Bailey Baum
Bailey Baum has just released her new single “Bad For Me” off her upcoming project Over It.
Co-written with Cameron Mitchell, Emily Fullerton and produced by Chad Copelin, the new pop single is about realizing something isn’t good for you anymore and moving past it.
I am only discovering Bailey’s music but “Bad For Me” is beautiful, captivating and inspiring. Her voice is magical and it’s one of the main reasons why I fell in love with this song, along with the brilliant and catchy melodies.
Her debut EP will be available on July 30th but for now, go stream “Bad For Me” - now available worldwide :)
Photo credit: Skylar Steinberg
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
Hi, I’m Bailey Baum! I grew up with a big family in Dallas, Texas, before deciding to move out to Los Angeles at the age of 18. I’m 24 now but I’ve been singing since I could talk and I have always been passionate about turning it into a career. Since moving to LA I have met some incredible people, many that I’ve been able to collaborate with in one way or another and my whole world has opened up. My music and my creative style have changed significantly over the years through meeting new people and every experience I’ve had. I finally feel like I’m fully coming into my own as an artist and my visions are coming to life in amazing ways. I’m also lucky to have found a really talented creative team that helps me execute every idea to the fullest. I started releasing music in 2017 and now, 4 years later, I’m getting ready to drop my first EP. This has been such an exciting ride and I’ve loved every minute of it— I can’t wait to share my latest project with everyone!
How would you define Bailey Baum, the artist?
My artist project is very personal. Some artists separate their art from their personal life but the two are very intertwined for me. My artist project is a reflection of every experience and every feeling I’ve ever had. I want people to be able to connect with my music but also with me as a person. My music is all about the trials and tribulations of growing as an individual through friendships, relationships, and every life event, from the monumental ones to the mundane ones. My life is exciting and fun but, just like everyone else, I have my down moments and go through emotional, mental, and physical struggles. I think “Bailey Baum, the artist” is all about telling a story and painting a picture of what all of that looks like.
"Bad For Me" is your new single - what's the inspiration behind this song?
I was dealing with a lot of emotions at the time and wanted to fall back to where I was, which was in an unhealthy pattern with someone. This song is about realizing something isn’t good for you anymore and moving past it.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this single? Who helped you create it?
I took a trip to Nashville and met up with my friends and amazing co-writers, Cameron Mitchell and Emily Fullerton. We wrote this song pretty late one night. I had some notes on my phone of lyrics that I wanted to expand on with Emily and Cameron and they helped bring everything to life. When we started singing the melodies, I was instantly obsessed. Everything came together pretty quickly and then a few months later I made a trip to Oklahoma to finish the song with a producer friend of mine Chad Copelin.
What did you feel when writing this song?
I had collected little ideas for this song for a while and the night we wrote it it felt so right because all of my feelings and my vision that was scattered previously was finally coming together in such a perfect way. I went back to my hotel later that night and got the first demo back and instantly knew it was going to be a song on my EP. Emotionally, I honestly wasn't that upset when we made it. I had gotten to a point where I had already poured so much emotion into the relationship in the months beforehand that at the time of actually sitting down to write the song I was ready to just be over it.
What's your favorite thing about this single?
I love the melodies and how the second pre-chorus is completely different from the rest of the song. It’s something I’ve never done before and it pushed me outside my comfort zone a little bit.
What made you want to release "Bad For Me" as a single?
I feel like it’s a big part of the ‘Over It’ story and connects the EP together really well. I also think it expresses a feeling a lot of people can really relate to after going through a toxic relationship with someone. It’s so hard not to call that person up and get back into the same cycle of ups and downs. Breaking that cycle is never easy but understanding that that process is bad for you is the first step.
What can you tell us about your upcoming EP Over It?
The EP is a process of emotions and feelings. Every song is truly what I felt during the time of getting over it/someone. I’m hoping it can remind people that you're not alone in your feelings. It’s easily the most vulnerable I’ve ever been.
How’s it like to release music in 2021? What different steps an artist needs to take before releasing a new single?
I think the biggest thing for every artist this past year was getting past the mental block that the world was basically shut down for over a year. It was difficult to find inspiration during a time when you couldn’t even leave your house. I had to really dig deep and draw inspiration from past experiences, the feelings I was experiencing being “stuck” in a way, and also my excitement at the thought of getting out again in the future. Releasing music in 2021 is so exciting because it feels like everything is starting to get back to normal and we can look forward to shows and live events again. I don’t think there’s anything different about releasing music or different steps you need to take. I think the things that have changed are our perspectives and our gratitude for being able to work in this industry. A lot of artists really struggled this past year to make ends meet. Now that our industry is opening up again, I think we are all really thankful to have gotten through the worst of it and we are now looking at everything with such different perspectives; creativity and inspiration are everywhere and everything feels so new again. I think it’s really an exciting time for musicians.
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
Both answers go hand in hand for me. I think the best parts are when you receive a message from someone that connects with your music. However, some of my lowest moments are when I’m alone and start to doubt myself… but literally my whole life every time I’ve ever felt like that some time within that day or week someone would randomly reach out and let me know how much they connected to my songs and that always pushed me to keep going. If you have an artist you love, send them a message. It truly means so much.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
I’m still learning a lot about the music industry as I go and I don’t think it’s something anyone can ever fully wrap their heads around, especially since it’s constantly changing around us. 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 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.
What biggest lesson have you learned since the beginning of your career?
I’m always learning but I think the biggest thing I’ve had to learn is to just keep believing in my music, my process, and never letting roadblocks stop me from working towards my goals. Being an artist is difficult because you are riding on your own creative visions and it's so easy to get down about something you’ve created or to doubt yourself and your abilities. Understanding that everything is just a process of learning, growing, and getting better is so important. You can never stop believing in your vision. Working with new people and having a strong team and people who support you have also been so important for my process as well.
Besides music, what are you passionate about?
I love spending time outside. I treasure the times I get to go back to Texas and go dirt-biking or go out on the lake, wakesurfing and wakeboarding with my family and friends back home. I also love taking trips to new places and getting to share those experiences with friends and the people in my life I’m closest with. I also used to work in the fashion world so that has always been a big part of my life as well. I take so much inspiration from my favorite designers and people I’ve met along the way in the fashion industry.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
I think something that would make the world a better place was if everyone found a passion they could pour their heart into. Making music and getting to be creative has brought me so much happiness throughout my life. I know if everyone was able to find their true passion and dedicate themselves to that, people would be so much happier and able to feel like they have a calling in life. We all get so wrapped up in day-to-day life that a lot of us don’t have an outlet to express ourselves. Music has been such an amazing outlet for me and I’m so thankful that I get to spend my life pursuing that dream.
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