Welcome to YNA Music - Explore our stories, immerse yourself in our music, and join a community united by shared experiences. Whether you’re here to find hope, share your own story, or simply discover new music, remember this: you are not alone.
What is YNA Music?
YNA Music | You Are Not Alone - is more than just a music label created in 2022; it's a movement. Founded on the belief that music has the power to heal, connect, and inspire, we are dedicated to creating a space where every listener can find understanding and a sense of belonging. In a world that often feels overwhelming and isolating, YNA Music serves as a reminder that no matter what battles you face, you are never truly alone.
Why Am I Doing This?
Life is difficult — it's no easy path to endure.
I have been broken, beaten, lost... and even when I was at my lowest, my best friend never gave up on me. Time and time again, he would lift me out of the mental prison I was in. His personality was the light in the darkness. His kindness was a guide through the labyrinth. His words were the motivation that kept me here today.
He was selfless, caring, and optimistic — just to name a few. We may not have been blood, but he was my brother... and I miss him dearly. I look back at our memories... the photos — it's all we're left with after someone's gone. But that doesn't mean it's the end.
I've tried to find meaning and reason in this chaos, but some things in life go unanswered. So... how is this not the end? I look at it like this: even though he’s not here with me physically, I can feel his presence spiritually — in my heart.
His values, his courage, his empathy — they all inspired me to be better. I want to spread his love for everyone to feel, to remind them they are not alone. I want to carry on his path of selflessness and compassion; to offer the same support he gave me… and hopefully inspire others to do the same.
So why am I doing this?
I'm doing this for you, Adam.
DARKNESS
TO LIGHT
who am i?
It’s in our nature to express both positive and negative emotions. We can get caught in a whirlwind of despair, facing obstacles so high that it feels easier not to try. We are human. It’s in our nature to make mistakes, to love, to grieve, but most importantly... to change.
​
Who am I? My name is Manny, and to be honest with you, I have been lost for a very long time. Ever since I was an adolescent, I’ve felt misplaced, an outcast, an outsider to society. I spent more time with my imagination than with the people around me. I was a storyteller at heart, obsessed with writing short stories, comics, anything I could think of. But there’s a downside to obsessive thinking. The older you grow, the more your eyes can see... the questions, the doubts, our fears: What if everything goes wrong? Why do I feel like nobody loves me? When will they stop making fun of me? Where can I be alone with my thoughts?
​
Life is full of events that transform us, moments that change our perspective. For me, those moments led to torment, hatred, and pain that would reside in my mind. No matter what I tried to do, I never felt like I fit in. I was lonely, I was depressed, and I constantly shifted my personality just to fit into whatever group would have me. In this process, I made more mistakes than I can count. I used my trauma and anger against the people I loved - friends, family, past relationships - and I hated myself for it.
​
I spent years consumed by self-loathing for my grievances and mistakes. I felt like there wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel, that I was destined to feel this way. I spent so much time bottling all of my emotions, building these walls just to feel safe... yet as I hid in the darkness, I was afraid. Afraid of opening up, of expressing how I felt - scared for people to view me differently... but there is only so much you can hold back until the walls eventually break. For me, it was like a landslide, and I couldn’t rebuild. I went through negative outlets until I couldn’t even recognize the man in the mirror. So, I tried something that was familiar to me: writing. Poetry that would turn into lyrics, lyrics that would be recorded into a makeshift beat in GarageBand, and that would now lead me into a new chapter of my life.
​
Making music became my lifeline, a way to finally open up and express my emotions. I spent countless hours jotting in my notepad random lines to inspire me to tell a story. I will be the first to admit that a lot of my earlier work was garbage, but even so, I still find beauty in how far I’ve come and who I am today. Because even when making music, it didn’t complete me. I still continued with my pessimistic thinking, and at times it was worse. But the further I dug, the more I found that I was standing in place. And as I said, life is full of events that transform us, moments that change our perspective. In 2022, I was at my lowest... but once you hit rock bottom, that’s when you start to see clarity.
​
In this clarity, I looked back at my life. I looked back at all the pain that I’d held on to for so long. I thought I could never get out of the place I was in mentally. But how can you walk through a door with baggage a mile wide? I kept telling myself that change isn’t possible, that I could never find closure. I felt like a broken record. But how can you change who you are when you have nothing to believe in? I needed to let go.
​
I wholeheartedly believe that you won’t always find closure. Life is full of the unknown. But you can make amends, apologize, forgive... change. The most powerful concept in life isn’t about erasing the past. It’s about deciding who we want to be and striving to become better, to love and to accept. Change is possible. You need to have something to believe in, even if you aren’t religious. Hear me when I say this: you need to believe in yourself. You need to keep your head held high and push on. The road may be long and difficult, but don’t give up because you aren’t alone in this.
​
So, who am I? I’m just like you.
