BAYWUD has sweetly graced our presence on various occasions this past year, and we're nothing but honored to share his latest heartfelt piece titled, "Where Was I Then."
Gearing for the upcoming release of his debut EP, 'MMXX,' BAYWUD has seen incredible success through the project's previously released singles that have been rotated through plenty of US radio stations. All song's produced by Rune Westberg (Adam Lambert, Colbie Caillat, Our Lady Peace, etc.). The project offers beauty through each intricate arrangement and in-depth concept.
Regarding one song off the EP titled, "Where Was I Then," BAYWUD locks in our attention with a heartbreaking tune that reminds us to appreciate each moment life offers. Stating that the song was inspired by a friend who passed away, listeners can notice and relate to the emotional struggles that BAYWUD devastatingly sings of. Through sweet and serene Folk instrumentation, the piece offers heart and soul in a matter of minutes.
"Where Was I Then" begins with warm background vocals and soft acoustic guitar melodies, setting a sombre yet intriguing atmosphere. Once BAYWUD's tender vocals appear singing a heavy story of losing a friend, he takes his time to deliver the meaning of each lyric he's vulnerably written. As the surrounding instrumentation slowly escalates with soft piano melodies, delicate drum patterns, and subtle yet melodic background keys, we're able to feel this aching and soulful sensation that the song naturally exudes.
BAYWUD continues to sing of the tragic moment that changed his world while keeping us engaged through his naturally chilling performance. With a harmonica solo around the outro, BAYWUD has perfectly crafted this song to offer immense heart and soul while bidding adieu to a near and dear friend.
We always appreciate the sweet stylings of BAYWUD, especially through the most sincere and delicate pieces of his discography "Where Was I Then." Be sure to check out BAYWUD's debut EP, 'MMXX,' out now.
You’ve given us chills with your latest tender and emotional release, “Where Was I Then.” Seeing as you typically write such heartfelt and genuine pieces, was it more challenging this time around when writing about a friend you’ve tragically lost? Yes and no. I think when you dive into an idea for a song, and the concept is something that really resonates and inspires you, the song just writes itself at some point. You know what you want to say. That being said, this was a bit of a challenge, in the sense that it was very emotional for me. It’s a song about suicide and I cried during the process. It brought back so much emotion and so many memories. I couldn’t keep myself together at one point but ultimately, it was exactly what I wanted the song to be. It’s a sad song. It is meant to be a song that makes you think. We all have certain regrets in life, and this was a big one for me. I wish I could have done more for my friend. When creating your instrumentals for "Where Was I Then," how did you formulate your melodies and instrumentation to offer an equally emotional atmosphere as your lyrics? I had a verse and a chorus that I composed on the piano that really expressed the idea of what I was waiting for in the song. Once Rune Westberg and I got to writing, it just felt right to have the whole song be this one big question, ‘Where was I’ ?. It expressed exactly how I felt. I think with Suicide, it always ends up leaving a lot of unanswered questions. We often don’t think about the loved ones that are left behind because of it. We ended up using the guitar for the lead instrument. It really gave the song the emotion that we were looking for. Regarding the soulful and tender instrumentals within your song, “Where Was I Then," what was your creative process like with Producer, Rune Westberg when crafting the song's instrumentals and sonics? We’ve written several songs together, and we have just always clicked in our songwriting. Once we had most of the song written, we came to the bridge, and he brought out the harmonica and started doing his thing. I lost it right then and there. It was perfect. The harmonica has such an emotional, bluesy delivery when played a certain way, and It just brought the whole song to a close. With your debut EP, 'MMXX,’ is there a particular concept you deliver throughout the project? What role does “Where Was I Then” play in the EP? Absolutely. I think, because of the pandemic, this year has been a struggle for so many people. My previous two singles expressed all the issues so I thought I would do some slowed-down acoustic versions of the songs. These two songs are really about helping each other, holding on to each other, and being there for one another. And this year, especially, I thought it was important. ‘Where Was I Then’ was crucial for the EP. I think because of what’s going depression is on the rise. Suicide cases will be higher, most certainly. The message of the song is to allow us to take note of this, and make sure to reach out to our friends, our family, even strangers… We all need to let each other know that we must help each other through this difficult time. Don’t ignore the signs before it’s too late. Call the hotline if need be 1-800-273-8255. What can fans anticipate to hear next from you?
I have a lot of exciting things coming. I will be releasing a couple of singles at the beginning of the new year, and have a full album coming out in the spring that I’m excited to share. It’s a great mix of songs. So, stay tuned.