We arrived at the place on a Thursday night with random plans for a girls’ night out. night club KooKoo Room to support fellow members of the AUC family. Live music was scheduled, but no one expected the venue to shut down. The voice that cut through the crowd Yoshi, the voice Season 28. Smooth, soulful and grounded, her sound carried a confidence that felt purposeful from the first note.
We felt like we were on the set of a jazz scene from a Tyler Perry movie, and the audience and their groove exuded an air of adults who pay their own way. Yoshi was very charismatic to the audience.
It was invigorating to watch her take the audience into her private musical sanctuary. Am I the only one listening to her belt notes while taking a shower and watching her group of friends cheer up the crowd with her line dancing and love and support? pure magic.
That voice belonged to Yoshi, a soul vocalist from Florida who competed on season 28 of The Voice as part of Team Snoop. If you’ve seen her performance of Deborah Cox’s “Nobody’s Supshed to Be Here” or the Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell classic “You’re All I Need To Get By,” you already know that she’s no play when it comes to conveying emotion through song.
But seeing her perform live in an intimate venue with a crew pumping her up? A whole different energy. Women have the confidence to command the stage and make you want to take notes.
Naturally, I had to sit down with her to talk about life after reality TV, her no-nonsense approach to plus-size fashion, and why she’s trusting her career GPS to God. Spoiler alert: This woman knows exactly who she is and makes no apologies for it.
Catch up on Yoshi the Voice, Season 28’s standout
Let’s leave the obvious questions aside. How has life been since The Voice ended? “Everything has gotten exponentially better,” Yoshi says. You can almost hear the smile in her words. “I was already getting attention, but what this show did was kind of take everything to another galaxy.”
Here’s what I like about that answer: She doesn’t claim that The Voice “made” her. She came in with talent, experience, and a fan base. This show just amplified what was already there. “Literally, people who wanted to see me found me, even though they didn’t know they were looking for me or looking for my sound,” she explains. And isn’t that a dream? How can I be authentic enough for people to find me?
Plot twist: She never wanted to sing
Wait, what? How could such a talented vocalist not want to sing? “I wanted to be a dancer,” Yoshi confesses. “I never wanted to sing. I always wanted to be a dancer.” Although music was always around her (her grandfather was in a quartet band), she never planned to sing professionally.
The turning point came around 2014 or 2015, when his brothers asked him to fill in for them at a rehearsal. What was their reaction? “Oh my god, you really sang. What are you doing this weekend?” And just like that, a career was born. “Once I realized that people wanted to pay me to sing, I was like, no effort required, sorry, let’s do it.”
Can we talk about that confidence? She recognized her talent, understood its value and said yes to the opportunity. The energy of knowing your worth and not being afraid to monetize your talents?
That’s exactly what we saw Thursday night at KooKoo, and that’s the energy we’re all bringing into 2026.
A plus size fashion formula that actually works
Now, let’s talk about what Yoshi was wearing during our chat. Dress from Amazon. What about the belt? Amazon. What about shoes? Also Amazon. The hat was from H&M. Budget-friendly queen energy, and she looked absolutely amazing.
When asked if she has always been interested in fashion, Yoshi keeps it fresh and real. “To be honest, I don’t know anything about this thing called fashion since then. I just know about my body. There’s a kind of calculation, a formula, of solutions for the body.”
Here’s the good part, guys. Yoshi doesn’t follow trends or try to conform to someone else’s idea of what plus size fashion should be. She created her own blueprint based on what works for her body.
What is her styling philosophy? “If you can emphasize the two of you without looking tacky, that’s the outfit formula. Have fun with it.” Before leaving the house, she runs through a mental checklist. “Am I confident? Am I sexy? Am I covered? Boom. Let’s go.”
Dressing for performance (and for her kids)
When creating a costume for a performance, Yoshi starts with a collection of shoes. “I usually focus on my shoes because I have a lot of them, so I try to color block or color patterns to match my shoes.”
But it’s her two teenagers who are actually the driving force behind her style choices. “They’re on social media just like I am, so when people see me online or on video, I want my kids to come across that video and think, ‘Oh, that’s my mom. She’s pretty.'” I don’t want it to be like, “Oh my god, that’s my mom.” ”
She broke it down further by saying, “How can I put together something that covers me? I’m pretty, I’m classy, and I’m also sexy. I’m a grown woman. And I want to be sexy, not vulgar.”
What is the balance between being age-appropriate to children while also having a sexuality as an adult woman? It’s a conversation that plus-size women need to hear more of. You can also be a mom and be sexy. You can use it with confidence. These are not mutually exclusive. It’s the same KooKoo energy that adults who pay their own bills translates into a wardrobe philosophy.
When asked about fashion icons, she immediately mentions Niecy Nash. to be honest? Perfect choice. Niecy Nash has been providing great plus size fashion for years.
Let God drive the carrier car
When asked about his plans for 2026, Yoshi’s answer was so refreshing that he had to share it in full. “If I say I want to do this or I want to do that, I’m kidding myself. God is driving this car. And every time I say I want to do something, He takes my little teddy bear and gives me a big-assed teddy bear that I can’t even hold.”
In an industry that’s all about five-year plans and strategic positioning, Yoshi is choosing faith over force. “I’m going to continue to let God steer this car and lead me to where I can be most useful, most fulfilling, and happiest without sacrificing my soul. And I haven’t done that yet.”
What is her ultimate vision? “I believe he will continue to lead me to opportunities where I can serve others through secular music and reach people around the world.”
takeout
Yoshi’s journey from Thursday night on KooKoo, surrounded by friends showing love for his powerful performance on The Voice with Team Snoop, is a masterclass in self-awareness. She’s not trying to fit into anyone’s box. She knows her power and is unapologetic about it all.
Whether she’s shopping on Amazon for a performance or trusting God to move her to her next career, she operates with confidence and integrity. And in a world that constantly tells plus-size women to downsize? It’s all about that unrestrained energy.
Yoshi conveys the gliding voice of everyone from Deborah Cox to Marvin Gaye without missing a beat. Her style feels effortless, her crew is ready for the hype, and her beliefs underpin everything. Best of all, she has the kind of energy that makes adults who pay their own bills want to carry themselves with confidence, order another lemon drop, lean back in their chair, and cheer her on as if they’ve known her all their lives.
Keep doing what you need to do, Yoshi. Now take notes and add items you find on Amazon to your cart.
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Source: The Curvy Fashionista – thecurvyfashionista.com
