Stephen Babcock
Stephen Babcock recently released his latest single “Internet Friends” and what caught my attention the first time I heard it is the storytelling. I LOVE good storytellings and Stephen’s new single is brilliant. It is definitely a song a lot of us can relate. But it also has great melodies and harmonies. “Internet Friends” is a GOOD song.
I’m happy I got to discover Stephen’s music and I cannot wait to hear more ! Thank you so much for the conversation :)
“Internet Friends” is out now :)
Photo credit: Sam Adkins
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
My name is Stephen Babcock and I am an indie pop artist from Update NY/Nashville. I'm passionate about songwriting, touring, and being a swell guy. My fans even call me "Internet Dad", which is kind of fun.
"Internet Friends" is your new single - what's the inspiration behind this song?
The song stems from this experience my friend had over COVID. He began dating this Instagram influencer at the time and eventually, he moved to LA to be with her. As the song would lead you to believe, the relationship fell apart. She ended up caring more about being online than actually spending time with my friend (her boyfriend). It was a bummer for my bub, but it ended up making a wonderful song.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this single? When did you start working on it? Who helped you create it?
I began writing this song over the spring of 2021 and it sort of just happened. I feel most great songs are like that; they sort of just "happen" in front of you and you just have to be present and willing to write it down. After I wrote the song, I took it to my friend and long-time producer, William Hinson, to put it all together. He and I spent a couple days in the studio honing the song to get this Holly Humberstone-esque vibe about the song. It's certainly one of my favorite releases so far, and one of the best releases in 2022.
What did you feel when writing this song?
I think I felt, "There's a relatable story there", and I was excited to tell it. I'm sure many people reading this haven't dated an influencer (I have not), but I think so much of our lives are lived online now. I think there's this feeling that sometimes, people around us can lose touch with what is right in front of them. I wanted to capture that in this song.
What do you want people to feel when listening to this song?
As mentioned above, I hope this song acts as a gut check to remind us to put our phones down and just interact in reality a little bit more. I catch myself spending hours on my phone. I'm always tied to social media because of how digital the music space is, but this song always reminds me to stop and take everything in. Also, I hope people get a good chuckle out of this too.
What made you want to release "Internet Friends" as a single?
I think it's one of the best songs of 2022 and I knew the world had to hear it. I also think the message is timely and very 2022.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
I created the artwork for all my singles in the latest batch of songs I have released. When releasing songs for a new album or EP, I try and keep a consistent style theme so that everything feels very cohesive. This single art includes a picture of my wife while in NYC. Though the song is not about her at all, I really loved this photo when I saw it, so I placed it on the cover art and the rest, as they say, is history.
What can you tell us about your upcoming album?
The upcoming album is the second album I will be releasing that is produced by William Hinson. I feel really strongly about how these songs have come together because I think it truly personifies the music I want to make as an artist. There's a nice blend of indie, pop, and singer-songwriter stuff, and I think there's something in there for everyone who likes music from that space. It's easily the best batch of songs I have made to date and I am excited for it to release this year.
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
Hardest Part: Trying to make a living from music and trying to get "tastemakers" or industry folks to hear your music when you know it should be heard.
Easiest Part: Meeting fans and speaking to people who love music. Playing a show for people who love music and want to hear what you have to say musically is the most fulfilling part of music, bar none.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
I could literally do a whole article about this topic (if you're interested let me know), but I think the industry is really interesting. Having been a part of it for a long time now, I would say I wish there was a way to remove gatekeepers and allow more artists to interact on a level playing field with other artists in their space. When music moved toward streaming, everyone started to say, "there are no more gatekeepers, the playing field is totally leveled now", but that is just not true. Sure, labels (in a traditional sense) have less overall *power* than they did in 2002 or something, but the gatekeepers of old just handed the keys to new people. Spotify and its playlists are the new labels. They control who gets discovered and who does not. Also, discovery is almost even harder now than ever before. Since anyone with a computer can release music to the world, it makes the pool a lot hard to swim in (and I lot hard to rise to the top).
What biggest life lessons have you learned since the beginning of your career?
Don't give up, don't forget to ask questions, and keep writing songs.
What advice would you give to artists out there?
Don't give up, don't forget to ask questions, and keep writing songs.
Besides music, what are you passionate about?
I love to cook and as a hobby, I brew beer. It's a great way to take the mind off music while still being creative.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
If everyone tried the wings at Bar Bill in East Aurora, NY, I think a lot of folks would be a lot happier.
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