Argentine visual artist and musician Baby Yors is releasing his latest single, “Freak Out the People,” a unique, anthemic bop sung in English and Spanish. The Latin singer, songwriter and performer is also releasing the accompanying music video, a lavish artistic effort bursting with colors and self-expression.
An infectious dance track with catchy choruses and a heavy Andean influence in the beat, “Freak Out The People” features lyrics like, “El diablo me ama ¡oh, Mama! (Hey, Mom! The Devil loves me) / Freak out the people, ¡oh, Papa! (Dad).” It is as much a celebration as it is a call to arms.
This is reflected in the video for the song, which was directed, choreographed, edited, styled, and produced by Baby Yors. Filmed in various locations including Utah, Arizona, California, New York, Nevada, and Argentina, it’s set to evoke Baby Yors’s native roots in Jujuy, Argentina, and takes visual cues from “Bajada de Los Diablos,” a carnival tradition that Baby grew up witnessing.
Tell us about the genesis of your project. How did you get to where you
are now?
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t creating some form of art. It started with making short films with my cousins. Then it was singing in a choir, acting in plays, dancing, painting, writing…and it just kept growing from there. There’s been so much constant, progressive growth, ever since I was a kid. I was usually alone, and my inner motivations were all I had. My art has been my religion, and it’s always propelled me forward–even geographically and intellectually. After years of creating and performing, I love looking back on the journey and the evolution. It inspires me to keep growing.
What is the favorite song you wrote and why?
Right now, it’s a song called “Dimitri,” which will be on my album that drops later this year.
It’s so special because it is about something so abstract, yet it communicates exactly what I intended. It’s about DMT, the substance that the human brain is thought to produce at the moment of birth and at the moment of death. There’s an animated video I directed that will accompany it. It’s a perfect example of my lyrics and visuals telling a story and conveying an idea that’s abstract and hard to articulate. I feel the song in my bones when I hear it, and some others who’ve heard it have ended up in tears.
Who are your all time musical icons?
Freddy Mercury, Mercedes Sosa, Janis Joplin, Danny Elfman. I’m also in love with the music from classic Disney films. Film music in general has always inspired me.
What are some things to do to keep your inspiration alive?
Observation. Whether it’s observing people or even observing my own thoughts. Being a fly on the wall is underrated. If your attention is outside of yourself and you are curious, you will find endless inspiration. Reading also induces creativity for me. I am always reading something completely outside of my field–science, philosophy, whatever. It keeps me in perpetual awe.
Who are you binge listening to these days?
No one in particular. Growing up outside of the US, we didn’t listen to American rap, so I’ve been listening to hip-hop classics by artists like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and NWA, but I wouldn’t say I’ve been “binge-listening.” I’m exploring, and it’s been very inspiring in so many ways.
Favorite movie or TV show?
Oh, too many. I like Pedro Almodóvar films. I’m very into the latest “Spider-Man.” Lucrecia Martel makes great films. “Ozark” is great. Gaspar Noë’s work is fun to watch, too.
Tell us about your latest release and how it came about
“Freak Out The People” is song I wrote about three years ago. I tried to get the video made a few times, but the pandemic took things in a different direction. In the end, it just gave me time to let the song marinate a bit inside of me. It started as a “fuck you” to my parents, religious people, and anyone else who proclaimed my love for men was unholy or something. It ended up being about freedom, and all the freedoms we are slowly losing, the freedoms we lost, and the ones we don’t even know we could lose because we take them for granted. Like freedom of speech.
Do you have any peculiar pre or post show rituals?
Not really. I used to be very anal about warm ups and stuff like that right when I was out of school, but then I realized that a tea wasn’t going to change my performance. I like the idea of jumping into the shows with more of a “let it be what it’s going to be” kind of attitude. After a show it freely depends on so many factors, but something along the lines of putting on comfy clothes and being alone if possible.
What’s the future looking like for you?
It’s looking like I’ll always be able to do what I need to do to be happy. I am doing it, and it is sustainable. And at a macro level, I want to look at the future as a utopia. I know people have this tendency to predict doomsday every chance they get, but I think we need to try to not go there. There’s a lot of great stuff happening out there; we sometimes just decide to look at one hour of a thunderstorm instead of the other 23 hours of peace.
Who inspires your style and aesthetics?
Currently, my roots. My hometown of Jujuy in Argentina. The culture that, at one point, hurt me and made me run away is now one of my muses.
What is the achievement or moment in your career you are the most proud
of and why?
Standing by all the dull, grey moments and still making them colorful and meaningful no matter what. Because in the end, THAT is where the art come from. When things are seemingly not working out you get a chance to look around and take note of the world. Anyone can smile through a success, but not everyone can hit a wall for a long period of time and still smile, still be kind, still have discipline, still care and create.
What do you think is the best way to make it as an artist nowadays?
I hate what the concept of “making it” has done to our culture. It has led people to become self-obsessed and bitter, because it doesn’t even have a clear definition. “Making it” can mean many things, and in the end, none of those things match up to reality, because you may be able to plan things to a certain extent, but you will never know how those things will make you feel, or the context in which those things will happen, whatever they are. There are so many gurus online that keep saying, “love yourself” or “you can make it” or “you’re gonna make it” or “here’s how to make it.” And so many are trying to do it to “make it” themselves. If a human wants to be an artist, there’s nothing stopping them. It doesn’t take two to write a novel, or a song, or to create a painting. And that process should be the end-all, because whatever happens after is out of your control.
What would you change in the music and entertainment industry especially after this past year?
Things are changing already. I am constantly changing the way I do things to match both the moment and my vision. I have no rules, and it’s refreshing to know that no one does. Even the ones who want to pretend there are formulas of some kind… those formulas that once worked are now obsolete. I am excited to see what’s happening with NFTs and Web3. Of course some people are reluctant, but that happens with any new technology. What matters here is that everything is decentralized, so there’s no corporation or government that can manipulate you with the information they have about you. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, though There are some very exciting years ahead, and I look forward to helping shape this new digital world.
