I Love Memphis Blog and the Memphis Music Hub are bringing you weekly Memphis music features—so you can discover new music and get to know the amazing people making that music!

photo provided by the artist

Today’s interview is with Bailey Bigger.

Check out all the features here.

 “My favorite part of making this record was working with the crazy talented Memphis musicians on the tracks: Will Sexton, George Sluppick, Joe Restivo, Mark Edgar Stuart, Al Gamble, Jana Meisener, and Brandon Kinder.”

Bailey Bigger is a Memphis singer songwriter, whose stylings lean toward folk. Her new record “Let’s Call It Love” is out this month on Big Legal Mess Records.

Here's the Q&A with Bailey Biggers:

MH: In one word or phrase, what about Memphis inspires you creatively?

Bailey: Memphis inspires me to be authentic through its history, community, and one of a kind culture. 

MH:  Who in Memphis do you love to listen to?

Bailey: I think the last show I saw before the pandemic started was the Lucky 7 Brass Band. I thought they were incredible. I couldn't hold still the entire performance and they did such a compelling job of incorporating multiple genres of covers from soul and pop to Jazz and even "Killing in the Name,"  by Rage Against the Machine (which was probably my favorite of the evening).

MH: Which place gives you that Memphis vibe?

Bailey: I spent a lot of time downtown as a kid because that's what was closest to us, so being any place down there from Earnestine and Hazels to the Arcade to South Main Sounds all the way to Gus's Fried Chicken will always feel homey.

MH:  Can you give advice to a young artist staring out? 

Bailey:  My best advice to a young artist would be to write as much as you can, and be honest in that songwriting. Write about the hard stuff and be authentic to yourself. Then take that and play as many gigs as you can get. Play the great ones, play the bars with two people in them, play the sidewalk, don’t turn anything down. Then people will start to hear those songs and the rest will fall into place.

MH: Can you name a particular time or event that changed you as a musician?

Bailey:  I think a recent moment that really changed me as an artist was the process of getting this record deal [ with Big Legal Mess Records} . When I first met Bruce Watson of Big Legal Mess, he told me I had potential but I wasn’t ready yet, and my songs weren’t there yet.  I’d been surrounded by yes men my whole life so this was the first time someone told me I wasn’t good enough yet.

It was amazing, because I took that and I ran with it and I wrote with more intent and drive and was challenged to be a better version of myself as an artist. I came back to him about a year later with new material and he loved it. My favorite part of making this record  was working with the crazy talented Memphis musicians on the tracks: Will Sexton, George Sluppick, Joe Restivo, Mark Edgar Stuart, Al Gamble, Jana Meisener, and Brandon Kinder.

MH: Where can we hear you?

Bailey:  You can hear my new record on all streaming platforms and you can buy the vinyl on Big Legal Mess Records website or Amazon or at your local record store in Memphis (Shangri La Records has some more copies as of recently). I also have the music video out on YouTube for Weight of Independence!