BAILEY BAUM
INTERVIEW
I started working with Nicolas Gomez and Tim Denhert, and we just started making songs. Every time we went into the studio, we loved every song we made, which isn’t normal for me. So we thought, ‘Oh my gosh, let’s put out Loose Laces.’ Then we put out Lonely Looking. And as we kept making more songs, we were like, ‘Wait, I think we actually have an album here.’
Hello Bailey! Welcome to your Lettuce & Cheddar Interview. So I have for you about 11 questions, but before we dive into talking about the album, which I'm very excited about, can you tell anyone reading this who may not be familiar with you a little bit about yourself?
Hi!! I’m Bailey Baum. I'm from Dallas, Texas, I moved to Los Angeles when I was 18. I’ve wanted to pursue music ever since I was four years old. I remember performing in front of my family on the fireplace when I was really young and would act like it was my stage. I even got a little microphone set gifted to me and would sing Hannah Montana songs all the time. I moved out to California almost 10 years ago. I put out my first song in 2017—it was a cover of Can't Help Falling in Love."
Oh yes I’m familiar with that cover!
Oh wow thank you! So, then I started with my first single, and just kept putting out singles. I did an EP, and I did that one with a record label, parted ways with the record label, and now I'm fully independent again, and I just did my first album.
Wow.
So it's been a long process to get here, but I’m really proud of everything, like looking back now, just the progression is really cool.
So this is your debut album, correct? And you're doing it all independent? How have you found that experience of putting out this full body of work compared to putting out singles?
Well, since I’m still pretty small as an artist, I released seven of the songs as singles from the album, so there are only four new ones. I went a bit of a different route than a traditional artist might, who would usually put out three singles and then drop the full album. But I don’t have the same reach, and with everyone’s short attention spans nowadays, I wanted each single to have more time to be heard. It's exciting to finally release a full project and body of work, though—I got to have a release party, put up flyers, and really treat it as a big launch, unlike a single release. I’ve been talking about this album for two years, so to everyone I meet, I'm like, ‘Hey, I’m putting out an album!
That’s actually something I was curious about. Because— if I’m correct— one of the earliest singles from this album dropped in 2022, right? So it’s been quite a long journey. Was that intentional? Like, from that first single—now almost two years ago—did you already know it would lead to an album? Or did it just start as a few singles, and then you thought, ‘You know what? This could be a full album.’
Yeah, so I started working with these new guys, Nicolas Gomez and Tim Denhert, and we just started making songs. Every time we went into the studio, we loved every song we made, which isn’t normal for me. So we thought, ‘Oh my gosh, let’s put out Loose Laces.’ Then we put out Lonely Looking. And as we kept making more songs, we were like, ‘Wait, I think we actually have an album here.’ So it wasn’t intentional with the first two; I probably would’ve waited a bit longer. But after I released those, we built out more of the project, and it all started to make sense together. I was like, ‘Whatever, let’s just go for it.’ I had hoped to release it sooner, but little things came up, and I figured the timing would end up perfect anyway. So yeah, it wasn’t intentional at first. Then maybe three or four months after I put out those singles, I realized, ‘Wait, this is an album.’
I mean, it’s kind of crazy that it wasn’t originally intentional because it sounds so cohesive as a whole project. That’s just wild. Would you attribute that to anything? I think I was looking at the credits—is Nic Gomez the producer? Did he work on all the songs? And have you been working with him for a while, or just on this project?
So it's Nic Gomez and also Chad Copelin. I've actually been working with Chad since, 2018. I met Nic in February 2022, and we made Novo. That was our first session together—it took about an hour and a half, and the song was done. We never really changed anything about it, which is crazy. I’ve never written a song that fast in my life. Anyway, that’s when Nic and I started working together. I’d already been working with Chad, and I loved his production, so I thought, 'Let’s put you guys together and see how it goes.' It’s been great since then. So it’s the three of us, and then Tim, who helped me write on the album as well.
Do you think working with the same people has helped you keep such a consistent sound? Because, to me anyway, it really seems like you’ve found this artistic lane and stayed with it. You don’t deviate much, which is really cool to hear.
I feel like it’s yes and no. Yeah, I think so because once I'm comfortable with people, I like to keep it that way. I don’t really take many other sessions with other people unless it feels right. But I do feel like it keeps my sound cohesive in a way. Also, we all challenge each other in the studio, which is really fun. Like, I would have never done 'Loose Laces' or made that sound if it weren’t for Nic and Tim pushing me to try a different vocal sound, like this little yelling thing that I do. I had always been too scared on the mic to try something like that, but they pushed me. The next time I went in there, we did ‘flowers and a smoothie’ which is similar, but I felt more confident to do it then. So I don’t know; I think just working with them has probably helped tie my sound together. I felt like I was a little more all over the place before trying to find myself.
So, since this project took a couple of years, were there any artists that inspired you at the beginning of making it that stayed with you throughout the whole process? Or did that inspiration switch over time? I mean, what artists were you listening to while making this?
Love that question! It’s a hard one, though, because I'm constantly listening to so many different types of music. For example, I have a DnB track on the record, a super indie song, and then there's 'Easy to Find,' which has a bit of a country vibe. As for 'Loose Laces,' I’m not even sure where that inspiration came from. Overall, I think I'm inspired by a bunch of different things, but I didn't have one specific artist in mind that I was like ‘yeah I want to sound like this.’ I’m definitely inspired by people like Lana Del Rey and Kacey Musgraves, but I wouldn't say this album sounds exactly like theirs.
No, of course! I didn't mean for that question to come across as, 'Who do you think you sound like?' in a negative way. I just meant it more in terms of artists that inspire you.
I think everyone I’m inspired by probably didn’t have that much of an influence on this album, exactly. That question always throws me off a little bit, and I get it. I mean, I listen to a lot of Turnstile, Lana Del Rey, and Kacey. It's all kind of the same people, you know? There’s also a bit of Clairo’s influence in there. But really, I feel like the artists I was listening to two years ago are still what I’m listening to but now there are just some newer people that I am also inspired by.
Is there any artist you’d love to go on a dream tour with?
Oh my gosh, it would be amazing to be an opener for someone like Kacey Musgraves. Even if that’s a little more Country. feel like I could definitely fit into that opening spot.
SHe’s like Pop/Country right? I think you could swing that.
Yeah, it would be a dream to go on tour with her. I’d love to tour with a guy band, too. I haven’t really figured out which one yet, but someone like Dominic Fike would be awesome, right? Kacey is definitely the first one that comes to mind. I just went to her show, and it’s fresh on my mind. It was literally one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. So, yeah, it's all I can think about right now.
I can definitely see it, so I’ll manifest it for you! This project could really take off. So, with this album—were there any songs that didn’t make the cut? Was it always meant to be eleven songs?
I think only one or two songs didn’t make the cut, but honestly, I can’t even remember. It’s kind of crazy because normally you’d create more and then decide which ones to keep. But with this project, every song we made felt like it belonged on the album. We were pretty intentional about it. Halfway through, we already knew what we wanted to include. We created the interlude and the intro with the album in mind, and I always pictured 'Blonde' as part of it. So there were a lot of intentional choices. I think there might be one or two songs that didn’t make it, but they could be saved for later.
I like that! Was 11 a number you had in mind from the start, like wanting this to be an 11-track album, or did it come together more naturally?
No but I like the I like the number 11, though, so it's kind of cool.
Yeah, I do too, and I really do hope that you release those other two songs, because I'm curious what they sound like.
The thing is, they’re not even full songs yet; they’re just ideas. We keep thinking about going back to them. They’re more like little melodies without any words yet, so it’s like half a song. We just never really pursued it.
Are you in a space mentally where you would be ready to create new stuff, or are you just so focused on promoting the album?
Funny enough, I’m kind of torn on that. I’m so ready to write, but I haven’t been in a studio for months. I’ve only been writing at home, and I want to be more intentional with my work. I could write so much—I mean, so much has happened in the past year since we stopped writing. I just want to talk about, write about, and sing about all of it. But at the same time, I’m focused on promoting this current project. I can’t just jump into the next thing without figuring out how to get my music heard. I’m still so young and new in this, so I’m trying to find ways to share my sound. Aside from, you know, social media,
Do you like the sound you’re creating now? Are there other genres you might want to explore in the future? I know you mentioned Kacey Musgraves, but are you thinking about straight-up country or anything else you've considered?
No, I’d probably stay in the indie pop realm. I’d like to explore some dreamier tracks while still keeping that pop and indie vibe. I’ve definitely been inspired by a lot more dreamy sounds lately—that’s what I’ve been listening to over the past year. I wouldn’t want to go too far from my roots, but maybe just a little touch of that vibe.
Yeah. I mean, I feel like indie pop, alt pop, is such, like, a wide ranging definition, so you can really kind of do a lot within that.
Yeah, one thing I really wanted to avoid with the album was putting myself in a box. A lot of albums I listen to have songs that feel so similar, and it can be too cohesive. That’s great in its own way, but I wanted to challenge myself. I thought, let’s throw in some DnB, add this weird yelling, vocal track, and then mix in something a bit more electronic with 'Slide,' along with the indie vibes. At the end of the day, I feel like my voice ties it all together and makes it cohesive.
Yeah, I really agree with that. I don’t want to use this term lightly, but I feel like your project is one of the only 'no skip' albums I’ve heard this year. I’ve listened to a lot, and honestly, I think I’m a bit harsher than most people. So many albums out now feel like the artist may have focused too much on creating a vision, and there are even some songs from my favorite artists that I find kind of boring. But yours really stands out.
Thank you!
It’s definitely a no skip album.
That makes me so happy! It's actually kind of crazy—up until a year ago, I never used to listen to my own music. I loved it, but I wouldn’t just sit and listen to it. Since I finished this album, though, I’ve been listening to it almost every day, and I still haven’t gotten sick of it. That’s always a good sign for me; wanting to get in my car and listen to my own album and share it with my friends feels really rewarding.
You know, I realized I really loved this album when I was on Spotify and I hit the replay button right after it ended. I don’t usually do that, but this one just had me listening to it on a loop. I couldn't help myself!
Thank you. Do you have a favorite song?
Right now, I’ve got Loose Laces on repeat. Strangely enough, I hadn’t heard it until the album dropped, which really says a lot about your strategy—releasing so many singles ahead of time to build interest before it all comes together on the album. I’d already heard Novo, but Loose Laceswas new to me, and when I finally listened, I thought, 'This is pop, and it’s fucking good.
Thank you. I felt like Loose Laces needed that moment of rediscovery where people needed to hear it again. So it's almost new to people, which is sick.
Actually, you’re reminding me of a question I’ve been wanting to ask: is there a song in your discography—maybe it is Loose Laces—that you absolutely love but feel didn’t get the attention it deserved? It could be anything you’ve ever released.
Yeah, for a while, I definitely felt that way about Loose Laces. I was just like, 'Wow, I really thought more people would connect with this one.' I was hoping it might catch on through Spotify radio or playlists, but it just didn’t. So, I’m still holding out hope that it finds its moment eventually.
I think it will. With this album, Loose Laces could really end up being the standout for me. But who knows—ask me again in a week, and I might have a new favorite. For now, though, that’s the one.
Honestly, I feel the same way. Right now, my favorite is Blonde—or actually, it was Blonde until I re-listened to Easy to Find this week, and now I’m reminded of how much I love Easy to Find.
Exactly, it’s such a cohesive project, but each song has its own distinct vibe. It reminds me of those albums where it’s not just the singles that stand out—the whole album has the potential to be discovered and appreciated over time. I can see these songs rotating in popularity, with some even getting traction years from now as people discover them later on. That’s how I feel about it anyway.
Thank you
So we were talking a bit about getting you noticed. What’s your approach to promoting yourself? Do you enjoy using TikTok? I need to ask—why did I see a TikTok of you in head-to-toe blue paint? What was that all about?"
Oh my God, that’s so funny! I don’t know if you saw, but I released this nine-minute and thirty-four-second YouTube video. It features five songs from my project, and it was my vision for bringing someone like you into my world for those nine minutes. So it includes an intro, an interlude, 'Slide,' and 'Blonde.' I’m really promoting this right now—I went around slapping flyers up with a QR code to the video because it’s the first time I feel like people can really see my world and what this album is about. There’s a theme with a dirt bike, which is on the album cover, and everything kind of intertwines. We shot it in two days with nine looks, which is kind of crazy. I’ll be splitting that whole thing up for TikTok over the next year—I have so much content. I’m also working on a behind-the-scenes video from the shoot in Oklahoma. And why was I blue? That was a Halloween look I did last year that I randomly posted. Of course, it went viral for the wrong reason, but now I’m kind of thinking maybe I need to paint myself again.
I thought it was promo but then again I couldn’t really tell at first. It didn’t seem like it was for promotion, but just where it appeared in your feed had me wondering if it was. I just didn’t understand how it all tied into it.
It was so unintentional. I just posted it as Halloween inspo for, like, 12 people to see. And now it has, like, 1.4 million views or something. I'm like, oh my god! So now I'm just like, 'Hello, hi, go listen to my music!
Do you enjoy using TikTok to promote yourself? I've talked to a few artists who feel like it's just a chore and part of the job, while others see it as a great way to connect with fans. Some are kind of in the middle on it.
I actually miss what music was like before TikTok, in a way, because it was different. But oh my gosh, I've made so many friends and fans through TikTok and have developed real relationships where we're commenting back and forth. I wouldn’t have gotten on their algorithm for them to find me if TikTok hadn’t existed. So I’m definitely in the middle with it. I love being creative and posting; I see it as a fun outlet. But I take Instagram more seriously. It can definitely be a little discouraging when you're posting your song and you only get like twelve likes and it's like, does anyone care?
Yeah, there’s definitely something going on. My brother is a musician too, and every time he posts something, he finds it increasingly difficult to get any traction on Instagram. I don’t really know what the deal is.
Yeah, honestly, both are just hard to get traction on now... unless, you paint yourself I guess
It's not a terrible marketing strategy! I don’t know if you’ve ever seen Arrested Development, but there's this character, Tobias, who paints himself blue. That could be some inspiration for you! Have you ever watched Arrested Development at all? No? Just search 'Tobias, Arrested Development, blue.
I mean, there might be a little I might be planning a little something. I don't want to say too much
I have one more question for you—something I ask everyone because I find it really interesting. When you perform, what can we expect to see on your rider at a venue? What's your pre-show like? For example, one artist mentioned white wine and pizza, while another said green juice. So, what’s on your rider?
Funny enough, my friend and I were just talking about this the other day since she was on tour. I said I would definitely need a red pét-nat, which is a natural sparkling wine—I love that stuff. An orange wine would be a must, too, just because I can’t get enough of pét-nat. I’d also need candy, like Nerds clusters—
I love nerds clusters.
— and definitely some dark chocolate. I have a serious sweet tooth! And I’d probably want some kind of chips or snacks on there as well.
Nice! I think your rider is actually pretty close to what I’d have if I were ever a performer. Before we wrap up and if I get cut off, is there anything else you want to share or add for the transcript? Anything you’d like people to know, aside from, of course, listening to the album?
Just watch the music video—that’s my main focus right now. Definitely listen to the album, but checking out the video first might actually make you more excited about it. I'm just really encouraging everyone to watch it, as it could spark your interest in the album. The whole point was to bring you into my world and hopefully get you intrigued. So, yeah, that's probably my biggest takeaway.
Do you have any upcoming shows?
Not yet. I don't. No— but I'm trying to figure it out.
Well if you get one, please let me know!
I will Yes. Thank you so much for all your kind words and support. I honestly, really appreciate it.
No. Thank you so much for talking to me. This has been really, really interesting and fun.