A Conversation with BAYEM on Music, Inspiration, and the Journey Behind 'Regrets

Written by: Keyali Mikaela

In the ever-evolving realm of music, artists often venture into uncharted territories, pushing boundaries and crafting sonic landscapes that resonate with the soul. BAYEM, the creative force behind the upcoming single "Regrets," takes us on a melodic journey that crosses genres. As we embark on this musical exploration, let's delve into the soulful vibes, intricate rhythms, and the artistic evolution encapsulated in the latest offering from this visionary artist. Join us as we dissect the nuances of "Regrets'' and unravel the narrative woven into BAYEM's musical tapestry.

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Next Wave: Your new single, "Regrets," is coming out on the 13th. What can fans expect from this R&B-infused track and how does it fit into the broader narrative of your musical journey?

BAYEM: Honestly, I think what they can expect is just something smooth, something to listen to. You know, it dropping around Valentine's Day wasn't intentional at first, but as everything came together, it was like, oh wow, it kind of fits. So I think in terms of the broader music catalog, I think it's just almost a little bit of a boundary pusher and kind of expanding the circle a little bit, you know what I mean?

Next Wave: You mentioned it being a boundary pusher. What do you think is the difference between this release and releases prior?

BAYEM: I feel like with all the music up to this point, there have been slivers of R&B, slivers of soul sprinkled throughout. I feel like this is the first one that's a dedicated, old-school R&B song. So I feel like it's almost like, hey, I'm committed to the sound for this song as opposed to just sprinkling it.

Next Wave: How do you approach creating an immersive experience for your audience both in your recordings and your live performances?

BAYEM: Honestly, when it comes to the recordings, because we're actually getting some live stuff in the works, I think the big thing is just committing to whatever the feeling is. I think when a decision has been made around a song, like, hey, I feel like this should be something vibey, this should be something a little bit more uptempo, we just try to go full-fledged with it. I think that's what creates that immersive experience.

Next Wave: Do you see that sort of connection in the fan reactions when you release songs?

BAYEM: Yeah, I definitely think so. I think the most validating thing about putting out a song is when it's interpreted the way that you were hoping it would be. It's almost like, okay, well, we were in the neighborhood, we were on track with what we thought we were trying to put out. So yeah, I see it in the fan reaction with the release.

Next Wave: Collaboration can be very powerful in the music industry. Are there any artists, producers, or other musicians that you'd like to collaborate with?

BAYEM: Honestly, top of the list right now, I would say is Omar Apollo. Yeah, I'd love to work with him. I'd love to sit down and write for Charlie XCX as well. I know that's two separate lanes, but I feel like both lanes are ones I look at and go, wow, I just have a lot of respect for the way that they operate and the way they've committed to that sound. So those are my top two right now.

Next Wave: On that same topic, who would you say that your biggest influences are at the moment?

BAYEM: At the moment, it's kind of, uh, it's funny. I feel like my influences have kind of stayed pretty consistent. You know what I mean? Any new artists that I find are pretty much adjacent to the people that I've already been influenced by. But my big three are Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, and Toro y Moi.

Next Wave: Can you share a little bit about what went into creating "Regrets"?

BAYEM: Yeah, honestly, it was kind of a spur-of-the-moment type of track. I had just got home from some studio sessions. I work at a studio around the label, and I wasn't sure if I actually wanted to sit down and write something. But I was like, you know what, let me just grab my bags, set my computer up just in case, and yeah. It kind of just came out and fell together, you know what I mean? I remember I called Owen halfway through the making of the demo and was like, hey, this is one that I feel really good about. So I just spent the rest of the night just finishing it up. It was kind of an in-the-moment, lightning-in-a-bottle type of situation.

Next Wave: Was it one of those, once you had it, this has to be out, it has to be a single?

BAYEM: Definitely, definitely. I think, you know, there are times where I've written songs and it's like, okay, over time I kind of find myself falling in love with it. Then there's very few, I mean, it's a rare occurrence when from the very moment that you start writing the song that you're like, yeah, this feels different. And this was one of those times.

Next Wave: So with the success of your previous singles, have there been any unexpected or surprising moments in your musical journey that stand out to you so far?

BAYEM: Honestly, the craziest one is, I think it was just before summer of 2022, we got the call that one of my songs was going to be featured in the season finale of the Kardashians. That was like, wow. Okay. I mean, shoot. I mean, not even really sure how you would have approached something like that, but I'm just like, all right, cool. That's awesome. You know, and yeah, that did a lot exposure-wise.

Next Wave: Does that kind of give you an added pressure for your future releases, having a song be on something that's so big?

BAYEM: I wouldn't say so. I think the primary reason why is just because that song had been released probably a year and a half, maybe two years before it actually got placed. So at the time that we released the song, we were just trying to release the best song that we could, and it ended up catching at a later time. So that's kind of how I view every song after, is, hey, we just focused on making the best song we could, things happened, let's just keep that same attitude about everything and let the chips fall where they may.

Next Wave: You mentioned earlier this next single being a little bit more of a boundary pusher, having a little bit more of R&B influence. How after this do you see your music evolving more in the future? And are there any other genres or influences that you want to bring into it?

BAYEM: Honestly, I'm just going with the flow. I'm going with the flow. It's funny, life has a really interesting way of showing you which way it's expecting you to go. There've been times in the past where I'm like, oh, I'm gonna make a rock song and I'm making a pop song, just completely different. So at this point, I'm like, hey, I'm just gonna sit down, I'm gonna write what comes comes, you know what I mean? I'm getting my reps in, trying to get better every day. So it'll hopefully be cool.

Next Wave: Upcoming single aside, what is next on the horizon for you? Any kind of exciting projects or goals that you want to reach?

BAYEM: Honestly, we have some new tracks coming out. We have a… Actually, that's all I'm gonna say.