BiB: Bailey Spinn – From Viral TikTok Star to Hard Rock Trailblazer (The Untold Journey)

0:00 What is going on? It is Adam welcome back to Bringing It Backwards, a podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode we had a chance to catch up with Bailey Spin Over Zoom Video. We had Bailey on the podcast about three years ago now. He'll definitely recognize Bailey if you have TikTok or really any social media app. She's so massive on social media. Was really cool was the last time we talked to Bailey she hadn't put any music out yet. She had her EP complete but she. Had not yet released any of the music from My Worst Enemy so we get to hear about that. She was really nervous about putting those songs out. Obviously every song on the the entire EP has a couple million plus streams so did well we talk about the huge success she had with Happy Ending, all about the debut album she released. This year earlier this year called Loser. And we talked a lot about the new music she has coming out with the most recent song being critical and the one before that fear of going out. She has another album in the works and she talks all about that as well. You can watch the interview with Bailey and myself on our Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing It Backwards. It'd be amazing if you subscribe to our channel like like us on Facebook. Follow us on Instagram X and TikTok at bringing back Pod. And if you're listening to this on Spotify, Apple Music Google Podcasts Please rate and review the

1:30 podcast. It helps us out tremendously. We'd appreciate your support if you follow and subscribe to our podcasts. Wherever you listen to podcasts, we're bringing. It backwards with Bailey Spin. You may have heard of HelloFresh. They're the number one meal kit in America, making home cooking easier with chef crafted recipes and fresh ingredients delivered straight to your door. But this fall they're serving up even more to love. This isn't the HelloFresh you remember. It's bigger. HelloFresh has doubled its menu. Now you can choose from 100 options each week, including new seasonal dishes and recipes from around the world. Dig into bigger portions that'll keep everyone satisfied. HelloFresh is healthier. Feel great with an even healthier menu. Choose from 15 + High Protein Recipes each week with options like grass fed rib eyes or lamb chops.

2:31 HelloFresh now helps you eat greener with new veggie packed recipes that have two or more veggies per dish. HelloFresh is tastier. You can get steak and seafood recipes delivered every week for no extra cost. Now, with three times the seafood options, savor the season with hearty fall recipes like classic beef chili or honey glazed pork tenderloin. Discover new seasonal produce each week, from leeks to broccolini to Italian eggplant and more. What's going on, friends? It is Adam from bringing it backwards. You know, we love hello Fresh in this household, man. I absolutely love all of the new recipes, especially all of the steak recipes. The other night, my son and I had brown sugar bourbo steak with apple pan sauce and mashed potatoes with broccoli. It was literally like I had a steakhouse meal delivered to my doorstep. Prep was easy. It was like less than 30 minutes total to make everything. We had mashed potatoes, broccoli, this apple pan sauce that was delicious. And the steak they sent was perfect. I was actually shocked at myself that I could make something that tasted so good. I was like, whoa. I felt like a Michelin star chef. Like I said, we love hellofresh in this household. And the best way to cook just got better. Go to hellofresh.com bib tv10fm now to get 10 free meals and a free breakfast for life. One per box with active subscription. Free meals applied as discount on first

4:01 box. New subscribers only. Varies by plan. That's hellofresh.com bib tv10fm to get 10 free meals and free breakfast for life. Bringing it backwards. Bringing it back. Awesome. Well, thank you so much for. For doing this. We chatted, like, two years ago. Yeah. And you didn't have any music out yet at the time, which is why. Yeah, that's crazy. Now I do. Yeah, now you have a bunch of stuff out, and I want to talk to you about it. Yeah. You were telling me about.

4:55 You know, we kind of. This is about you and your journey in music and kind of your backstory. We got that last time, but we can. We'll recap a little bit on it. But I'm curious because how it kind of ended was you're like, I have this EP of music that I'm working on. And then obviously that came out, and you have bunch of other stuff out, so I'm excited to hear about it. So I'll just start back with. I mean, you're born in Virginia or D.C. area, right? Close to D.C. yeah. I always say Fairfax because nobody knows where the city is. Sure. And you said it's about 40 minutes from D.C. and everything. Yeah. Okay. And then you moved to. You went to college at San Diego State? I did for one year. Okay. So that's where we kind of were, like, when we. I think we talked. Maybe you had just left there. You were in la, so that's kind of where I want to pick up. I'm curious, just because at that time, I mean, you had. You still have a massive following on social media and everything, but you had went, like, Covid happened. Right. And then you went to college, and then you blew up on TikTok, and now you're just a freshman with everyone else, and you have millions of people that are following you. That must have been so bizarre. It was bizarre, and it's kind of why I left. I had, like, a little bit, and my freshman year, it was, like, not enough to live off of, so I was normal. And then the summer after freshman year, it just was when, like, the astronomical amount of people started following me. And then I was like, I think I can live off of this now, and I might be okay. And luckily, I was correct.

6:25 But, yeah, I dropped out. I only made it a year in one semester, and I was like, bye. Got to go. Yeah, I'm out. Okay. And then you move. Did you move to L. A from San Diego? Yeah, I did. I put all my things in a car and just drove up and didn't really tell anyone. Yeah, I was like, it's so close. I'll be fine. That's what. That's good because. Because I think you're telling me last time. Yeah, it was weird. Like, when you went back. Yeah. It was, like, in between, like, you blew up, and then you had to go back to school, and then it was, like, real, like, everyone. You were on everyone's for you page all the time. Yeah. It was just really hard to balance the two as well. And it really felt like I had to make a choice because I was trying to do school, and I was, like, much more interested in trying to proceed with the career and really do tick tocks, like, every single day and do the music. So I was fighting. You know, I had a roommate, too, and I wasn't fighting with her, but fight to find the time to, like, make a video and balance class. I was, like, recording my little voiceovers in the bathroom very quietly so that my roommates wouldn't hear me. I was like, this. This isn't gonna work.

7:27 I gotta go. Yeah, I gotta go. Stop. Sure. Wow. Well, with that, did you. Because obviously you're putting out music now, and I know we. We talked. It kind of started with covers, Right? You started doing covers first and then into your own music. Do you still do this the other content that you're doing online or are you basically all in music full force now? I'm pretty much all music. It's definitely my focus. But I still do make content just because I think that's fun and I like making it. So I've been kind of balancing the two of them at the moment. Okay. Yeah. I just curious because I know for your Instagram it's mainly just all your music stuff. Yeah, definitely.

8:08 I try to like separate it per platform and I think Instagram is very much music heavy and it comes off that way. And I try to be music heavy on the other platforms too, but give them a little bit of a silly video once in a while. Yeah, for sure. So you were working on my. My Worst Enemy then that would have been the EP that you were working on at the time? Yeah. That's so funny because now it's like a core memory of mine. It came out I think like, I think three years ago. Yeah, 2023. So. Yeah, we're almost in 2026. Yeah. Oh geez. Yeah, three years ago was the debut EP. But that was really exciting. I didn't really know where it was going to take me and luckily people loved it. They received it so well and so now I've just been on the music path the whole time. Yeah, that's what you were kind of talking about, that you're like, I don't know what the Internet's going to think of me. You were kind of. Yeah, yeah. I don't know what's going to happen when I put the music out. Who knows? And sure.

9:06 I mean every song on that EP has 2 million plus streams. So people actually that was why. What was it like putting that first song out and then just. Were you like. Hopefully any. Hopefully it's not like Meg, you know, less than 1,000 for a long time. Yeah, Spotify, something like that. I actually never had. That was like my biggest fear and I never have had the like less than 1,000 show up in my profile. I think when I dropped Romance's dad, I remember I was like really looking at it. I think I got like 10,000 streams the first day and I was like, oh, people actually are. Are going to listen to this. And I loved it. But you never know with the Internet. And I've definitely been bullied quite a lot over the years for making music and like choosing to do something else. Cuz you know, people want to put you in the box and you stay there forever. And I was like, I'm going To make a song now and everyone shouldn't listen to it. Yeah, but I mean, what you've achieved in the. Just the cup, you know, two and a half years, three years or whatever now isn't. Is incredible. So when you put that out, like, you didn't have.

10:14 I mean, at that point, were you like, okay, I'm gonna. Did you have a plan? Like, I'm gonna put this song out and then we're gonna put the EP out and then I'm gonna tour the stuff. Like, were you kind of thinking that way or, like, how do you get into it? Like, I mean, from you kind of when we spoke, which I think is really cool. It's kind of like you entering into music now. Yeah. Or like, we're kind of. So I'm. I'm just curious, like, how that all went in the very, very beginning, what that was like, like putting out your first song. Were you, like, nervous and then like, how do you move forward once people start caring? Yeah, I was really nervous. I never knew what people were going to think. I think I had actually leaked Runner up, which was a different song off the ep. The plan was always to make an ep and I kind of was bouncing around trying to find a producer. And then once I really meshed with this producer, Code Blooded, who did my who, and we made it all together and he did Romance Is Dead. And I had leaked Runner up and people were really excited about that one. And so Runner up was like an even greater follow up to Romance Is Dead, because so many people now, they were really waiting on this song and, like, super excited and still one of my favorites. But I was super nervous because releasing music is always really scary. And I think it went pretty well for me and I'm very grateful for that. And I think I had a story to tell, which was great. So I was hoping that people, you know, could relate to it. And I was being pretty honest in these songs and luckily it turned out well. But I was definitely scared. It's scary to see, you know, the, like, artist profile become real and show up and to see the songs published. It's, like,

11:46 really hard to explain, but I was like. I had been holding onto the demo and listening to it, and then to see it as a real song listed under my name was very crazy. And I was like, oh, my gosh. And the ep, now I have an album, but it was like seeing five songs on top of each other. I was like, wow, I'm the real deal now. I'm really out here for sure. But do you guys start getting like, did you have a label and stuff at the time? I don't think you did. Now you do. No, I didn't. Right. So it was just all on your own. You're just independently doing this. And then when the songs get millions of streams, are people reaching out to you being like, hey, like, have you thought about doing a tour? Have you thought about putting. Signing this record contract? Like, were you getting reached out to, like, that?

12:29 Not after the ep. Honestly, I hadn't gotten any, like, label deal offers after the EP specifically. But things kind of changed after I released Happy Ending. And I think Happy Ending was the follow up to the ep and people were like, oh, I really, really like this song. I think it showcased more of what I could do with my voice and it had, you know, lower, very sung, pret, pretty Evanescence kind of verses and a heavy chorus and it was very honest still. And that's when record labels and people had a lot of interest in me and they were like, wow, this is a good song. And you know, you've proven you can make a bunch of good songs. And people still liked the ep, but it's always great to see that an artist can grow and try something different. Because Happy Ending at the time, like, didn't really match the rest of my discography. But yeah, got a lot of people interested. And that was definitely the song that, like, blew up the project and really got people listening. I mean, yeah, it's like 11 million plus on Spotify itself. So was that something that. Did it start off on? Like, was it something that. Were you doing a lot of the teasing and trying to get people excited about it, like via your social media and kind of tying it back to. To Spotify or wherever you're.

13:43 You're sending people? Yeah, I did that a lot during the ep. The way I would promote is like, say, excuse me, say something before and then play the song of, like, how it related to my emotions. And then when Happy Ending came around, I related it to the song by Salem Elise that was called Mad at Disney. And that video specifically blew up. And what was funny is that it was the first video I had ever posted of Happy Ending. It had just been a demo before that. We had no plan to release it. I just was like, I'm gonna post this song today. And then it. Now I don't even know how many views it has, but I ended up getting like 10 million views and a bunch of people, thousands of comments. And it did well on like all of the platforms. So we rushed to release Happy Ending. Like the photo we had taken from a previous shoe. I didn't even shoot that. We sent it to an artist and was like, can you make a cover art? Like, this is what we want. We need it asap. And Message the producer were like, we need to finish the song now. Like, we need to drop it. So, yeah, Rush and I kind of learned it can be super spontaneous like that and you never know what's gonna blow up. Honestly, you can't. I didn't predict that song. It's very pessimistic and people were like, yeah, this is the one. This is the one. Yeah. I've had so many artists on that have talked about that or had that moment where they put the song out or they'll go live or go on their tick tock and just play like a verse or chorus of a song they're working on and then it'll be like millions of right views and it's like, oh, now I gotta get to the studio to record this. The song isn't even done, so I gotta finish it. Like it's all these things. So,

15:16 yeah, I mean, that's wild to see it go up that big. Especially after, you know, your EP does really well. And then that one just skyrocketed. That probably would felt a lot of validation for like, okay, yeah, I am a singer and I should be doing this. Yeah, definitely. And I think with the success came a lot of hate too, because not everybody was on board. But what happens is people will hate streams anyway and they want to listen to the full song after hearing it on TikTok. So all of that really worked in my favor. I remember, I think it got like 30,000 the first day, which was a lot for me. And I was like, wow. But people are still hating on it. You know, they're calling it tick tock music. They're just saying it's not good. Honestly, they just say that to jump on. Sure. You know, the hate train. But I thought I. I thought it was good and I still think that. No, it's.

16:08 I'm awesome. And so once you're getting. Once people start reach out. When that song does big, are you like, what. What's kind of the next move? Obviously you put an album out with that song on it. Yeah. So I signed with Awall and then got a little album deal. It was a short eight song. So I went in and started working with some new producers and just trying some new styles and figuring out the sound and building out the album, which is really exciting. And I started dropping. I dropped, I think, one more single before Happy Ending that didn't make as much of a wave. And then Happy Ending and then started working right on the album and I. It's all blur now. It's been so, so many years. Yeah. What was the next single?

16:53 It definitely was something. I think it might have been Cheap Motel or one of those. But yeah, I started working on the album and trying a bunch of new things, and it was really fun because. You just put that album out this year, right? Earlier this year. Yeah, I think. Was it. I know. Yeah. Maybe in the beginning of the year. I mean, it's. Yeah, it's almost the end of the year. Yes, it was the very beginning of the year. I know. I'm like, it's 2026 now. But, yeah, the very beginning of this year, I put out the album and that was really exciting to see that many songs all together. And I had been working on it for so long, like a year behind the scenes. It was cool to see it be done finally. And you had a team in a record label at that time with that. Yeah. Which is super cool. I remember it got put on.

17:40 One of the songs was put on All New Rock, which was really exciting for me. I was like, I've never been playlisted before. This is like the coolest thing ever. And it was great. Did you. They put you on tour on that album or had you played a lot of shows in between? Like, even when Happy Ending blew up or any of that stuff, were you playing out a lot? Yeah, I did a Happy Ending tour. I didn't do one for Loser. It just. The cards didn't work out on that one. But I did do one for Happy Ending and it was awesome. And it was cool to see that the audience was translating into real people. And I just. It was just a us tour, but it was great. We went all around the us, Met so many fans, and it was so cute. Would love to tour again.

18:21 Because you. You've been doing shows on this new song, though, haven't you? Or you've been playing shows recently. Not yet. We're gonna try. Okay. Maybe I think I should old video. Maybe I saw something else. But. No, you definitely should with the. The touring. Yeah. Because it's interesting because trying to get people to leave, even Tick Tock to go to your Insta or to leave one app to go to your Spotify to just play the records itself. Right. That's a Steve. That's a step. Right. Like, oh, I'm not to leave. I'm gonna go do this. But then to get somebody to pay their money coming out to your show and like, now you see people and in the crowd, that has to be a totally different experience. It is. And I definitely was just a lot of pushing. I would post about it, like, every single day. It'd be on my story every single day, you know, on every single platform. And it's kind of just getting it in front of people, too. And with my fan base, a lot of them were young, so what happens is they can't buy the ticket. They have to ask a parent and then the parent has to buy the ticket and, you know, figure out. Yeah. The math of how far is it. But it was really sweet and sweet to see, like, the families that will come out and bring the kids. And it's so cute.

19:30 Going into the Loser album, like, working with different people, was that hard? Was that harder for you or is. Did you enjoy that? Like, because. Yeah, the first EP was all with the same person, right? Yeah, Yeah, I loved it. And he definitely did. I think Happy Ending and In Loving Memory by Cold Blooded were both on the album. So he was still there. Love him. And then I started working with Courtney Ballard, who was awesome. I just collaborated with him again for my next project. He's so awesome. He did Loser and Super Glue, and those are really adorable, fun songs that I love so much. I worked with Mike Green too, which is really cool. He was a great guy. He's worked with, like, Paramore in the super early days, and it was really cool.

20:14 And there definitely was more collaborators. I like him on that album. Yeah. Did you do it in la? Did you record it? Yeah, I'm an LA girl. Yeah. No, I think some people are in, like, Tennessee. I don't know. That's where I'm at now, in Nashville. Okay, gotcha. You're probably your Paramore producers. It might be a Nashville, but. Yeah, that's cool. So with. So, yeah, you put that up, but you didn't tour it. But I mean, obviously worked with new people on that. The album. And I love your sound like you. And we talked about this before. I said, like, what is the sound of your project going to be like? Because you hadn't seen anything else and you're like, well, it's gonna be like this pop punk, like, you know, harder rock. And I was like, that's what I love. And I listen to it. I was like, yeah, it's. That's it. And I feel like it's even getting Heavier with the new song. It's real heavy. Oh, yeah. We just been, like, climbing the scale of heavy music. And I was just like, how far can I take this? I think one big thing for me, too. I love pop rock music. And when I was, like, working on the next project after the album, I was trying to make pop rock, and it just kind of wasn't resonating with me anymore. And my taste had gotten a lot heavier. And the references and things I listened to were like, poppy and Bring Me Horizon and Bad Omens. And I was like, this is not pop rock music. This is like some of the, you know, some of them are metal. Metal core. I was like. I started asking for heavier and heavier, and I started working with Eric Rahn, who's super great, and he had done some Bad Omens and a bunch of really sick heavy stuff. And

21:47 he worked with, like, I Prevail. And he's such a good match. I'm a huge I Prevail fan. He was such a great match and understood and wasn't afraid to go heavier with me because I wanted to go heavier and had some songs on the last album that were rejected just because they didn't really fit the vibe. I kind of had that pop rock thing going and I had the acoustic orchestrated one Kiss of Death. So I had kind of gone all over the place. Yeah. And then I was like, I want to go heavier, but I can't fry Scream. So it's like an ode to Evanescence. A lot of people have been pointing. Out, well, I think it's awesome. And then, like, the new one, Critical is very, very heavy. The guitars in the beginning is super heavy.

22:33 Yeah, I love it with. So where do you. Do you work? Like, after Loser came out, you fear of going out as the next record that you put out, and then obviously Critical is the newest one. So are these going to be on, like, a new project? Like a. That you're going to be putting out? Yeah, yeah. I don't have, like, a date yet. I just been saying yes to let people know it's coming. Yeah. I'm on the second album, the sophomore album, which should be very cool. Yeah, it's going to be much heavier. And I think Fear of Going out was heavier in, like, a grungy way, but it was still bright and kind of fun and, you know, makes you want to get up and dance. And Critical is a lot heavier and definitely was a step in the direction that people should expect on the album. And I think Fear of Going out is honestly the Lightest of the bunch. And there are no other songs like Fear of Going Out. I'm like, sorry if that one's your favorite, but that's the only one. There's one that is still heavier, but maybe close. Everything is gonna be very hard rock. Okay. So critical is what you're going for. Like, that's. It's gonna be that heavy. Definitely. A lot of breakdowns. A lot of pushing the bar of hard rock and metal as far as I could possibly go.

23:47 Is it. I mean, have you had a chance to play that song live yet? No, I can't wait. I want to, honestly. Different? Yeah. How different? Yeah, your stage person, like, performance will be a lot, I would imagine. Heavier. Yeah. I'm gonna have to, like, put my, you know, songs into, like, act one and Act Two so that it's not. We go from pop rock to, like, metal. All of a sudden, everyone's like, what's going on? So maybe I'll. Maybe I'll split it up. I love it. Well, is there, like. Do you have the songs all done? Are you still kind of working towards. The building it out? I'm like. I'd say 75% done. Like, there's quite a few that are on the album, but it's definitely longer than the last one, which is exciting because people said it was short, but I'm like, there's more.

24:35 Don't worry. So it'll be longer than eight records or eight songs? Yeah, for sure, a lot longer. Very, very cool. And are you working with Eric Ron again on this one? The whole album, or. Yeah, he's done quite a few songs. I think I have three with him, and I love them so much. I've been working with a ton of people. I just worked with Matt Squire. He's super, super awesome. I had many questions for him. Lots of collaborators on this new one. I've been branching out, too. I work with John London, who's super great, has done some stuff with Falling. He's done, like, all the stuff with Falling in Reverse and. Super awesome. Yeah. A lot of great collaborators on this next project. I can't wait.

25:16 I love it. Well, I appreciate your time. Thank you so much again for doing this, Bailey. And then I hope you do a tour and come to here in Nashville and play Me too. I will. I'll make a note. Nashville is included. I love it. Well, I asked you this last time. I'm going to ask you the same question again. I want to know if you have any advice for aspiring artists. I would say to keep pushing and keep trying new things. If what you're doing isn't showing any results, I've had to push myself out of bounds and get a little bit uncomfortable and annoy people. To push your music out there, you have to be annoying, and you just have to get past it. And I post every single day because you never know who's going to view the video, and you never know if you if that's gonna be the one to blow your song up. I didn't know with happy ending, and I just tried something and it worked. Just keep trying and trying and trying.

26:03 And that's my advice. Be extremely persistent and determined, and success will find you. Bringing it backwards? Bringing it backwards? Bringing it backwards? Bringing it back? Bring it back? Bring it back?