Photography Skylar Stenberg
Texas-raised, LA-based Bailey Baum has a knack for capturing the emotion of what it’s like to be a twenty-something woman navigating life, love, heartbreak, friendships, and everything in-between. With reflective lyrics, stirring soulful vocals, and clever pop melodies, Bailey’s songs are relatable but never predictable. Since debuting her project in 2017, the 24 year old singer-songwriter has amassed over 7M+ streams with just a handful of singles.
Next up for Bailey is her debut EP, ‘Over It,’ which is due out on July 30th. The 5-track EP is a raw emotional story of young love, packaged with ethereal soundscapes, captivating melodies, and vivid lyricism. “No book, movie, song, or person can really prepare you for the emotions you experience when heartbroken, so I wrote these songs as a way to navigate through my own heartbreak,” Bailey says.
We asked a few more questions about her music and persona
How did you get to where you are now?
I’ve been working on my artist project for the past 6 years. I started by releasing singles and just seeing how people reacted. I was shocked when I first got a playlist placement on the popular Spotify playlist “Fresh Finds.” For five years I was working on my music and my brand without management, but in 2020 I was contacted by Next Wave Records and have now been working with them since August 2020. I think I got to where I am now by simply never giving up no matter how much I wanted to in certain moments. It’s not always easy, but staying consistent and working hard is very important.
How would you describe the highs and lows of being an artist?
The highs for me are being able to pour my feelings out into music and expressing my creativity through my songwriting process. Learning how to communicate my feelings into my songs was hard but I’m getting better and better every day and that’s always exciting. Working with new people and seeing their creative processes is also one of my favorite parts of being an artist. I love performing shows and getting to share my art with people who resonate with my music. The low for me is the anxiety I feel about releasing new music. I get inside my head about how new songs will be perceived and it can feel scary, but I’m lucky to have friends, family, and a team that supports me through everything and believes so wholeheartedly in my project.
Who are your all time musical icons?
Lana Del Rey, Amy Winehouse, and The Beatles are some of my favorites.
What are some things to do to keep your inspiration alive?
I try not to get too caught up in and stressed about work. I try to focus more on living and experiencing things so I can channel those moments into my music. I’ve also been really enjoying taking voice lessons and learning piano. It’s so exciting to learn how to use my voice in different ways and to push myself to learn new instruments to enhance my music. I also draw a lot of inspiration from discovering new artists and listening to different genres of music. Hearing something new and exciting always helps me to think outside the box with my own creative process.
Who is an artist that you look up to more than others today?
I’m really loving the Neighbourhood right now. I can’t stop playing their latest album.
Favorite movie or TV show?
My all time favorite movie is an old movie called ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.’ It features Peter Frampton and The Bee Gees along with other iconic artists and actors. I have the record from that movie and play it all the time on my record player.
Tell us about your latest release and how it came about?
I made “Bad For Me” last September during a trip to Nashville. I had ideas for this song for a while but I was able to bring those ideas to life with my good friends, songwriters Emily Fullerton and Cameron Mitchell. It fell together really quickly and then I had Chad Copelin finish off the production. The song is about wanting to go back to someone but knowing they aren’t good for you, so you have to choose yourself and fight through those feelings and moments of weakness.
What are some things you do to deal with anxiety and creative blocks?
I’ve struggled with anxiety pretty heavily my whole life. I think the best thing to do is to try not to get too hung up and overthink everything. Instead, I try to go outside and sit in the sun, go on hikes, call or hang out with my friends, listen to music, watch movies, anything to get my mind off things and reconnect with the outside world for a bit.
What’s the future looking like for you?
I’m about to release my debut EP next month and I also just have my first merch drop! I’ve been working on this EP for a long time and I can’t wait for it to come out. After that, I just want to get out and experience as many new things as possible and focus on creating music I love and communicating those experiences through my writing. Some of my favorite moments are when I’m able to get really creative with photo and video shoots, so there is definitely plenty of exciting content I’ll get to share soon!
Who inspires your style and aesthetics?
I actually used to work in the fashion industry. I pull a lot of inspiration from my favorite designers and I’m also inspired by high fashion mixed with streetwear. Lately, I’ve loved pulling inspiration from Y2K fashion trends and that’s translated a lot into the visual content for my upcoming EP. My aesthetic has always been bright, fun and colorful with a certain sleekness, which I think can be attributed to my days working in fashion.
What is the achievement or moment in your career you are the most proud of and why?
I think it’s important to celebrate big and small achievements. Two moments of my career that really stick out to me was creating my first music video and signing my first record deal. I think of my younger self and how proud I would be to see where I am now. I still have a lot that I want to do and I am excited to see what’s ahead!
What do you think is the best way to make it as an artist nowadays?
You have to be consistent and not give up on yourself. In order for people to feel the authenticity of your project, you have to believe wholeheartedly in your music and never waiver. I also think it’s important to tell a story with your music and creative vision that people can latch on to and connect with. Understanding yourself and your own feelings are the first step in telling that story.
What would you change in the music and entertainment industry especially after this past year?
I’m still learning a lot about the music industry and I don’t think it’s an industry anyone can ever fully understand, especially since it’s constantly changing. The one thing I would change is the perception that everything is a competition and people are constantly comparing their journey to someone else’s. I fall victim to this as well at times.
This is big for a lot of artists and other people that work in the industry, especially here in LA. We get so caught up in trying to be the best there is and thinking that other people are more successful or that we’ll never be as good as someone else. I love being able to connect with other artists on a very rudimentary and collaborative level and having a mutual understanding that we are all just doing our best and creating music that is close to our hearts.
We are all just hoping that people will connect with our art and that’s a very personal thing that can be scary at times. The music industry is not a race, we are all working towards our goals at our own pace and I think we would all be so much better off if everyone shared that perspective.
