Brighton is currently a fertile hotbed of activity for boundary-pushing artists, and the spirit of the city is perfectly embodied by singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Ruby Taylor, the driving force behind Yumi And The Weather. A mainstay of the scene since her 2013 All We Can EP, Ruby has consistently blended psych-pop, garage rock, electronica, and raw emotional honesty, releasing a string of acclaimed EPs and LPs under how own DIY imprint, MIOHMI Records.
The most staggering thing about Yumi And The Weather is the sheer range of sound. From shimmering indie ballads with spacious harmonies to glitter-soaked dance-pop disco to brooding grunge, few artists move between styles this fluidly and still sound completely like themselves. Ruby’s performances with her band are taut and polished, with immaculate interlocking harmonies sounding like they were recorded for the radio, with festival sets at Green Man, Shambala and Nozstock solidifying her reputation as a force whose live energy easily rivals her recorded clarity.
Her commitment to independence runs deep, having launched MIOHMI Records in 2013 to self-release her music and retain complete creative and financial control, not only releasing her own ambitious work but curating and championing other artists in the Brighton scene, with every release handled end-to-end from production and artwork to pressing and promotion. Her songs have received airtime and praise from BBC 6Music DJs including Lauren Laverne & Guy Garvey, and this Thursday (19th June) she is headlining a charity fundraiser at Alphabet, Brighton to support #HelpMeHelpB, a campaign raising funds for a local disabled woman battling homelessness and life-threatening health conditions.
We caught up with Ruby ahead of Yumi And The Weather’s headline performance at Alphabet this week:
Hi Ruby! Your songs span such a wide spectrum, from surfy spaghetti-western to lush indie-pop to grungy psych. Do you choose the mood first, or do the songs dictate the style each time?
Hiya! Unfortunately, the music dictates each time. It is relentlessly eclectic, and I don’t know what is going to come out. It’s like dreams, you know you are going to go to sleep but what you dream isn’t really in your control. Once it starts to come out I then take the reigns of the song and write lyrics accordingly. There have been a couple of songs in the past where I’ve made them go a certain genre, but yeah generally I go with the original vibe and run with it.
Your songs are really rich with sonic detail. When do you know a song is “done”? Are you a perfectionist, or do you just like to get stuff done?
Oh I am glad you think so! It is generally down to the mixing when I feel it is done, and I sometimes hear the harmonic melodies that I build on before and make them hearable, or I just keep it simple and make sure the vocal and instrument delivery is how I imagine it. It’s constantly challenging and I am always pushing myself to get the take I can hear in my head.
Has your approach to songwriting and production changed significantly since your first EPs?
Oh yes majorly, I think also having done live sound, I am always experimenting so it’s nice to be able to choose how to produce for certain songs, and usually I hear it it my head so producing it just trying to imitate what is already there but that has only come due to experience and play.
Your live sets sound like a studio mix. How exactly do you and your band achieve such an astonishingly tight level of polish?
I am glad you think so, thank you, I guess cause we love playing and listen to each other. Even though we don’t rehearse as much as I’d like I guess it means we are kept on our toes and lock in together to support each other sonically.
Can you tell us about the fundraiser you’re headlining this week?
It’s called #HelpMeHelpB and it’s to raise life-saving money for B, a disabled woman who has the genetic connective tissue disorder Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (which is debilitating, but not treated by the NHS) and she has been homeless for more than six years. She’s been totally failed by the system. She’s been endangered by a housing association, and had to flee violence, and is fighting for a safe home. Her health is now so bad that she is in urgent need of life-saving funds to help her get better and be safe. It’s astounding that we have to reach out to the community as it shouldn’t have to get to this point, but just goes to show that so many of the services that we think are there to protect vulnerable people like B either don’t exist or are actively harmful.
The gig is part of a wider campaign called #HelpMeHelpB which is being run by my friend Rosie (who I met through music - in fact she’s my radio plugger and pretty involved with the Yumi/MIOHMI records team) and B is her best mate who she’s known for years.
She’s been trying to help her all she can for a really long time, with her battle for a safe home and healthcare etc, and it’s such a hard process that it’s now come down to raising £25K to help her survive. When Rosie started reaching out and saying I can’t do this on my own, I need backup… I wanted to help so I thought I’ll do what I can and put on a gig! We’re also doing social media stuff, and an art auction, and between us just trying to use all our relevant skills and connections to raise enough money to help B survive. It’s about rallying a community and a safety net for her, as she’s had everything ripped away. I also know B a bit through Rosie, and she’s just an awesome person who would be the first in line to do this kind of thing for anyone else if she could.
The gig will have three other great acts from the Brighton scene (Veronica, ELIKSA, and between the air), plus art, and a raffle with some really special prizes from creative and music businesses. And DJs from Slack City radio. We’re pulling out all the stops!
We seem to be discovering a new great band out of Brighton every few weeks. How would you describe the current energy in the city?
OMG it’s absolutely buzzing and thriving so much, I am blown away by Brighton’s music community. I feel so inspired by it. For such a small ‘City’, it’s giving the goods alright. It’s defo not something in the water, I reckon it’s in the sea air.
Are there any venues, record shops, or spaces in Brighton that you’d like to highlight? How do you think the city has shaped your overall approach?
Oh jeez there are too many too choose from but I will list the ones that spring to mind right now:
The Rose Hill, Pink Moon (Record Shop/Cafe/Venue), Prince Albert, Green Door Store, ALPHABET, The Hope and Ruin, Folklore Rooms, Dust, Cowley Club, Rossi Bar, The Pipeline….Argh there are so many good ones!! We are spoiled here for sure re: music venues!!
Record shop wise… Rarekind Records and Resident are still going and are great, unfortunately we just lost a great indie one recently - Family Store Records & Gallery on North Road, who were SO supportive of the local underground artists & bands. PLS SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD SHOPS AND GRASSROOTS VENUES!!!!
Last but not least BIG Shout out to Bill at The Farm: Artist Project Space (https://www.instagram.com/thefarm.artspace/) - for managing an awesome space for artists and musicians to hire for their various creative outlets. The space has been used by myself, and bands on MIOHMI for various filming and art projects, and spaces like this are so crucial and precious.
What’s your most memorable Brighton gig?
I think next Thursday at ALPHABET is going to be the most memorable one to date because of its importance, but a past show that was memorable was playing Pink Moon recently during TGE (my label MIOHMI RECORD’s take over upstairs during TGE). I just had the best time as I loved seeing friends and new faces in the crowd who came to support, playing new songs after a year out from playing as Yumi, it couldn’t have gone any better really!
What kind of artist grabs your attention as a label curator and makes you want to get behind someone else’s work?
I guess their music just needs to hit that place - you know the one! And feel that emotional connection that can give power or release, or both. When I feel it is good, the music makes me cry, not in sadness, but in appreciation. They are gifts of expression, and I feel so grateful to hear it.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from running your own label in today’s landscape?
I realise that passion creates drive, and drive sustains passion. You can get worn out and feel tired with everything that needs to be done, or could be done, and it’s about prioritising with the time and energy you have. I have learnt that you can do whatever you want to do if you put the time in, even if it is a minute, it’s something and that’s at least not nothing. I do also have a team I work with so it’s not just me - shout out Martin & Josh at MIOHMI/XVI!
We all work to our strengths and have each other’s backs, as we’ve been through a lot together, and we’re not afraid to have honest conversations if they need having and then move forward with positivity!
Even if people can't make the gig, they are encouraged to head to the gofundme and read B's story, share it and donate any amount they can: https://www.gofundme.com/f/HelpMeHelpB.
FULL EVENT/TICKET INFO:
When: 19TH JUNE 2025 (7pm-midnight)
Where: ALPHABET (11 DYKE RD, BRIGHTON)
Tickets: ONLY £10 adv (more otd)
Via Dice: https://dice.fm/event/wwb96r-helpmehelpb-fundraiser-yumi-and-the-weather-more-19th-jun-a-l-p-h-a-b-e-t-brighton-tickets (they have waived their booking fee)
Via Good Show: https://good-show.co.uk/events/2253 / (50% of booking fee goes to the cause)
LINE-UP (LIVE):
YUMI AND THE WEATHER (www.instagram.com/yumiandtheweather)
VERONICA (www.instagram.com/veronicamusiic)
ELIKSA (www.instagram.com/eliksamusic)
BETWEEN THE AIR (feat. live art performance) (www.instagram.com/between_theair/)
+ SLACK CITY DJS (TBA soon)
+ Art auction
+ Raffle (with prizes from music/creative businesses in Brighton & beyond)
+ Host/MCs incl Rosie James
Online fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/HelpMeHelpB