Denver-born indie artist and producer Yugs joined Iris Berkeley in the KGNU studio for a live session featuring songs from his new album, Dancing In My Room. Backed by Sunstoney, Miles Jenkins, and Kyle Loeffler, Yugs performed “Mona,” “Under the Stars,” “Tied Up,” and “OUTTA MY MIND.”
Between songs, Yugs discussed his Colorado roots, his Chilean and Cuban family heritage, the influence of his grandparents’ Holocaust survival stories, and his journey from pre-med student to full-time musician and producer. He also shared the inspiration behind Dancing In My Room, a hopeful and deeply personal album about healing, self-discovery, and finding joy after the end of a long-term relationship. (Air Date 6/2/26).
Listen to the studio session here:
Transcript:
Iris Berkeley: It’s just been an embarrassment of riches today, because I’ve got a band hanging out in the next room. The only sad thing is they’ve got so much amazing gear that I don’t even get to be in the same room with them, so I’m chatting on the other side of the window.
I want to introduce Yugs and all his friends.
Yugs: Yugs and Friends.
Iris Berkeley: Yugs and Friends. We’ve got a number of tracks. You’ve got four that you’re going to share with us, right?
Yugs: Yeah, we’ve got four from my album Dancing In My Room. I just dropped it on May 5th. It’s self-released. We’ve got Sunstoney in the room doing background vocals, Miles Jenkins on drums, and Kyle Loeffler on bass. Some of the most talented musicians in Colorado, so I’m really happy to be playing with them.
Iris Berkeley: Awesome. I’ve got about a million questions for you, but let’s start off with some music. What are you going to give us first?
Yugs: This first one’s called “Mona.” I wrote it a few years ago with Brandon and Pingo from The Mananas. If you want to sing along, there’s a part that goes, “Na, na, na, na, na.” You’ll hear it when it comes up.
Iris Berkeley: Awesome. Take it away, my friends.
Iris Berkeley: If you’ve just tuned in, we’ve got the great pleasure of hosting Yugs and Friends here in our cabaret studio in our beautiful Boulder facility. You might be one of our last in-studio performances before we move to our new digs, so that’s kind of a badge of honor.
Yugs: All right. We’ve got to give it a good send-off. It’s a beautiful studio.
Iris Berkeley: It is so fun. We just heard “Mona.” I have all kinds of questions, but I’m going to start with your one-line bio:
“Yugs is an indie alternative Chilean Jewish artist and producer who makes music to close your eyes and dance to.”
There’s a lot more going on there, though. You’re making music from all over the genre map, singing in several languages, and there are all kinds of vibes on your new record, Dancing In My Room. Is this proof that genre isn’t really a thing anymore?
Yugs: I think we’re genreless at this point. We can listen to everything now. I love blending genres. I know a lot of musicians say that, but I genuinely love every genre. There’s so much good in all of them.
When you close yourself off to certain types of music, you’re missing out on a whole world of great stuff. When you blend genres, you create something new. Sunstone is always introducing me to the coolest music.
Iris Berkeley: I love it. You’ve made so many different projects. You made a lo-fi hip-hop record, you work with rappers, and you work with me. You’re like a one-person musical melting pot.
Your mom is from Chile, your dad was from Cuba, and your grandparents were Holocaust survivors. That’s a lot of history. Everybody who makes music brings their lineage into it. Tell us a little about how that plays into your work.
Yugs: My mom was born in Santiago, Chile, and I still have a lot of family there. My dad was born in Cuba. Both sides of the family are Holocaust survivors.
My mom’s family escaped Germany right before the Holocaust. Chile was one of the countries accepting Jewish refugees, and a wealthy German Jew helped people immigrate before the war started.
My dad’s side survived the entire war. My grandfather lived under a farm and survived on a potato a day.
There’s definitely a lot of intergenerational trauma there, but music has been a place where I can recycle pain into purpose. It’s also a place for radical empathy. No matter where you come from, everyone can jam together and dance.
Iris Berkeley: That’s something we’ve all got in common. There can be real joy in being a cycle breaker, as we just heard in that song. Is Mona a real person?
Yugs: Yes, Mona is a real person, but I can’t say who it is. It’s not about my old coworker Mona—shout out to her. It’s about someone I had a crush on. The next day I went to City Park with Brandon and we wrote the song.
Iris Berkeley: Everybody can empathize with a good song about a girl.
Tell me more about your roots. You’ve been in Los Angeles and recently graduated from the Los Angeles Academy for Artists and Music Production. But your roots are in Denver too, right?
Yugs: Yeah. I was born in Denver, and Colorado is home. This place raised me. I love the mountains, the people, and the music scene.
I went to college in Philadelphia and was pre-med, but it wasn’t for me. I came back to Denver, and the Denver music scene really raised me as an artist. I started playing gigs at places like Mo’s BBQ and gradually worked my way into the community.
That was when I really came into my own as a musician. Later, I went back to school in LA for music production, which is now my full-time work as a producer and audio engineer.
A lot of this album was recorded with Kyle and Miles in 2024 and 2025, and I wanted to come back and play it in Colorado because this is home.
Iris Berkeley: Everything you’re playing today is from the new record, right?
Yugs: Yes.
Iris Berkeley: And it dropped on May 5th?
Yugs: Cinco de Mayo.
Iris Berkeley: That’s so cool. And you’ve got vinyl pressed because there’s one sitting here.
Yugs: That’s actually for you.
Iris Berkeley: Yay! Thank you.
Yugs: You’re welcome.
Iris Berkeley: How about you play us two more songs and then we’ll come back and talk about the record itself?
Yugs: I’d love that. These next two are “Under the Stars” and “Tied Up,” featuring Sunstoney.
Iris Berkeley: Amazing.
Iris Berkeley: Friends, that was incredible. You’re listening to the Afternoon Sound Alternative here on KGNU Community Radio. I’m Iris Berkeley, and I’ve got Yugs and friends in the studio, including the amazing Sunstoney.
We just heard “Under the Stars” and “Tied Up,” featuring Sunstoney. Those are from your new record, Dancing In My Room.
It might be one of the most expansive breakup records I’ve heard recently, and it’s also a very positive one. Tell me about the story behind it.
Yugs: It’s a concept album. I think of your body as your house, but your room as your soul.
A few years ago I got out of a seven-year relationship and spent the last three years working on this album and getting to know myself. I wanted to turn pain into purpose and make something beautiful out of it.
I didn’t want to make a breakup album that blamed somebody else. I still have a lot of love for my ex-partner. I wanted to acknowledge how beautiful that love was while also telling the story of moving on and finding myself.
Iris Berkeley: One of your notes describes it as “a soundtrack for anyone trying to find the sunshine in a world becoming more isolating and dark.”
How do you hope this music brings more sunshine into the world?
Yugs: There are terrible things happening in the world right now. I wanted to create something about community, especially my Denver community, and give people a safe place to feel whatever they’re feeling.
I think we’re often told to keep our struggles to ourselves, but music has always been a place where people can express what they’re going through and find connection through it.
I hope this album adds a little sunshine to a dark world because we need that right now.
Iris Berkeley: A friend of mine keeps reminding me that joy itself is an act of resistance these days.
Yugs: Absolutely. Whimsy too.
Iris Berkeley: There’s so much joy in this music. You also help a lot of other people make music. Production is your day job?
Yugs: Yeah. I recently mixed a song for Sunstoney that got shouted out by SZA on social media, which was wild.
I produce for artists in both LA and Denver. I love helping people build worlds and discover their sound. Sometimes that means introducing them to music they’ve never heard before and exploring entirely new genres together.
Iris Berkeley: I’ve seen you make dance music, Latin R&B, indie pop, indie rock, and hip-hop.
Yugs: The goal is to make anything. I think there is a through-line in my work—it’s spacey, warm, and feels like a hug—but otherwise I think we’re genreless.
Iris Berkeley: How do being an artist and being a producer influence each other?
Yugs: I have to switch modes. When I’m producing, it’s not about me. The artist is the CEO, and my job is to help realize their vision.
When I’m the artist, I’m responsible for setting the direction.
I don’t like producing my own music entirely alone. I usually co-produce because I need other ears. A lot of this album was co-produced with incredible producers like Mitchell Gardiner, Levi W., and Felipe Romo. It’s easy to become song-blind when you’re too close to your own work.
Iris Berkeley: It really does take a village.
If people want to find you, follow your work, or come see a show, what’s the best way?
Yugs: Follow me on Instagram, @yugs__. I’m also playing a show at The High Dive on Thursday—the final show of the tour. Doors are at 7:00 PM. It’s both an album release and a music video release for Dancing In My Room.
You can also reach me at [email protected].
Iris Berkeley: Bandcamp?
Yugs: Absolutely. I’m everywhere, but Bandcamp is the best place if you want to support directly.
Iris Berkeley: Or come see you in person.
Yugs: That’s cool too. IRL.
Iris Berkeley: Will there be rubber duckies?
Yugs: So many rubber ducks.
Iris Berkeley: I appreciate you not getting us shut down by the FCC today.
Yugs: You’re welcome. This next song is a radio-friendly version.
Iris Berkeley: You had to make a few substitutions.
Yugs: Better yesterday than today.
Iris Berkeley: Is there anything else you want listeners to know?
Yugs: Just listen to Dancing In My Room. I put my heart and soul into it, and I hope it gives you a little sunshine.
Iris Berkeley: I love that. What’s the last song called?
Yugs: “OUTTA MY MIND,” all caps.
Iris Berkeley: Let’s do this.
Iris Berkeley: Proper rock-star ending there.
If you’ve just tuned in, don’t worry—you can catch this live studio session with Yugs on our website. It’ll be available in our music section in a couple of days, or you can listen through the Afternoon Sound Alternative archives.
I’m Iris Berkeley, and I’ve been hanging out with Yugs and friends in the studio. Thank you all. This has been an absolute joy.
Yugs: It was a joy for me too. Thank you, Iris.
Iris Berkeley: You’re playing The High Dive on Thursday night, and you’ve got a brand-new album called Dancing In My Room. You can find it on all streaming services and on vinyl.
Want to introduce the band one more time?
Yugs: Absolutely. I’m Yugs. This is Sun Stoney on background vocals, Miles Jenkins on drums, and Kyle Loeffler on bass.
Iris Berkeley: Amazing. Thank you so much for being here. This made my day—probably my week.
Yugs: It made my week too. Thanks for having us.
