jazz.