Earlier this month we shared the crazy catch "Home, Sweet Home" from Baby!, the first single of an upcoming Yellow K release. Ahead of the April release date, we chat with Kaley Honeycutt about writing, inspiration and giving back.

The Grey Estates: How did you get started in music and when did you first begin writing and playing?

Kaley Honeycutt aka Baby!: I started writing songs when I was a little kid. I would make songs up and sing them to my mom. I started writing on my own the summer before freshman year of high school. 

How long have you been working on this EP and your upcoming full length? Yellow K described it as bedroom pop so was this something you recorded and worked on in your bedroom? What's your musical space like?

I wrote alone and recorded in my bedroom for a really long time using a rock band mic and audacity. When I decided it was the right time to release something I reached out to this local band I found online called the death tremors. I really liked their sound and so I met up with the drummer, Riley Corcoran, and showed him one demo. We ended up recording a whole record in his living room. We recorded the full length over the coarse of four months. 

The EP was another story. It was recorded in two 4 hour sessions. With my pal Jesse who plays drums in a band called Palehound. He and his recording partner jack definitely had more of a studio setting, but it was small and cozy and with people I knew. Which is what I definitely prefer. 

How does it feel to be "signed" to Yellow K Records? How did that come out?

Signing to yellow K was definitely very rewarding because they found me on Instagram fairly quickly after I released a song online. So I feel really lucky because I know a lot of talented musicians who have been at it for a long time who really deserve recognition. I work really hard and put a lot of time into Baby! but I also acknowledge how lucky/privileged I am. 

What are some of your songs and the album about? Where did you take inspiration from for this release?

The single "home, sweet home" is about finding ways to feel a sense of home no matter where I am. I grew with 5 siblings and single mom and we were poor and moved around a lot. So after a while I started spending less time trying to make new friends and more time trying to write music and feel grounded in myself. The ep and full length both explore mental health, relationships, and finding a sense of self. 

How has the band changed since your first started and how do you bring to life your music when it comes to playing live? Do you have additional members that join you for live performances?

I've played with lots of different people in my live band. But I've always seen Baby! As a solo thing. I have a more consistent live band now. But even as we are ramping up for tour we are having to shuffle some members around. It's just people's availability. 

As far as the bands live energy I find it really important to get to know a person before they join the live band and make sure they enjoy the music and that they get along with everybody. Good live chemistry and positive energy is really important to me

How did it feel to have one of your tracks on the Pulse benefit compilation? And you also founded Ugly Orange? Do you wanna tell us a little more about that and what drove you to start something like that? Do you hope to do more benefit compilations in the future?

Releasing "If I'm Sorry" for the pulse compilation was really important to me. It felt really personal. The incident happened a few streets down from my place in Orlando. I remember frantically crying and calling all my friends to make sure they were okay. I was really lucky that none of my friends were involved. It made the front page of bandcamp and hopefully raised a lot of money for the families of the victims.

Ugly Orange was founded by me, Nicole Dvorak and Hannah Fregger last summer in Orlando. We were 3 women who wanted to book safe, artist-focused DIY shows. We would reach out to different artists to design posters and do art installations at the shows. And we would give all the money to the bands and artists. It took off really fast because the diy community is pretty small in Orlando. I have since moved away to focus on my music career but they continue to book amazing shows. And record live sessions with touring bands. If you tour through Orlando they are the go to. 

Fun Questins

What is the official Baby! candy?

I'm not sure if there is an official baby candy but I bring Dunkin' Donuts to practice a lot. lol. Especially if it's early in the morning.

if you weren't a singer, and you could have any dream job in the world what would it be?

I'm focusing on music now but I studied graphic design and I love doing art. I still do freelance work designing posters and album covers and other projects. I hope to really focus on that in the future.

If you could duet with anyone person who would it be?

I think it would be really cool to work with Karen O. I really look up to her.