We were lucky to catch up with Babyghost recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Babyghost, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

The earliest memories I have are of music, singing. Sonic landscapes have given me safe places to hide and live for as long as I can remember, honestly. I joined the Santa Rosa Children’s Choir at 5. I remember singing Hot Cross Buns as my audition song. The director, Carol Menke, invaluably influenced my love for and understanding of music, as did my parents’ support and enjoyment of music. I grew up with such an eclectic inherited taste that I took for granted until realizing how rare it really was. I feel unbelievably blessed that I got to follow my passion for music into my teen and adult years. I’ve never wanted to do anything else. I’ve always known there’s nothing else I could pursue and be truly happy.

Babyghost, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The name Babyghost came after a few years of being (not ur) Babyg1rl, a name that just didn’t resonate anymore. I needed an artist name that would reflect my nonbinary identity and the “genderless and genreless” tagline I’ve come to live by. This became my album title too, just a sum of everything I am and am not. Gender has been a big question mark for me most of my life and had me wondering just where I fit in. Turns out, you don’t have to. Exploring the hard questions of my identity, missteps, goals has made me a better musician and a more honest person to myself and others. I hope my music reflects this and reflects senses of where I’ve come from, musically and personally. I tell people my music is influenced by love and loss, and I believe each of these two twins are necessary for the other to exist. My writing describes my own experiences with both and has led me to a better understanding of the world around me and beyond me.
Making music in LA while living here has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and is also one of the most rewarding. I hope that I’ll continue connecting creatively with the queer community and watch that connection grow. I’ve always dreamed of my music reaching a larger audience since I was singing in that children’s choir, and I’ll never stop working to make that a reality for myself and my loved ones who deserve to have their voices heard.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Chimamanda Adichie stands out as a speaker and writer who influenced me far more than I realized until revisiting her works as an adult. I had become familiar with her as a teen and her words became a powerful tool in my growth through unlearning. Realizing your misconceptions and inherent biases is tough work and is easily met with defensiveness. She was a writer who taught me what it looks like to break that down and interrogate it. Interrogate yourself. Lately, I’ve found poetic inspiration from Rudy Francisco, Ocean Vuong, and Lorena Cassady, a friend of the owner of my local bookstore.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Over time, I feel like I’ve learned how to use music to help me regulate my emotions, fears, and goals. It’s helped me put things in perspective and meet the most important people in my life. It’s shown me every path to love I’ve overlooked. It’s taught me how to articulate every feeling, whether that’s gentle or not. The most rewarding thing about writing a song is having it resonate with even one person. If I can put words to some emotion we both grapple with in our own ways, I’ve done something right. Somehow my sad songs always have the most plays. It’s heartbreaking, but it makes sense. Love and loss.

Contact Info:

• Website: songwhip.com/babyghostmusic
• Instagram: instagram.com/babyghostmusic
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@babyghostvevo1139?si=AXgNiag0FRWXZP8E
• Other: https://youtube.com/@theyarebabyghost?si=dSjnoxEQ0FXBXybq

Image Credits
Jacob Balken @garagerockphotos @tanairyrobless