Every Show Should Feel Like a Dinner Party: BAILEN

Should we, like, stay the thing that people like first hurt us and like, like us by?

Or should we evolve as artists, you know, and that’s the, that’s the struggle.

And I think we were like, we kind of ended on the conversation in the car being like, we have to evolve.

Like, we like, the only way we’re going to be happy people like growing up, you know, in the world is if we, like, change.

Style is more than just the clothes you wear.

It’s the essence of who you are and it’s in everything you do.

Discover it here and unleash your style beyond what you wear.

There are some harmonies you hear that make you stop and pause what you’re doing or thinking about because your brain needs a second to just catch up because it just hits you and pierces your soul.

Bailen is one of those bands.

They’re the kind of trio you discover once and then immediately think or, oh, I remember where I was the first time I heard this.

Welcome back to House of Style Style.

I’m Grant Alexander and before we jump in, make sure you, like, subscribe, leave a comment, send a review all the things that help us grow and bring conversations like this to more people.

Today we have an incredible sibling band out of New York City whose rise feels both inevitable and somehow still very underrated.

Their harmonies are some of the best, best you’ll ever hear.

Their songwriting hits that rare space between intimate and huge, and they’ve already opened for artists like Hozier.

And here’s the best part.

They’re performing live for us today.

Acoustic, stripped back, just pure Bailen.

So as we talk, after we talk, stick around because you’re going to hear exactly why they’re a band to listen to right now and a band to watch for a long time coming.

So let’s get into it.

Welcome.

Thank you for being here.

Hey, thanks for having us.

That was such a nice intro.

I.

You know, I was lucky enough to get to see you live last night and I thought, and I think I texted Daniel this, that it’s one thing to hear your guys voice and harmonies recorded and it’s another thing to hear that you sound just like that, just as powerful, if not even better live.

I think it’s wild and you guys are so talented.

So I’m excited.

Thank you.

Let’s get off with like the, the.

The basics.

Like how did this all start?

What made you want to do music?

And let’s just start there.

How did we start?

I feel like, well, we’re siblings, so the, the womb is where this started our mother.

Our parents started with your parents, who are both classical musicians.

There was a fire just like this.

It was an intimate night.

The mood was just right.

I love it.

That’s how we started.

And then, Dan, those records were already there.

Yeah.

There were harmonies going in the background.

Yeah, yeah.

Loggins and Messina was playing.

No, I.

It was just mom and dad and Kenny Loggins.

That’s creepy.

Dan and I were twins.

We were a little older than Julia, and we started like a band when we were five.

Pots and Pans band.

Pots and Pans called Fire in the Kitchen.

We were no fire, but like, maybe it was sort of like, sort of, you know, we sort of.

There was a fireplace.

We were like, damn, mom is cooking.

This woman is cooking.

Okay, so growing up, what were the first signs that each of you wanted to play and that wanted to play together?

Was it the Pots and Pans Band that you were like, I need to get in on this?

Like, how did that continue to develop and what time did you start really playing together?

Well, I kind of.

I joined the band much, much later.

I was like, in high school, like finishing up high school, and started taking guitar much more seriously.

My dad taught me how to play.

He.

He, like, grew up in bands.

Grew up playing guitar, is still a.

A songwriter and guitar player aside from.

From like his career as a.

Like a freelance cellist.

But he.

Yeah, he taught me how to play when I was around seven.

And then I was just kind of like, you know, slowly growing my personality.

And then when I was 17, the boys kind of like reorganized their band because they had had like a horn section and like, it was like a whole thing.

And they were like, actually, we love these, like, really tender songs that we’re playing and it’s just not working.

And like, it’s like a horn section doesn’t really work on the.

These like, folk songs.

We didn’t really want to have to pay for a seven piece band, too.

That makes sense.

That makes a lot of sense.

A lot of mouths to feed on the road.

Yeah.

And I was kind of coming into my own at that time.

Like, as a guitar player, I’m still.

Coming into my own.

I know.

I feel that way too.

But I could kind of like play that style of guitar well, and they needed a third harmony and I was around.

So.

Yeah, we, like, we met Julia when she was about 16.

We were like, oh, for the first time.

Really nice to meet you.

You seem like a really cool person slash good guitar player.

Were you guys close growing up?

Yeah, I mean, we, like, our family is really close.

Yes, I. I would say that that is kind of, like, accurate, I think.

I. I mean, I’m sure I have, like, you know, many, many years in therapy to.

To work out, wanting to be included in my brother’s, like, social world in life.

And, you know, I would always, like, walk by their room and, like, their friends would be over and be like, hey, guys.

Like, what’s up?

What’s.

Hey.

Hey, can I hang out?

Like, I can play poker too, you know, But I would say we’ve become much closer and probably codependent in that time since we started the band.

Yeah, we said she could join the band when she got her braces off.

Just an aesthetic thing.

Like, yeah, thank you, Dr. Schupak.

We should have just kept your braces on and, like, tried to go the Disney route.

No, totally.

That would be.

That’s, you know, it’s got its own line of success, too, usually in sibling bands, at least from what I’m aware of.

Like, one person typically, like, steps forward or steps back.

Like, how do you guys work through.

And it probably changes, too.

Like, how do you guys work through creative differences?

Who’s taking the lead songwriting?

Like, how does that whole process work as siblings?

So.

Good question.

It’s.

It’s definitely.

It’s definitely something we’ve been thinking about a lot lately, actually.

Just the idea of, like.

Of.

Of, like, our three individual.

Three individual voices and, like.

And how we, like, create one sort of storyline with the band and, like, a through line.

So it is, like, you do see a lot of groups where, you know, like, there’s, like, a definitive lead person, and that’s where, like, the artistic voice comes from.

And, like, it’s very, like.

It’s more accessible to, like, see it from just one perspective.

Sure.

So it’s, like, trying to figure out, like, a way for.

Because we all write the songs and we all, you know, so, like, Julia will start a song, and then we’ll all finish it together.

Daniel will write a song, and we’ll all finish it together and write a song, and so we’ll switch leads and, like, you know, it’s not like, you know, we switch off leads and songs.

And so finding that sort of through line has always been sort of.

It’s a little more challenging.

Challenging.

But do you find it easier to find that as you’re getting older or harder to find that?

Probably.

Well, it kind of just depends on, who writes, like, starts the song.

If it’s, like, my song, I usually sing it Julia song.

She usually sing it.

David, he’s singing his songs.

There’s a couple songs where we kind of like, you know.

I think you sound better on that, on this song.

This might be your song, but usually it’s whoever’s singing it started the tune, but, yeah.

Julia stands in the middle.

That’s a big one.

I mean, I take a lot of.

I take a lot of the.

I mean, we write together, so it’s.

It’s.

It’s a lot of, like, fighting and a lot of, like, good democracy, I guess.

Like democracy.

Not popular anymore.

You know, famously unpopular at the moment.

Julia’s the fascist leader of our group.

Maybe we should try fascism within our band.

Give it a go.

Oh, God.

Not politics.

But, yeah, I think it’s.

It’s just a lot of, like.

I mean, we talk, like, the philosophy of songwriting a lot.

Like, we’ve been.

You know, in the car ride yesterday, even, we were just talking about, like, you know, what is it?

How.

How do you, like, make the balance between, like, being.

Writing something really specific or, like, on the nose and.

And being vague and, like, where the power lies in that and, like, how to.

How to.

Yeah.

Strike that balance between accessibility and.

Expression.

Expression, yeah.

That’s a good word.

And if we’re all writing lyrics, like, if Julia’s writing a lyric that’s kind of vague and not on the nose and David doesn’t understand it, he still has to sing it.

Yeah, it’s true.

That is a hard thing.

It’s like, if something resonates with one of us artistically and, like, sort of internally, it’s like, we all have to sort of adopt that.

Right.

And be.

And be able to, like, sing it in a way that’s authentic.

So it’s like, to 2,000 people, what.

The fuck does this mean?

Yeah.

Are there times where you completely are, like, no, I don’t get this.

Or like, most of the time, like, most of the time, do you come around to it and, like, do you get to a point where you’re at least like, okay, I understand it.

Or other times where you’re like, no, I don’t.

This one I don’t know.

I mean, ultimately, you can find your access point, you know?

Or you just, like.

I think if you couldn’t find your access point, it would.

It wouldn’t be, like, the song wouldn’t.

Like, we wouldn’t put it out.

That’s right, because it’s like.

Because it’s like you kind of.

That’s kind of what makes a good song.

Is that, like, anyone can find their.

They’re in their meeting.

That’s a great point.

So I’m going to remind you of that next time you.

Well, I mean, it’s kind of.

We kind of keep each other honest in that way because it’s like.

It’s like you have to, like, sort of.

You have to put away your first impression sometimes and sort of try to hear, like, where they’re coming from and.

And then you can re.

Reprocess it and then be like, well, you know, I still think that’s, you know, maybe you’re a little off and then we can go back.

But, yeah, yeah, it’s hard to, like.

To, like, listen critically and then also sometimes know that your first impression of something is, like, not always, like, going to be right and still, like, knowing you have to trust your gut.

Like, I have so much trouble with this.

Like, I.

There’s so many records that are, like, top 10 records for me now that, like, my first listen to it was like, I don’t get this at all.

You know, that’s almost what you want to, like, experience from music, though, right?

Yeah.

Because, like, your brain is, like, only kind of gravitating towards.

Towards what you know.

So if you find.

Here’s something that kind of spins that on.

On its head, then your first reaction is probably going to be like, ooh, change bad.

I hate change.

But then once you get acclimated, you kind of see it differently.

You can experience it differently.

Yeah, totally.

I like that.

That’s a nice way of putting it.

I feel like I started doing that in life with things, like, I’ll read things, I’ll not react, I’ll not provide feedback when somebody asks and then go back 30 minutes later, hour later, a day later, and then read it again.

Just so you get past that initial, like, flood of emotion to, like, really understand what you’re hearing.

Yeah, I think it’s generally what I try to do with music.

Although I did.

I’ve heard a few songs lately.

I’m like, I’m just not giving that another try.

And, like, that’s a hard pass for me, dog.

Yeah.

Like, some things just don’t resonate at all.

I guess that’s what makes it really interesting.

If you’re all writing together, it’s like you might have that reaction to something.

Although I feel like, correct me if I’m wrong, but you guys share a similar style.

Like.

Yeah.

At least, like, foundationally.

Yeah.

The Fire, Kenny Loggins.

You know, we all come from the same place.

Exactly.

It’s the same seed.

I definitely have a strong, like, gravity to, like, the music we grew up with.

For sure.

Yeah.

But that is kind of what’s cool about, like, our.

Our age difference a little bit, because it’s like Daniel and me maybe a little more, so have similar, like, foundation.

And Julia kind of brings the cool new element to the table more of the time than not.

So it’s like, you’re the cool kid, right?

It was so cool of me to be in my room dancing to Britney Spears by myself.

That was super cool.

I was a lonely kid.

Okay, that’s all right.

Now you work.

I mean, you were like, have you heard of Drake?

Have you heard of Drake?

Have you heard of Drake?

Crazy work.

That’s so funny.

That’s a great line.

Have you heard of Drake?

And we were like, no, please do tell.

I mean, I think, like, the music that I. I don’t listen to a lot of music right now.

Like, that isn’t, like, canon for me.

But, like, when I listen to new music, a lot of the times it’s not the kind of music that I’m making that I’m writing, you know, Like, I. I’m listening to a lot of.

A lot of, like.

Like, my probably most listened to record this year was like, okay, Lou, which is super different from what I do.

But there’s something really captivating and, like, I feel like I’m learning something from what she’s doing.

Just like, there’s always something to bring in, you know, like.

And I think that that’s really exciting.

Yeah.

When somebody meets you guys for the first time or they.

They’re at a show and you guys get on stage, what do you want them?

Like, pick.

Let’s pick three words to describe how you want them to feel before you even play a note.

Like, what does your presence say about you guys?

Three words each or just one word each?

That’s a really.

Oh, that’s a great.

We’re going to go one word each.

Okay, One word.

You can pick the order.

David goes first.

Really?

Like a second.

You can cut this part, right?

We’re not doing that.

What do we want to hear them say to us?

What feeling do they want to be overcome with in the moment?

What do you want them to feel?

What do they want?

Like, do you want them to feel.

Are you saying when they hear us or when they meet us in person?

When they.

Let’s start.

Meet us in person.

Disappointment.

It’s usually you look taller on stage.

Okay, fine.

Let’s go Music, Surprise, disappointment.

Great answer.

And rage.

It’s good.

A really.

Surprise.

Disappointment and rage as the three words when they meet us.

All right, so then what about.

What do you want them to feel when they hear your music?

When they hear us for the first time?

I guess.

Hard.

That’s a really hard question.

I feel like I want people to be.

Not a paragraph.

Julia, a word.

I’m sorry.

It’s really hard to put it in the word.

She can explain.

You can give context to the word.

If you need time to contextualize it, go ahead.

I mean, talk it through and then land on the word go.

Overwhelmed.

Probably.

Like, which is.

Sounds negative, but what I mean is like, that feeling that I get when Bruce Springsteen counts in the band after they, like, do one of those, like.

And he goes, wait, what was that?

1, 2, 3, 4.

Don’t you know what I mean?

And then I cry.

And.

I don’t know.

I can’t explain it.

Overwhelm.

Overwhelmed.

It’s a feeling.

It makes sense.

I like that.

That was a great explanation.

I love when I feel overwhelmed.

When there’s, like, when.

When I’m just flooded with the emotion.

Yeah.

It’s like when every time.

I don’t care how bad the musical was, if I’m seeing a musical, I’m crying.

Like, seeing people sing together is just, like, an overwhelming experience.

That’s great.

All right, overwhelm.

What’s next?

Okay, I’m gonna go with.

Oh, sorry.

You’re gonna say, I wish you sang into the mic.

It’s good.

Let’s see.

I’m gonna go with real.

Because we pride ourselves on not playing tracks or, like, it’s just the three of us on stage, which is pretty rare for a band that’s doing, you know, not like a broken down acoustic thing.

Like, we’re.

We’re fully doing a full band thing with three part harmony, all playing our instruments, which is, like.

Can be tricky when, like, you know, you have a ton of syncopation and singing lots of phrases that don’t match the syncopation and you’re, you know, it’s a lot, and we practice really hard at it.

And I think it’s something that, you know, is more rare in this world of tracks and, you know, quantized music.

So I like it.

Okay, so I have two words.

They both start with R. You get two words.

No, I don’t.

But Emma gets two words.

We can.

No, no, no.

I was gonna say I’m gonna put them out there, and we can choose the one that’s better.

Okay.

He’s really picking, too.

Let’s hear him.

Oh, I forgot them.

Wait, hold on.

We both started with R. That’s about as far as I can help you.

Okay.

I think released is what I would say, because I Like when, like, you can listen to something and you feel like you can put.

Leave some.

Leave something of yourself that was getting in your way.

Yeah.

Behind.

So.

Yeah.

Released some, like.

And then the other word that I was thinking is, like, refreshed or rejuvenated.

Refreshed in my head because, like, I think they kind of go together because it’s like.

It’s like when.

When you’re able to release you, you.

Know, you feel refreshed.

Feel refreshed.

So they go together.

But that.

I think that’s the thing that I love.

There’s a word for the whole process that happens.

That’s the word.

Yeah.

When I see, like, any kind of art, that just makes me feel like, oh, it’s going to be okay.

It’s like, this is like, I feel connected.

I feel like I can.

I can go forward tomorrow and feel better about myself.

Yeah.

I think that is nice to have.

When you see music for the first time.

Yeah.

Does that, like, do you feel those things while writing the songs or, like.

Because I think part of it is, like, when you guys are singing, and especially with the lyrics and the harmonies, like, that’s what people feel.

But I think it’s got to come from, like, a core feeling of that.

Like, do you feel those emotions when writing?

Or, like, where.

What’s the creative process?

Like, where are you writing from?

Is it.

Are they experiences?

Are you thinking about what others might be going through?

I think it has to come from an honest place.

The best songs, like, the ones that make it, the ones that, like, we write a lot of songs, and they don’t all end up out, you know?

And.

And I think the ones that we choose are the ones that we’re like, oh, this is.

This is, like, honest.

This is 100% real.

Those ones.

Yeah.

I think we have.

We all kind of connect in that way.

I mean, songwriting is really hard.

Like, no one said it was supposed to be easy.

No, but I was thinking the same thing.

Right.

And, like, I think that the.

The reason why people write is because they have to.

And when you happen upon something or you’re working, like, songs are often puzzles.

Like, if you have something that’s not working and then you think about it and you work on it, it’s like, we need something different here.

And you find it, like, there is, like, a sense of relief and accomplishment there, which, like, I think, you know, it’s important to get through, like, the.

To experience the, like, difficulty of it in order to feel that, you know,.

It goes up.

It goes up and down.

It’s like, I think whenever I’ve.

I’ve always, like, I’ve had this, like, this initial idea for a song, or, like, I’ve been playing or noodling, and something comes out that’s, like, just, like, goes through me.

And, like, that moment is, like, definitely that, like, refreshed, released moment that I.

That I want the audience to have.

And then I have to be like, all right, so now let’s get to work and let’s, like, make this a song.

And, like, that’s the hard part.

And, like, you might, like, stray from that initial feeling through the process, but, like, if you can come back to it by the end, that’s when it, like, feels like, you know, but there is work.

You know, there is work through the process, and it’s hard.

But I think, like, to what you asked initially, it’s like, if that initial, like, feeling, if it starts with that in some capacity, I think.

I think that’s what translates in the end.

So it’s also, like, we’re starting to play some new songs now because we’ve been.

We’ve been writing and recording for the last, like, year.

And that is such a fun experience, like, getting to play new music for an audience.

Like, just the hard work that goes into arranging it.

Like, we spend so much time arranging these songs live because, like, there are only three of us, and, like, we.

Don’t play the tracks, you know?

Yeah, there’s.

We don’t play the track.

So it’s like, there’s a really small margin of error for all of us.

Like, we’re all doing a lot of leg work to, like, make these arrangements sound really full.

So, like, when you play a new song, it’s really exciting when it works.

And when you have the audience there with you and they’re getting it, it’s like, fuck, yeah.

That’s such a great feeling.

It’s so much fun.

I can only imagine that feeling.

What an accomplishment.

What about if it doesn’t hit, has that happened where you played a new song?

What do you do with that?

Do you go back and tweak the arrangement?

Do you tweak lyrics?

Do you stop the.

Like, are you putting the kibosh on the song as a whole?

Like, what happens then?

Well, yeah, we’ll like rehearse it more.

We’ll work out.

This moment wasn’t working.

Like, oh, the tempo needs work.

Oh, like maybe we need to put a sample and like David plays with a sample pad.

Like sometimes we’ll like throw a sample in somewhere if it like needs a little bit of push.

Yeah.

And there’s a new song on the record where we played it last year and it was like super slow, like kind of ballady and it was fine and we recorded it like that and it was still like, like this song is better than how it sounds.

We believe in the song, but it’s just still not working.

And then we like just kept.

We like ended up just completely changing the entire groove of the song and it’s like putting in double time and.

Or the groove in double time.

And then we played it live and then we recorded it again and now we have to relearn that version.

We still have to relearn that version.

But we finally came around from like, like I always some.

Someone.

I forget who told me this, but like playing live affects your like how you record it and how you record it affects how you play it live.

It’s like a chicken and the eggs.

You can.

You have to stop one of these days.

Yeah.

Was that comedian.

It’s the cereal and milk paradox.

It’s the same thing where you have to put the cereal in and then Jordan, Jeff, and then you.

Yeah, okay.

The same thing with music recording in live for at least from my experience.

Yeah.

Usually we’re harder on ourselves than the audiences.

I’m sure.

So it’s like that’s something’s not working.

It’s usually because we think it’s not working and.

And then we make it better usually.

And if it’s not working after like the azilianth time, usually it’ll just sort of fade out of the set list.

But the tomatoes they’re throwing aren’t because they like the song.

Yeah.

We keep track of how many people leave to go to the bathroom during each song.

That’s like probably a solid measurement.

Yeah, we do roll call after every song.

What is.

Because like all of this is style and like tweaking it.

It’s style and it still has to remain your guys style.

Do you feel like you guys have found your style and like you know exactly where to stay?

Do you want it to continue to evolve?

Do you think it’s evolving more as you get older and as you play more and as you create more?

Just talk to me about the general.

Style of Bailen we were like, literally talking about this on the way here.

I think there’s.

I think artists are always in an existential crisis about that question.

I think that’s it.

It’s actually very rude of the attack.

How dare you.

Well, it’s like.

It’s like, should we, like, stay the thing that people, like, first hurt us and like, like us by?

Or should we evolve as artists, you know, and.

And that’s the.

That’s the struggle.

And I think we were like.

We kind of ended on the conversation in the.

In the car being like, we have to evolve.

Like, we, like.

The only way we’re going to be happy people, like, growing up, you know, in the world is if we like, change and like our artists and.

And like.

And the only way it’s gonna continue to be honest, where, like, we get that release is if we just, you know, do it in some.

In some way for ourselves first.

And then we sort of figure out how to, like, brand the brand the next project.

But, like, you know, it doesn’t.

We were like, it doesn’t need to be one LP.

It could be singles.

It can be.

Yeah.

EPs.

It can be like.

Like, the style can sort of evolve in.

In different packages now, which is kind of cool.

It’s more modern to do that, I guess, but.

But I also think, like, they’re cool too.

I don’t know, whatever.

Package or whatever.

However it’s dressed up, like, ultimately our style, like, I think does kind of root itself in.

In the, you know, the ethics of our arranging.

Like, kind of what we were just talking about.

Like, we spend so much time on that.

Like, that.

And that’s really critical to how we, like, experience our band is just like.

It really comes down to the trio and like, that becomes just, like, definitive of what our style is, you know?

That makes sense.

Yeah, I like it.

We’re gonna get hats like you.

I think that’s the next step.

Always are a good style.

There are a lot of people are scared to wear hats, and I’ve never really understood it.

Like, you put it on your head.

I’m scared to wear that kind of hat.

I wear a baseball hat.

I wear a beanie.

Yeah, well, those hats are expensive.

These.

Yeah.

Can I take out a hat?

A hat?

But it’s not just a hat.

He’s got the jacket, he’s got the shoes, he’s got the socks.

Well, so I just bought a hat.

I bought a hat.

I have a very small skull.

I was.

I wasn’t gonna say anything.

The smallest skull You’ve ever seen.

We call her small skull jb.

Yeah.

Yeah.

No, it doesn’t fit.

That’s why you got.

That’s why you got to get a hat made.

Or just buy toddler.

There are probably cool toddlers.

So I’m the severely adhd.

I really struggle with impulse decision making.

Watch her not finish this set.

Yeah.

And I was online shopping and I said, you know what?

Fuck it, I’m just gonna buy it.

And I bought this hat even though it said one size fits all.

And I was like, girl, you are not.

You are not in that margin of error.

Like, honey, be real.

You have this.

That is one spectrum you are not on.

Go.

Well done.

Well done.

That was incredible.

Okay, so just so you know, you can put.

There’s.

I can send you a link, but there’s like foam you can tape to the inside of it.

That’s what I gotta get.

Yeah.

And then it will fit you.

It’s kind of like an Annie hall kind of hat.

Sure.

I have it with me.

But I didn’t bring it here.

I should have.

I mean.

Yeah.

Next time, you know?

Yeah.

And.

Or you can just.

I’ll.

I’ll share a link.

But there’s a.

There are a couple places that these hats aren’t as expensive.

Yeah.

And like, they’re reasonable.

Yeah, you got it.

You got to share your secrets.

I can.

I can share them.

The shoes I designed.

I designed my shoes.

I designed most of my clothes.

That’s awesome.

My brother and sister in law own a sock company called Shout out to no cold feet.

That’s really.

I love socks.

I want that information.

You can have some.

No cold feet.

Socks are like condiment of the outfit.

Look at my socks.

I like socks right now.

I love those.

Yeah, they have a lot of fun.

Socks.

I feel like socks are like the only thing in my wardrobe that I.

Invest in.

Well, I haven’t invested in them really yet, but they give me the most excitement each day putting on a nice pair of socks.

That’s wonderful.

It’s like.

It’s a release.

It’s a little thing.

There you go.

It’s got the release, the sock release.

There you go.

I have a lot of theories about clothing.

I love clothing.

Share your theories, please.

I love talking clothes.

Well, I buy a lot.

I’m a finder.

I’m a. I’m like a.

A scavenger.

I let a lot of things come to me.

I don’t know what it is, but people like to give me things that they no longer wear.

And I find it fun to make them function in my outfit.

Yeah.

Like this sweater you’re wearing.

Well, I bought this sweater from an old woman in a church.

Just.

Right.

Did you know her?

Did you just need her?

Tell me about this.

It was like a holiday market.

Was she knitting it?

No.

She is incredible.

She does all of this, like.

Like, it’s like applique.

Like, knit applique.

And I don’t know, this sweater just.

It really spoke to me.

And I love little sad angels.

Sad angels are the best angels.

Woman in the chat.

Is Koska people different from a woman in a church?

A woman in a church?

Yeah.

Yes.

But, you know, I. I feel like those things that I’ve.

That I’ve, like, spent a lot of money on, like, or.

Or, like, things that I bought that were really trendy, I just never ended up wearing as much as the stuff that I was like.

I don’t know if I’m going to ever wear this.

Like, those kind of big swings that, like, seemed outlandish or, like, silly at the time and then become, like, staples in your wardrobe.

Like, I bought these overalls, like, probably 10 years ago in Los Angeles, and I stopped wearing them for, like, six years, and then now I wear them all the time again because I, like, discovered a new way of wearing them for myself.

Yeah.

And I don’t know.

It’s not, like, a good case for hoarding.

It’s like.

It’s like, I probably should get rid of my stuff, but I always regret.

It most as being a stylist for over 10 years and then a significant number of people’s closets, I would say the vast majority need to get rid of a lot of their products.

90% Of their stuff.

Most people don’t wear most of their stuff.

That’s true.

My problem is that I do.

Well, that’s not a problem then.

It’s.

It’s a problem for the fact of what?

My, like, ability to store that clothing and care for that clothing.

Yeah.

I have a question.

Yeah.

What do you do about white T shirts?

Because I.

Okay.

I love a white T shirt.

It’s so easy.

It’s like, don’t know what I’m doing today.

White T shirt that, like, it’s okay.

But I cook pasta sauce sometimes, and then there’s splatter, and then suddenly my white T shirt is not so white anymore.

So there’s a few easy solutions.

The first, if you’re making pasta, wear an apron.

Yeah.

Simple solution.

Or don’t wear a white tee.

Okay.

Shady.

Okay.

These Are both things that I should do, but I don’t.

So then if you do get pasta, we’ll use pasta sauce.

Because that’s a good one.

If you get pasta sauce on your white shirt, you’re like, shit, I just ruined this shirt.

If you pretty quickly run cold water over it, it will get a lot of it out and then spray it with shout or whatever, you know, stain spray and then wash it.

And it should come out.

Yeah.

When they start going yellow.

Because that’s a lot of people’s issues with white shirts.

Most of the time it’s because.

Especially if the armpits are going yellow.

It’s because of the reaction to.

Don’t look at me.

I’m looking at everybody.

This is general balances sweat.

We don’t sweat.

No, obviously.

But it’s when the aluminum in antiperspirant mixes with the heat of a dryer.

That’s what makes the process yellow quicker.

I can wear it.

I don’t even wear deodorant.

No, I wear, like, I’m doing, like, unfortunately for the world, all natural deodorant and still kind of.

My shirts are still kind of getting.

So the best solution is to not dry them.

The heat with the detergents usually cause things to yellow quicker.

There are also.

There’s this blue dye I can send you this link to.

You put a few drops of this, like, blue, it’s called liquid blue, and you dilute that.

And this blue dye makes all your stuff whiter.

It’s like a bleach alternative.

I’ve seen this before.

It’s kind of annoying because you have to put a few drops and dilute that first.

Because you.

If you put it indirectly, you’ll have a blue T shirt instead.

See, but this is hard, which could be cool.

Totally.

It’s like tie dye.

If you have like a front loading washing machine, you can’t run the water first before you put.

You know what I mean?

You can.

So I used to dilute it in a bowl, like a big, like, mixing bowl that I kept in the laundry room.

Like, I bought this extra bowl for that purpose and I dilute it in that bowl and just pour that in first.

See, these people out here don’t want people who use laundromats to win, you know?

Yeah.

No, no.

Here’s my follow up.

Yeah, I have like a rising stack of white T shirts now because it’s like the Hanes.

The Hanes white T shirt.

Like cereal bowl conundrum.

Like, you get it.

You just keep.

You get the 10 pack.

And then you.

You’re like, I need some more white T shirts.

I get more 10 pack.

Do I.

When do you throw out this, A cereal bowl thing?

Because you get rid of some.

You.

You just get rid of them.

If you can make a gradient out of your, like, oldest to newest, I should get rid of the bottom ones.

Get rid of the old.

How many do I keep?

7 Or 10 or.

Depends how often you wear them.

If you’re wearing them every day, you keep 10.

What’s your perspective?

Sorry, what is.

No, this is.

This is great.

The tables have turned.

We’re now interviewing you.

Yeah.

We’re doing laundry conversations.

What’s your perspective on the 60 to $100 white tea?

What is going on there?

How much is too much to spend.

On a white T shirt?

How much is too much to spend on a white T shirt?

What I’ve learned over the years is everybody’s number is different.

I have pro athletes and billionaires who will both spend a ton and some that won’t spend more than $20 on a tee.

And so it’s different for everybody because everybody has.

It perceives different value in certain things.

I, for a long time, bought this one brand that did a heavyweight tea, and I would pay 30 to $40 for this tea because it was the best quality.

And then they changed it.

That’s why I’m not giving them a shout out.

They changed their tea, and it went against their philosophies.

And I’m like, we’re.

They’re out.

We’re done.

But the quality of the tea was fantastic.

And I.

For that, I probably would have paid 50 bucks for it because I got.

I probably.

How many did I have of those?

I had quite the stack of those teas in every color, too.

You’re like looking on the secondary market for dead stock of them.

I didn’t even need.

I mean, because it was basically kind of like a Kickstarter for this brand.

Like, everything.

They don’t produce until they have enough people that have committed to it.

Oh.

Which is a great way.

It’s like, it’s more sustainable.

New York City does that.

Yeah, there.

There are a few.

And, like, I think the business model is really cool, and you can get a lot of value out of that.

So I probably had 10 white shirts, I would say, and I would get rid of probably like two.

Every.

Every time I ordered two more, I’d get rid of the two dirtiest.

But I had no problem spending 30 on each of those.

I would have probably spent 50 I don’t think you need to spend more than 50.

I think the ones that are like, designer ones, that’s a plain white tee for 100, 200 bucks, they paid $5 for that.

Like, you’re just paying for the marketing of it and it’s not necessary.

But when there’s like, some people value construction and like, especially because I will wash them properly, like how they should be, I don’t dry them.

I know mine are going to be good for a long time, and so I know I can spend more.

And the more you wear them, the cost per wear goes.

And I kind of, as a stylist, I like always put things in a cost per wear perspective.

And so the more you wear it, so even if you spent 200 on it, if you wear it three or 400 times, versus if you only bought, if you bought one for $50 that you never wore because you hated it and you like that other one more cost per wear, you actually got much more out of it and much more value from the more expensive one.

True.

I. I feel like in my life I’ve started to only want to wear things that are natural fibers just because it’s more comfortable.

For sure, they breathe better.

They breathe better, better.

They don’t like, smell as much like they.

But I, I do find that it’s really hard to care for a lot of the clothing that’s made today.

Like, I think a lot, especially some of the, like, synthetic stuff, like, is just made in a way that is impossible to care for it properly.

And that I find really frustrating.

Totally.

And I talk with clients a lot about that as part of their style.

Like if, if they, if we didn’t have this background, like, I’ve been a stylist for 10, 10 years, like in clothing.

And even though this whole thing is like, style beyond clothes.

I’ve been a fashion stylist for over a decade, and I think when people want me to teach them about style, it is about natural fibers.

It is about like higher quality ones that they can take care of for a long time.

Because I think the way the industry, especially like fast fashion, they’ve designed clothes to be incredibly cheap and they have a, like, actual lifespan to them.

It doesn’t matter if you take great care of them or not.

After a certain number of washes and dries, they will get holes in it.

They will wear.

The collars will get messed up.

And I think it’s part of style, and I think it helps people build more confidence to have things that they know will Last longer that they can take care of, and they take more pride in it.

And I think that leads to taking more pride and care of oneself also.

Just like, pattern making is, like, so the unsung hero of good clothing.

Like, people.

I mean, so many companies just, like, size up, like, proportionally their patterns, like, for plus size or whatever, and it’s like, you can’t do that.

Especially, like, when athleisure became a thing, a lot of companies were like, oh, we’re just going to make it bigger and roomier so there’s more room and more, like, people are more comfortable.

And it’s just putting elastic and everything.

Yeah.

Oh, it drives me insane.

So keep it on fashion.

Like, no, like.

Like keeping on the fashion theme.

How do you guys choose what to wear on stage?

Ooh.

Well, it’s getting.

It’s getting.

We’re getting.

I think we’re getting better.

Definitely.

Daniel and I are definitely showing more interest these days.

Let me ask.

Let me ask you a question.

Never mind.

Hold on.

I know this guy.

You don’t want him working on your car.

Let’s just say that.

Okay.

You don’t want him looking under the hood.

Is it Pat?

You don’t want him, you know, changing the tire, you know, and he wears a auto body shop.

Pat.

Yeah, and his name is Pat.

It’s Pat.

What do you feel about guys who do that?

What’s he wearing?

Or, like, just the soul, like, cosplaying, Working class, black, blue collar.

I got this in Brooklyn for 40 bucks.

I thought as somebody that doesn’t live that much fun.

It’s so fun.

You’ve never met.

Fix your car.

I don’t know what that is.

And he’s in Wisconsin somewhere.

And when we go.

Have you looked this place up?

I haven’t, but I should.

You should.

You should.

It might not exist.

That’s true.

I once bought a sweater at a.

At a.

Like, a thrift store in Richmond, Virginia, that, like, says Lisa on it, and then on the back it says some, like, event that this sweater was from in, like, Utah.

Like, it’s somewhere random.

And I was getting on the Amtrak in Richmond, and someone was like, oh, my God, you went to the summit in Utah.

Lisa, don’t you remember me?

You know, I was like my mother.

Sorry, I can’t help you, sir.

Like, I don’t know.

I thrifted this.

That’s awesome.

Okay, how do you pick who has an answer?

You’ve sort of answered Julia.

Julia.

Julia sets the tone for, like, the trio.

Synergy, like she’ll usually like, well, you should be like, what are you wearing, Julia?

And then she gets her outfit together, and then we sort of like, pick complimentary.

Let’s do warm tones or something.

Yeah.

Your outfit last night was cool.

That is a. I bought that recently at a sample sale for a brand called Murt Tolligan, which is like, their stuff is so beautiful.

Like, they just choose the most delicious fabrics.

And for some reason, all of the stuff in that store fit me.

Like, it all hit me at my natural waist.

It was like I was like, I am going to treat myself to a birthday present.

Yeah.

And so I bought that, which was.

Yeah.

No regrets.

It also matched my guitar, which was cool.

That’s cool.

That’s nice.

Try to match Julie’s guitar.

Yeah.

The thing I have trouble with on stage is that I’m always sitting down, and I like.

I feel like my strength in fashion is my pants and my socks and my shoes.

Yeah.

And no one ever sees that.

It’s a shame.

And so, like, I’ve had to try.

And as we’ve discussed, like, the top of me is usually white T shirts.

So I’ve had to try to, like, expand the.

My torso wardrobe, which we could also.

What about silks?

Have been a new adventure.

That’s like, silk.

Like, silk shirts.

More flowy things.

I like that.

That’s fun.

Often buy David shirts.

Yeah.

Daniel will, like, see something in a store because Daniel lives in Brooklyn and I live in Washington Heights.

And Washington Heights is like, old people.

Have the perfect torso.

David has the statue of David Boddy.

So, like, if I find it’s pretty solid.

That’s pretty nice.

Yeah.

Thank you.

It’s like, anything.

That was so funny.

I hide it under this David sweater.

Perfect in anything from Uniqlo, like, not to shout out Uniqlo.

Like, they don’t deserve it.

But, like, just.

He can wear anything.

Just wear anything.

So it’s really easy to shop for him.

Have you considered just rotating the drum kit and just so then people see your profile?

No, not even backwards.

Oh, no.

No profile.

Yeah.

Like, because then people would see.

No, but the floor.

Tom’s blocking it.

Yeah.

You kind of can’t win sometimes.

Like, during our headlining sets, like, I’ll.

We’ll do a little, like, acoustic, like, thing, and I’ll stand up and be up front.

And then I, like.

Then I like, some of the banter is like, now you can see my pants.

And I, like, show everybody the pants.

It gives you your moment.

Like, do a little turn.

That’s nice.

Everyone loves.

Get a little chuckle.

Oh, that’s great.

They all share a laugh.

They love.

We share a laugh together.

The other thing is, start your hat game.

Like, that would always be visible, but actually, no.

I’ve started my curl game.

I like it.

It’s strong.

And I’ve, like.

I’ve found, like, this.

This sort of like a.

It’s a wax.

It’s sort of like a pomade with, like, Kevin Murphy.

Have you heard of Kevin Murphy?

I use their.

I use their dry powder spray.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Okay.

So they have a really good.

The green one.

The free.

The free freehold is.

Is good for curls.

And so I recently discovered that and shout out to Eric at Shampoo down in New York.

He gave me this haircut, and I’m loving it.

Wonderful.

Finally found someone with curly hair who can cut curly hair.

See the confidence?

I had a. I had a hair journey recently, too, where I. I mean, I bleached my eyebrows, which was.

How’d that go?

Really interesting.

I felt like a Vermeer, which is, like.

It was kind of punky, but also I was like.

I feel like I cannot escape the fact that I do.

Give Voldemort.

Well, thank you.

I was gonna say painting, but whatever.

No, I like, just to look like a.

So you guys.

Holland.

So you guys don’t like fashion?

The style that you wear, that doesn’t play too much of a role in, like, your overall style.

Like, it doesn’t sound like the way you perform and go on stage.

Because I feel like some artists use their.

Whatever clothes they’re wearing to be part of their Persona on stage.

Like, does your Persona change at all when you guys go on stage?

Like, is it truly you guys that you’re all, like, sibling raw selves and family, or do you dress for it?

Does it change at all?

I think it.

Like, it’s, like, an elevated experience.

It’s not like.

It’s not like, we’re, like, where.

Like, we’re wearing, like, the Gap, like, in the van, and then, like, on stage, we’re, like, suddenly, like, Yves Saint Laurent or, like, whatever.

I mean, it does change how I.

Feel in the future.

I. I feel like we’re very transparent as a band.

Like, I feel like all of our shows, like, we’re.

We’re very, very casual people as performers.

Like, we know a lot of our fans.

You know, like, we talk to them.

We, like, know their life story and, like.

Like, where.

Where there’s no illusion here.

Like, that’s not really.

I think something that we’re trying to do.

I think like I do.

I like clothing and like, I don’t think it’s like super like it has to fit into this like these set of criteria to be balin.

Right.

But like I do like playing dress up.

Yeah.

You know, and I, I think that, that I like to do that on stage.

I think it more falls into our like DIY aesthetic that we have that we, that we roll with on tour too.

Like, Julie makes a lot of her clothing and I think that’s like a really cool like perspective in terms of how she expresses herself.

Obviously.

I don’t.

I was going to say what do you do?

Pat makes Daniel’s clothing.

No, I mean what else is.

What else?

Tell me like more about the DIY aspect.

Like explain more about what else you guys are doing.

Oh my God.

It’s a laundry list.

We just do everything.

Yeah.

We don’t like hire a, like a bus driver or you know, we just keep it super, super chill and super lean.

Like a lot of bands, A lot of bands at our level would like already have spent money on like even just like a sprinter.

Like with like a, with a, with a, with a trailer.

Yeah.

You know, and like done that.

But like there is an elevated cost to that.

You have to have more crew.

Like you have to have one crew member for that.

You have to have like two crew.

Whatever just in a van, in a minivan, driving around.

We like keep the costs.

It’s like, it’s like an.

We intentionally keep the cost low so that we like make money doing it.

It’s sustainable for us.

So it’s like the hard part with that is that like there are elements like where you want to make the show bigger scale the show.

Do you think that would change your guys style of the show though?

Like do you think you would lose any of the transparency or that?

I do.

Realness.

I do.

There’s balance in that too.

Yeah, I think like, I think it’s.

There is, there’s.

There are definitely obvious benefits to doing it this way.

I think, I think for us it would be.

It’d be cool.

Like, I think the things that we would like to like the scaling elements that would be cool for us are, you know, like better lighting.

Like having a lighting person would be cool.

That always makes shows more exciting.

Yeah.

Lighting is really so like having a more consistent like sort of light design for a show is.

Is always, is a goal but.

And then also like having our own sound person would be the next expense.

Yeah, we.

We’ve done that.

We’ve had.

We’ve had sound people out with us, and.

And that’s.

It’s its own thing, and it’s.

It’s a good thing.

But a lot of the times when you’re playing clubs and different rooms, like, the house sound person will know the room better than anybody.

Yeah.

So, like, we know enough about how to, like, articulate our sound to the house sound person, so we can use them in a.

In a way that’s, like, actually better sometimes.

Sure.

So.

So, yeah, sort of, like push and pull.

But I don’t think, like, aesthetically we would change.

It would just be sort of an elevated.

Like, just scaling.

Yeah, that makes sense.

It’s also like.

Yeah, like, we could choose to.

I don’t know.

It’s just like, this is what’s.

This is what’s honest to us.

Like, I feel like I go through so many different seasons of, like, what I feel the most myself.

And, you know, like, we were just talking in the car about, like, being a guitar player, like, a lead electric guitar player as a girl, like, for me has been like, oh, like, has created, like, some gender dysphoria for me.

Like, it’s very.

Feels very masculine.

Masculine.

And I don’t think there are a lot of, like, just say we’re talking, like, what are some, like, really kind of feminine guitar players out there?

And, like, I don’t think there are a lot of them, like, people that just exist as, like, very, very feminine people.

And, like, ripping a guitar.

Ripping a guitar solo.

Yeah.

And, like, I don’t know.

It’s kind of.

It creates a little bit, like, of a disconnect for me sometimes to be wearing something really, really feminine and to be doing that and, like, living in that power.

And then, like, last night, I was wearing something very feminine, you know, like frills, and it’s pink and it’s like.

And that works for me too, sometimes, you know?

But, like, I thought that was really cool.

I thought, like, that contrast makes it even more interesting.

I mean, maybe, like, coming at it from a stylist perspective.

But I thought, like, it seemed very real.

Like, didn’t seem like you were, like, forcing that outfit and I think playing to that feminine side in a not typically, you know, feminine role.

Yeah, I think that was cool.

Like, that’s.

I think, what stood out to me.

And I. I think, at least for me, when I see something like that, that’s, like.

I see more confidence.

I think that’s sexy.

I think it’s cool.

Like, I.

Like, that made me, like, take notice.

Yeah, I know.

You should lean into it.

It’s cool.

It is cool.

It’s like.

But sometimes I’m like, I just.

Like, I just want to wear something.

Like, I just want to put on my overalls.

I want to put on my overalls and.

Like a sad angel and just, like, have my biceps out and feel like a boy, you know?

And, like, sometimes that’s just, like, what I need in that night.

And, like, that also, I feel like.

I don’t know.

I just feel like I have to leave space for that, too.

And.

Yeah, I don’t know.

I can’t.

I can’t decide.

Like, I can’t choose.

And I feel like that’s part of what’s cool about it, too, is that, like, we are allowed to be dynamic people in this world.

Like, I think that, like, the Internet and, like, social media really don’t want that from people.

And, like, I just take so much issue with that.

Like, we are all really dynamic people.

We all exist as different individuals every day.

Like, I don’t come to the world every morning.

Like, the same person.

Yeah, it’s really fucking confusing for Daniel.

I feel like.

Pat, today, Daniel comes into my.

Daniel comes into my room.

He’s like, what’s Julia?

Who’s Juliet Vegas?

What do we got today?

What do we got?

What do we.

David, we take stock every morning.

What are we dealing with today?

She.

She in a good mood.

She in a good mood.

Do you guys.

Do you guys change?

Like, do you let, like, getting.

We.

We’ll bring.

We’ll tie a bit of all this in.

Like, do you let the set list you’re going to play that night dictate what you might wear?

Or do you let how you’re feeling or some experiences, like, dictate songs you might write?

Or do your songs stay exactly what they are?

And, like, they don’t change the emotions or fashion or any other bit of your style.

Like, do those things impact each other or do you keep them separate?

I think they impact each other.

Like, we did a whole bunch of shows last or earlier this year that were, like, one night was acoustic and one night was electric.

And we definitely, like, played to that.

You know, like, on the electric nights, we were wearing, like, red and white and black and, like, racer outfits.

Like, and then, like, on the acoustic nights, we were wearing, like, warm tones, like browns and greens and, like, more organic style stuff, which I. Yeah, I think it definitely, like.

But, I mean, it’s like, Your armor, you know, like, what you wear is your armor, and, like, it prepares you for, like, the person that you’re coming to be in that moment.

And, like, if you’re going to space,.

You gotta wear the right suit.

You’re wearing the spacesuit.

You’re wearing a spacesuit.

What do they say?

There’s only bad weather, there’s only bad clothing.

Yep.

That’s a Chicago thing, right?

Chicago thing.

Right.

Like, I think the most stylish people have multiple styles to everything and, like, are able to wear whatever resonates first and foremost with them.

And, like, for you guys, as a trio, for you guys.

And I kind of think I saw that on the deluxe version of Tired Hearts, you had multiple versions of a couple tracks like these Bones, which one of my faves?

Like, you had the version with Amos Lee.

Yeah.

And you had a one take, and you had the regular recorded version.

I think having multiple styles is stylish in itself.

And I, like, I think that for people’s lives, like, that’s the whole point of House of Style.

It’s not about the clothes you wear.

It’s about how you live your life.

It’s about every room you step into.

Like, there’s.

There’s health style, there’s music style, There’s.

It’s like everything you choose represents your style.

But I also think it’s really interesting to, like, take a look at why or, like, what stands out as part of, like, those.

Those multiple styles.

Like, what made you guys do multiple versions of like these Bones?

And, like, why was that song in particular important?

Well, that one was.

That one in particular.

I think there are lots of.

Like, when you’re writing songs, there are lots of different possibilities.

You know, when.

Like, when you’re thinking about how to produce a song.

Oh, we got.

We got the mic thing.

The wrong way to tighten it, though.

It feels that way.

Can it go lower?

Like, the whole thing and just.

I don’t think we need a lower.

We need, like, Is that good?

Yeah, that’s good.

This one does seem pretty janky.

It’s not.

Yeah, it might be strip.

Maybe a little.

Can hold it if you want to hold it instead.

Game show contestant.

Let’s try this and then.

All right.

I was just saying, like, when we write.

When we write a song, it’s like the next.

When the.

The writing is done, it’s like, how is it going to.

How are you going to present it?

Like, what clothes are we going to put on it?

Essentially, like, with the production and so.

And.

And there’s always possibilities.

There’s always, like, you could.

You could send it to space or you could keep it organic, you know, and.

And I think.

I think a lot of the times we.

We kind of want to hear both or, like, I think some songs sort of work in both realms and, like, deserve that opportunity.

So these Bones kind of did that.

And I think we.

We recorded that initially, like, sort of in the Pandemic, you know, in a very insular, like, way where, you know, we weren’t always together.

And so, like, that’s what came out for the recording for that song.

And I think when we started playing that live, like, what Daniel was saying, live versus recorded, live versus recorded, like, we were just like, this works better this other way.

And we want people to hear that because we’ve had this connection and like, we played it at shows and people connect that way, so.

Makes sense.

That’s cool.

And Amos is.

Is just sort of like.

Sort of an.

A mentor, uncle figure for us.

And he tells me to call him a grandpa, so I call him grandpa, but.

But that’s a good one.

He’s not that.

He’s.

He’s not that much older than us.

It’s just the vibe.

It’s just.

Yeah, but so we were like, could you sing on it?

And he.

He sang a beautiful verse, so.

So that was.

That was very special.

And we also did that one ourselves.

Like, we recorded it, engineered it, mixed it all ourselves, so it was, like, felt very us.

Has your guys.

I mean, I knew this, but for listeners and last night, you know, you said it too.

With the newer song Swim, you guys are no longer with the label.

How has that impacted your style and what was the reason that kind of led to you saying, we don’t want to.

We don’t want to go the label route anymore?

Well, we’re still.

We’re.

We’re still figuring out the next, like, plan for release.

We have a.

We have more than enough for another record, but we’re kind of choosing.

We’re kind of choosing the.

The best way to put it out for us.

And.

Yeah, but, like, there’s also.

Now it’s like, it’s not by.

Like, there’s no contractual obligation to release an album.

So I think, like, we are thinking about more creative ways of, like, putting these songs together to live as a body of work so that we don’t feel like.

Like, I don’t want to, like, kill this baby because it’s a great song, but it doesn’t work with this other thing.

Like, they’re both, you know, dynamic and also great.

But, like, how do we serve these songs the best way?

Like, we also felt.

We also were, like, we also would release these records that had these great songs deeper in them.

And it felt like people would, like, just hear the singles and, like, they wouldn’t get as much love.

So that.

That was also a reason we released that again because it was like, this is a great song.

People, like, should hear this one.

Yeah.

And I think now we’re like, the way people listen to music, it’s like we want to give them an opportunity to take each song in a little more.

And so that’s really liberating for us to.

To.

But we also like all of these next songs.

Like, we recorded, like, in our basement, like, together live.

We, like, tracked everything together as a trio.

And, like, we’re able to pick the songs that we felt, like, most passionate about.

Like, we didn’t have anybody telling us, like, hey, this is.

This song is really radio friendly.

Like, we need more tempo.

You know, it’s like sometimes those deep cuts are the ones that feel the most authentic to us.

And, like, we now can follow that.

You know, it doesn’t have to get relegated to a different release or, like, it doesn’t have to be, like, buried.

And, like, I don’t know.

That’s really nice.

Like, some of my favorite songs that we ever wrote and recorded, like, are on the mixtape that we released, you know, and like, you know, every time somebody comes up, oh, like, the way I could, like, I love that song.

I’m like, thank you.

Like, that’s my.

I think one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written.

And it’s like, didn’t even make it on a record.

You know what I mean?

It’s like, that sucks.

Yeah.

So it’s nice to, like, be able to follow that voice a little more totally.

I mean, music, and I imagine making music, it’s such a vulnerable art form, and performing it live, like, you’re getting up in front of, you know, thousands of people, putting yourself out there.

I have to imagine, like, getting to release it on your own time in the way you want to has got to pay off.

Whether it literally pay off from, like, a monetary perspective and business perspective, but also from a personal perspective as well.

Yeah.

I think the changing industry, like, it’s just.

It’s so like, you know, labels don’t have the answers right now as they used to with how to, like, put stuff out in a needle, economic, like, how to move the needle.

It’s Become much more decentralized.

It’s like, so.

Yeah, but it’s also, like, we don’t have the pressure of, like, you know, impressing the boss in the top room.

Like, we can.

We can try things.

We can be creative with how we release it now.

Yeah.

And I think that goes, like, hand in hand with our sort of ragtag DIY approach.

And it’s like, it’s.

It’s exciting because we can be this, like, this startup again that, like, has.

We have the freedom to, like, explore all these different options and see if this works or see if that works and.

And go with that.

And I think that’s a good way to do it now.

So what’s like, in all this, you know, potential new experimentation?

Has there been a recent idea that’s maybe failed or not worked that, like, taught you guys something about your style or your taste that, like, you noticed and you’re like, oh, we need to make sure moving forward we do this.

Yeah, Like a change.

I think everything, sort of Everything.

Everything.

Well, no, yeah, I think everything you put out, you sort of learn the goods and the bads from it, you know, And.

And, like, the things that go good, you’re like, we should do that again.

And the things that go bad is like, let’s not do that again.

So it’s a little bit like that.

I don’t know.

It’s hard when you have, like, the constant, constant feedback to just, like, stick to your guns.

Like, I think.

I think, like, for us, like, we’re such perfectionists and, like, it’s just not possible to like, keep up with, like, social media demand and be perfectionist.

Like, you have to just, like, do the content, you know, and that.

I think we’re, like, trying to figure out the way we can do that in the most efficient and, like, in the way we can live with, you know, creative ways.

Yeah, it’s.

So I think that’s probably something we’re working on.

So we talked about the words of, like, what you want people to feel when they hear you.

We’re going to do three words again.

Okay.

These are the hardest.

They’re the hardest, but this one’s important.

I want you guys to describe Bailen’s style in three words.

Like clothing style or musical.

Your just overall style, pizzazz.

Like, I mean, it’s songwriting.

It’s.

This is.

You can use it for all your marketing things going forward.

You know, they do this.

Like, marketers, like, these are like your.

Oh, yeah.

What do they call them?

I feel like I’m Gonna choose transparent again.

Like, I feel like that’s probably the thing that ties us.

Transparent, as in you see us and you look right through us and you go right past us.

You’re like, wow.

Irrelevant.

Like, the floor.

Tom, you need to get.

Oh, transparent.

Drums.

Drums for my pants.

Transparency.

There you go.

I should get The Ludwig.

Has a.

Like, a Lucite.

Whatever.

They’re really loud and totally not Bailen, but maybe.

But they’re transparent.

They’re cool.

That’s funny.

Is that your word?

Yeah.

You might want to come back to me.

I like that one, though.

Okay.

Daniel.

My overall style.

What defines Bailen?

Let’s see.

Transparency.

What do you got, Pat?

Can I do a phrase?

Sure, we’ll give you a phrase.

Creativity by virtue of necessity.

Whoa.

Boom.

I’m trying to think of the word for that.

No, science.

That’s one word.

It’s all hyphenated.

Deal.

Deal.

Why?

Yeah, why?

That.

That’s the word.

Why?

Style.

Why is that style?

Because it’s like, you make.

Like, you find what’s in your closet and you make something new out of it.

Yeah.

Like, you have to.

You don’t have any money that day.

Hust.

Hustling.

Yeah.

It’s like, you gotta get creative.

Definitely.

Hustling.

Hustling.

Yeah.

That is very Bailen.

That is very Bailen.

Hustle.

That doesn’t have to be your word.

He’s thinking of two again.

Yeah, he gets two.

Trying to find an R word.

Our style, our music.

I already used real in the last round, so you can’t do that one.

I think real is, like, transparent.

Like, I feel like real and transparent are similar ideas.

Like, let’s go rapid fire.

You have three seconds.

I don’t know.

The one that came to me is warm.

That’s great.

Yeah, that’s a great word.

Because, like, I feel like we’re not trying to, Like, I feel like through our art, through our style, we’re always, like, trying to center ourselves around ourselves and, like, be true to ourselves and.

And.

Because that invites people in, and it’s warm.

We’re a family.

We are a family.

And it’s like, I was.

It’s wholesome.

It’s very, like, you know, it’s very friendly.

Yeah.

So, like, it’s hard to, like.

It’s hard to be that edgy thing that we sometimes do, which we want to do sometimes.

But, like, I think at the end of the day, like, if it’s honest to us, it’s.

It’s.

It works.

And it’s warm and it’s inviting.

I had a word in my head, you know, because I can define you guys.

I was just harmonious.

Ooh.

I was.

Not just because of.

Not just because of the harmonizing you guys do, but I feel like throughout the catalog there’s a harmony between all the songs.

You guys as a trio, just vibe, harmony and with your guys voices.

I thought I’m like harmonious.

Yeah, I like that.

That’s a great look.

That works.

That’s the next album name.

Harmonious.

Yeah, baitlyn Harmony.

And then Dash Onus.

There you go.

Harmony Onus.

If someone borrowed.

Now that we’ve defined it, Someone borrowed balin style for 24 hours.

And they got to write your next album in 24 hours.

Holy crap.

I’d be like, can I hire you?

What?

What would they need to make it happen?

And what are absolute knows you’re not allowed to do this.

Wait, so say.

Say this.

What are the rules?

When and what’s absolutely like off limits?

Wait, so like, if someone were to be like, I’m gonna be bailing.

I’m bailing for 24 hours?

Yeah, 24 hours.

I’m gonna make music.

I’m gonna go out in the world, share my music.

What are the rules?

What’s off limits?

Oh, God.

What’s off?

I don’t know if I. I like believe in things that are off limits, but I. I think like things that are really definitive is like.

Like you have to.

You have to leave space for each instrument in the.

In the.

In the arrangement.

Like, I think most of our stuff, with the exception of a couple of songs, are very guitar led or like you use the bass and like, Daniel’s a very melodic player.

Yeah, use what you have.

Like, we have these elements and we try to use them as many different ways as we can.

Like, instead of adding new elements, we’re just like, oh, we got bass, we got drums, we got my sample pad, which like I can program to do different things, but essentially it’s just like chords and we got our voices and so it’s like be.

Be scrappy.

If you’re for.

For us for a day.

You’re definitely scrappy.

And I don’t know.

Try to be honest to yourself.

That would be the.

The day.

Are they trying to be us?

Because if they’re trying to be us, like, they could get a perm.

No.

Oh, that would work too.

That would look great, I’m sure.

Like, what, What?

Like moving on to kind of like future selves and like, what’s next?

As you.

As you do this on your own.

Like, what are you growing into next?

And, like, where do you see your guys?

Where do you see you guys evolving into?

I feel like I am.

Like, we’ve always been very, like, songwriting forward.

Like, everything is about serving the song.

And I’m kind of excited about, Like, taking time to, like, be less concerned with making songs, like, standalone as songs and, like, have more of a general, like, explorative experience of, like, a group of songs so that each song doesn’t have to, like, like, do the legwork of being its own song.

I don’t know if that makes any sense to anyone else, but it made sense in my brain, like, be a part.

It could just be a part of this.

Like, holistic.

Yeah.

Like a more conceptual approach to, like, a body of work.

I think I’d really like to explore it in that world.

It’s just one long 60 minute song that’s broken into, you know, 12 tracks.

We, like, improvise all our harmonies, so it’s like just like weird dissonances everywhere.

I like it.

I think what Julia’s saying is true.

I think we definitely want to, like, the next project.

I think we’re thinking a lot about how.

How we choose what songs go together to make it sort of an expression in itself as a body.

And rather than like a, like a group of songs, like a batch of songs that we’ve done because, like, a lot of the time, like, we write our, like, 20 songs and we pick 10 that go together and then it’s like, that’s the project.

But, like, I think.

I think we’re trying to think about, you know, the style of these songs together and how they work together.

And, like, is the group of songs like an expression in and of itself as a body?

So that’s like.

I think that’s the goal for the next release, whether it’s like an EP or a full length.

But are there parts of your old style or label style or whatever?

It might be, like, anytime before right now that you know, you want to let go of and not see in the future.

Just like an over, like an anxiety about, like, oh, like, is this gonna capture people’s attention?

Like, I think it’s just such a useless way of thinking about music because it’s like, I think the more that you think about that, the less interesting it’s gonna be.

That’s a very interesting point because we just filmed with a baker and who won the Great American Baking show who said, like, he’s writing.

He just finished writing his Cookbook.

And as he, like, puts it out there, the.

One of the very first things he says is he doesn’t want to be like a SEO chaser and he doesn’t care about it being the most found thing.

And he just wants to make the cookie.

He wants to make.

Put it out there in the exact way he wants to put it out there, description and all.

And.

And that’s what was most important to him.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, yeah, it’s like, hard to do that because, like, we live in a capitalistic society and, like, people need to survive and that’s.

It’s just hard.

And like, so much of, like, the attention economy asks so much of the work that you do be like.

It’s like asking people to be good at a slot machine.

It’s impossible.

You know, it’s like either.

I mean, if you play it enough, you’re gonna be good, right?

Yeah.

You’re gonna get better experience.

Lady who knit your shirt, maybe she’s.

Yeah, right.

No, I.

It’s.

It’s hard to, like, just be chasing virality all the time.

Like, it doesn’t really work that way.

And I think it just makes a lot of the art suffer because it’s, you know, I don’t know, it’s just not.

It’s just.

It’s not.

It’s so short.

Yeah.

So I think that’s why we’re trying to, like, think of it differently.

Because I think in order to, like, be sustainable as a band, we need to, like, feel that, like, we always.

If we feel stagnant, it’s like, that’s the worst thing that can happen.

So, like, the momentum is good for us as a band.

So if we can feel like we can find a way to, like, keep putting music out and keep, like, in a way that’s not like chasing an algorithm, but just sort of like, sort of continuing being artists, like releasing more, like, fewer songs more consistently, putting more, like, content up more consistently that we like.

That’s not necessarily like chasing virality, but just being more consistent and doing it over a longer period of time, keeping the momentum going, I think is.

Is going to help us going forward, whether or not, like, we don’t know what’s going to hit or like, or like, catch people’s interest because it’s like, who knows these days, but all we.

Know is if we like it.

Yeah.

I love consistency.

I think consistency as a style is completely overlooked.

Yeah.

And I think I talk about consistency within, like, work style and like, if you think of a professional office like, there are so many people who just don’t do what they need to do, and they’re not reliable.

And I think the people that are liked the most and are the most successful are the ones that show up consistently.

Yeah.

And just like, it doesn’t matter if it’s the best or the worst.

It’s just like, it’s there all the time.

People know exactly what they’re getting.

They know how to interact with you.

What, like, they know exactly what to expect.

Yeah.

And so that’s why it’s like, it’s.

It’s very hard to be consistent when you’re releasing 13 songs at a time, because, like, you’re.

You’re spending all this time, like, under the rock, and then suddenly you put it out and then people forget about it in 15 minutes and then you have to go back under the rock again.

So it’s like.

So it’s like.

I think the idea is to, like, have the quality, like, spend the time so we don’t sacrifice our quality or artistry and then just sort of release it much slower so that we can.

We can seem consistent and then keep.

Keep the ball rolling, you know, like, illusion.

Illusion of consistency.

I don’t like your biggest fans, like, they’re not forgetting that.

Like, sure.

Like, the general population might, after, you know, you said 15 minutes.

Yeah.

And they might move on to the next.

But, like, your fans.

Yeah, right.

Are still listening to it.

Yeah, they’re still waiting.

I feel like our fans are.

Are people that, like, come back to the shows, like, year after year.

Like, because we have relationships with them.

Like, we have connection with them.

And like, I think just as a society, because we’re so aware of each other, like, aware of people’s, like, global success, like, start to discount those really local relationships, like, those local, like, like communities, fan bases that, like, are the heart and soul of the whole thing.

And, like, you know, if you.

If you have a viral moment, that’s great, but, like, who is going to be at your shows?

Like, when you come back to the same market and, like, that.

Those are the people I care about.

Like, those are the people that I want to see.

Like, I want them to bring their friends, you know, and how can we foster those relationships and serve those people?

You know, what, like, what is authentically us?

Like, because I want to be a home for them.

So right here on House of Style,.

I would like to be a house of style for them.

There you go.

If your next album or the next release were to be a house, a house of style,

What rooms would you want there to be in it?

Like what, what sounds, what textures, what emotions?

Like do you want people to walk into and feel?

This house would be pretty good.

I’ll take one like this.

Yeah, I’ll take one like this.

With the rent very low.

We were just talking about this yesterday.

Like that it would be cool to do like seasons because I think that there’s like that very intimate, like three part harmony focal.

Like just really trio vocal stuff.

That’s very sensitive and intimate.

And I. I feel like there is a balin for a hibernating time of life.

Like I don’t know if I have to put it in the house.

Like a.

Like a den.

Like a media room, actually like a boardroom.

This past year we’ve gotten to play with some like small orchestras, which has been really great.

I like arranged for the show the string arrangements, which is really fun.

That’s cool.

So I think a room would have a orchestral, you know.

I like it.

Room with string players waiting just like.

Being like on a coffee break around the cooler.

But yeah, hopefully moving forward we can do more of those shows because we love doing it.

My God, that is incredible.

Definitely a kitchen in the living room.

Cuz that’s where like all the conversation happens.

The kitchen.

So underrated.

My whole life happens in a kitchen.

Yeah.

Like that is just the best place to be.

That’s community.

I love.

Yeah.

Like cooking with people.

I. Yeah.

That feels very like central to my experience of the music.

Is like.

Like having.

I want every show to feel like a dinner party.

That’s cool.

Yeah, that’s a great line.

Yeah.

Julia.

Dinner party’s hard.

I do dinner party hard.

I love a dinner party.

That’s great.

She tries to poach things at a dinner party.

Like that’s hard poach.

Oh, I didn’t really try that.

No, it’s actually.

That’s actually not that.

Like a small dinner party.

That’s actually much easier than you’d think because you just got to get a big pot and some fish.

Mom texted or called me the other day because she was planning thanks her friendsgiving and she was like, do you think I was thinking of making like grilled like half cabbages?

And I was like, how many people are coming, mom?

She’s like, 30 people.

I was like, how many half cabbages can you fit in your oven?

30 Half cabbages.

A lot.

Like, I don’t know what she was.

She was thinking cabbage wedges.

I think quarter wedges might have been better.

Still a lot 30 quarters.

Yeah.

Anyways, do that math.

Do that, do that.

I think.

Well, we also like grew up singing in like every dinner party that we had like ended in the living room singing songs like very, very eat.

Just very earnest.

Yeah.

Like calling tunes like our favorite songs from the 60s and 70s so that like feels.

It’s like my favorite thing to do is just sit around and, and be like, oh, that’s a perfect song.

That’s a perfect song.

You know, and like play it together.

So I think that, that like trying to leave, like.

Let me just play one more.

Yeah, right.

Yeah, yeah.

I wanna.

It’s like I don’t.

I don’t want to sing today.

Please.

I can’t.

I really can’t.

Don’t make me sing.

So that, that’s, that’s definitely a big part of us.

And then there’s like the kind of more rock and roll part of us that’s like, you know, definitely less intimate, but just really like really fun.

Yeah.

There would probably be like a like a graffiti written urinal in the house of Bailen style.

How.

Like we got.

We got some ping pong going.

That’s a good house.

That’s a good house.

It’s a happy, fun house.

Yeah.

Game room.

I don’t know.

There’s a.

We.

We write that coffee shop there called the Hungarian Pastry Shop.

Yeah.

The bathroom in there has like.

Well, it’s.

It’s known in.

In New York City as like a place for writers and poets to go to write.

They don’t play any music, you know, on the speakers and they have all the books and like that people wrote there.

Like Tahsi Coates would write there.

He can’t go there anymore though, because.

People know because he.

Yeah, people just would talk to him all the time.

Yeah.

Our records hanging somewhere, so it’s a special spot.

But the bathroom has like poetry and drawings just like Sharpie on the wall.

And every, I guess like every five years they have to paint it over and then start a new.

That’s cool.

We’ll have like full blown political arguments in that bathroom.

Oh, there’ll be like some text.

Subtext.

Subtext.

Yeah.

It’s just like Columbia people like, you know, like the intellectual community just like, oh, graffiti for intellectual community is so it’s really weird.

They’re like citing things, you know.

Yeah.

There’s like a bibliography.

You would have one of those bathrooms.

They’re like.

And you’re having one of those bathrooms.

With the paint in the closets for every five years.

I love that what’s something that you hope your fans can take away from your music or your creative process in.

In your style and weave into their style and their.

In their daily lives, Whether it’s something to be more authentic, more them to show up for the people that love them, to write better things on bathroom walls, whatever it might be.

That’s a good question, I think.

Maybe.

Let’s see.

How do I want to.

I, like, I mean, I feel like, for me personally, I feel like this whole thing about being in a family band, like, with my family, is like, maybe, maybe a control thing, but maybe like.

Like I want to take care of them.

So like, I’ve.

I’ve made this life that involves them.

And so I think, like, being there for your people, like just day in, day out is something that is important to me.

That’s very sweet.

He did punch me this morning.

Well, okay, but be there for your people.

Wait, it doesn’t mean you can’t get into arguments.

That’s true.

That’s true.

Oh, yeah.

Violence, maybe not so much, but I do.

I do have a justification for this because I.

Okay, so violence is justified.

Let’s hear it.

It was before that.

Can we just.

Can I just justify myself first for those actions?

Okay.

I was making coffee.

Took the coffee.

I was making coffee.

Do you know how, like, when you make coffee, the strongest bit is at the bottom, and then as it finishes, it dilutes it to the point where it’s like just the right strength.

Right.

So if you take the first, like 30 ounces, you’re taking away some of the strength of the coffee.

Right.

Leaving only the backwash for the person who takes the last bit.

Right.

Have you considered, like, taking a spoon and just going like that like once or.

It wasn’t finished brewing.

It wasn’t finished brewing.

No, it was.

It was 30% the way.

Finished brewing.

Right.

And then Daniel takes that non finished brewing and tries to pour that into his cup.

First of all, he’s already had coffee, so this is his second batch.

And I’m like, daniel, don’t do that.

Don’t do that.

Let it finish brewing before you take a little bit.

So I don’t have, like, backwash.

I haven’t had coffee yet.

This was warning number one.

Right?

So you did use your words at first.

Words were used first.

They were used.

Diplomacy was tried.

Okay.

We had diplomats, we had.

Everything was there.

It was on the table.

And then I turned my back.

After this conversation, I turned my back.

I opened the fridge.

Daniel uses the door of the fridge to obscure himself from my vision and beeline back immediately after 30 seconds to the coffee pot and steal that first 30% of the strongest coffee and put it back.

And I’m like, didn’t we just have this conversation?

Boom.

Violence was used and immediately regretted.

And I apologize.

So, no.

But then Daniel.

But then Daniel.

But wait.

Daniel goes, I didn’t even know.

I’m sorry.

I actually didn’t know that you hadn’t had coffee.

I thought you had taken it.

And it was clear that I had not taken.

And it was like, you’re a liar.

But even if you didn’t know, would that have mattered?

Right?

You shouldn’t take the top 30.

It’s a coffee faux pas.

Everybody knew they were wrong is the thing.

Well, I was right.

Then I became wrong because I punched him.

And then you were right, and then.

I was right again.

That’s.

But also, I think being in a family band is just letting go of being right, you know?

Yeah, it’s not about being right.

It’s about, you know, people.

It’s about listening.

So, hey, that’s a good thing to take away.

Listen, listen, listen.

Take care of your people.

You don’t need to be right all the time.

I think I have this whole theory about musicians and people that do, like, public policy work.

I know so many musicians that are married to people that work in public service jobs.

And I feel like it’s because there’s, like, a value system where people in the arts and in music, like, really do it because they want to care for other people, because they want to take care of others and connect with people.

And, like, this is our language for doing that.

And, like, that, I think, is kind of what David’s speaking about, but, like, it is about, like, accepting everyone as they come to the table and letting them play to their strengths and, like, being able to fit into that set of circumstances.

Yeah.

You know, like, we’re not all yo yo Ma.

You know, like, we’re not the best musicians that have ever hit this planet Earth.

But, like, I think we play with each other really well because we understand each other as players.

And that, I think, is kind of what we do well.

Yeah, I love that.

Do you want anything?

Those were great.

You don’t have to.

Julie goes on.

Daniel comes in with the good quotes, like, totally deflate what we’re saying.

Daniel’s the deflator.

Daniel, the question was, what do you want people to take away and, like, using their own life from your music or from your style?

And I think that that is what David said was an important part.

And that, like, you know, being able to listen to people as how they come to the table.

And that’s.

I’m just explaining what I mean.

Clearly, Daniel has listening issues for the.

Coffee thing, you know, that is for sure.

All right, well, we’ll do this last one.

So last final question.

Finish the sentence.

Great style starts when.

You don’t care about what other people think.

When you stop caring about trends.

I think that’s what it is.

Daniel.

That’s a good answer.

That’s a great answer.

Well, you said great style stops.

It starts when you stop doing this.

What about great style starts when you.

Oh, start doing.

Start listening to yourself.

Listening.

No.

Yeah, when you’re having fun.

Oh, fun, fun, fun.

Play.

I like play.

I want to have more play.

Like, that’s something I’ve been thinking about with art.

It’s like I want to play more.

Instead of like.

Like the working part, the playing part, I think is.

Is important.

So something I’m trying.

The fun lives, like, or it’s where the creativity lives.

Yeah.

It’s where you stop thinking about the outside convention.

Yeah.

Like, and you just start having fun.

And I think that is something that is really important day to day.

Throwing away the fear of failure because you just got to go out if.

It doesn’t work or the quantifying or anything.

Yeah, that was good.

Good.

Good job, guys.

Play.

That was great.

It doesn’t have a number next to it.

Don’t worry.

Yeah, good style starts when you start playing.

Those are.

Those are really solid dancers.

Yeah.

Yeah, I’m happy with those.

I was like, under a minute too, guys.

Good job.

Yeah.

That was definitely the quickest we can go on.

Days like this make me grateful for what we get to build here.

Bailen is one of those rare bands where the music hits you.

The sound and the harmonies make you feel something really real.

And then the people behind it all remind you why style.

The way you show up, the way you create, the way you live.

Why it matters.

If you felt that too, make sure to like the episode, Leave a comment, send a review, share it with someone who needs a little more beauty and music in their day.

And make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss what’s coming next.

Huge thank you to Bailen for being here, for sharing their stories, and for what will be their incredible live style session performances you can find right here in the House of Style channel.

And thank you, our viewers and our listeners, for being part of this community until next time.

Remember, style isn’t what you have or wear.

It’s how you live.

I’ll see you next episode.