Fresh off the release of her debut album, Bailey Spinn is taking the world by storm. From storytelling to personal relationships, ‘loser’ is her most personal story to date. She sat down with Atwood Magazine to discuss her blend of genres, sound, and history.

Stream: ‘loser’ – Bailey Spinn

Nestled between rows of velvet seats at the Majestic Theater, Bailey Spinn found her calling as a musician.

“I saw a bunch of Broadway shows in New York with my dad growing up,” Spinn says. “I also played a bunch of instruments and always loved to sing.” Creativity has been a driving force throughout her personal and professional life, eventually pushing her to begin a career as an influencer on TikTok.

Growing up in the generation of YouTubers, Spinn always sought a modern avenue for content creation. “When TikTok came around, I saw it as an opportunity to start posting and creating some short-form content.” Her career began long before she performed on stages across the country, with her “POV” (Point of View) videos gaining her millions of followers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Millennials often criticize Gen Z (1997–2012) for being afraid to be “cringe” or put themselves out there, due to the ever-present reality that anything can end up online. Creating short-form, character, and skit-based content helped Spinn become more comfortable expressing herself publicly.

“It took maybe two years of me doing social media, then I started posting covers, and then I moved into my own music,” Spinn shares. “I made a very gradual transition from social media into music and tried to work it in with my content for my comfort and my audience’s.”

In 2024, Spinn wiped her socials and began exclusively posting music content, despite making her music debut in 2023.

Her EP My Worst Enemy received massive success with millions of streams and was followed by a national tour. Throughout 2024, she released several singles leading up to her debut album, Loser, in March of this year.

loser - Bailey Spinn — loser – Bailey Spinn

“I do draw from my personal relationships and things that I’m feeling,” Spinn says of her creative process. “I also have a little Avril Lavigne notebook and a pink fluffy pen that I write all of my songs with, and it’s kind of like my little good luck charm. I’m very old-fashioned in that sense. You won’t see me typing on my computer.”

Loser showcases Spinn’s growth and versatility as a songwriter. “I’ve been able to write about more fictional scenarios – things that may be relatable that maybe I haven’t experienced myself. Still, it’s all about the artistry and learning what you can create,” she says.

Spinn credits Olivia Rodrigo, Pierce the Veil, and Avril Lavigne as some of her biggest musical inspirations. But the creation of her album also inspired her to branch out beyond her usual genres.

“There’s some pop-rock, some heavier rock, some 2000s energy, and fully orchestrated ballads,” she shares. “I’ve gone all over the place and tried to expand my palate a little bit because I love rock music. I wanted to hit all of my bases with this upcoming album.”

Novelty is both daunting and thrilling for rising creatives. Where some artists are embarrassed by their old work, Spinn finds that her years as an influencer helped her find confidence in every stage of fame.

“I’ve been able to learn a lot about myself and how comfortable I am behind a camera,” she says. “I know what to expect during these interviews and how I want to portray myself.”

Success in a creative field often goes hand in hand with visibility. In the age of the internet, parasocial relationships can complicate artists’ connections with their fans.

“I love being honest in all my interviews, but there are also things you can keep to yourself,” Spinn shares. “You don’t have to share every single thing about you; I’ve been able to set boundaries with what I do and do not want to share online, which has made me way more comfortable with it.”

Her time as a social media personality has shaped how she engages with her fanbase beyond the screen. While some artists find their early digital footprints cringeworthy, Spinn values it.

“I’m proud of all my past projects, knowing that I loved them during the time and that they may be aging, but I’m aging with them. It’s cool to see the growth that happens within a project like that.”

Social media gives fans unprecedented access to celebrities. While it’s easy for fans to comment on how much they love an artist’s music, negative feedback is just as accessible.

Spinn has learned to focus on the positive – especially during live shows.

The Happy Ending Tour was Spinn’s first full-length tour. “I had done three small shows when I came out with my first EP,” she recalls. “Now that I’ve done the full thing, I’ve become much more comfortable as a performer – not just on stage and knowing where my presence lies, but also not trying to do too much and connecting with the audience.”

Whether she’s playing a variety of covers or her own emotional rock ballads – or just remembering to pack a vocal steamer – Spinn is ready for whatever the Loser era brings. Touring as a musician is exhilarating but also physically and mentally demanding, with long travel hours and late-night performances.

Among her favorite memories from the last tour was a spontaneous stop at Buc-ee’s. “We ate brisket sandwiches in the van, and it was awesome. We also went to the World’s Largest Truck Stop, and that was really cool,” she says. Her words linger on the excitement of memories yet to be made.

Spinn is known for teasing new music on TikTok. Loser features several of those songs, from her lead single “Cheap Motel” to the deep cut “Kiss of Death.”

Before the album dropped, she had only shared “Kiss of Death” once online, but it’s the track she’s most excited to play live. “It’s a bit of a different genre, more of an Evanescence ballad compared to my more upbeat, fun pop-rock music,” she says.

“It’s going to be awesome to connect with fans one-on-one like that, slow it down, and be able to really get all my emotions out. It’s a song that I could definitely see people crying to, so I’m hoping to see a few people that connect with it like I do.”

Live music feels personal, and the “I made it” moments often come from crowd reactions – whether it’s one fan crying in the front row or a full crowd shouting a chorus. These moments are what make concerts so impactful for artists and audiences alike.

Spinn sees her live performances as an opportunity to pay homage to the artists she grew up listening to.

“I think I’m going for Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl’ because I also learned going out and touring the first time that I have a very young audience,” she states. “I love them so much.”

As a longtime Rodrigo fan, this track feels especially relatable for Spinn – and likely her audience. Its high energy and relatability make it a crowd-pleaser.

“Last time I was saying Pierce The Veil,” Spinn says, “and we had a fun game of seeing how many people would know it per night. It would be one or two people, sometimes zero. This time, I wanted to do something that maybe my audience could connect with and sing a little bit more.”

In her own songwriting, Spinn has learned not to force ideas. While her inspiration often comes from personal experiences, embracing storytelling has given her a new creative approach.

“Sometimes we’ll get into a session where you create nothing, and other times it’ll flow super, super easily,” she says. Listening to music that inspires her—either sonically or lyrically – has helped her shift her mindset in the studio.

“Cheap Motel,” the lead single from her album, marked a turning point in her songwriting. “I had been going through some struggles in my personal relationship where I didn’t feel like I was enough, and my time wasn’t being respected – I wasn’t being respected at all by this person,” she says.

The track was her first collaboration with producer Anton DeLost. Their partnership allowed her to translate her emotions into a vivid metaphor, comparing a toxic relationship to a rundown motel.

“We created this entire storyline starting from the beginning of coming into the hotel room, and how this person is disrespecting me and doesn’t respect my time, how people do not respect motel rooms,” Spinn says. “It ends up being treated like trash, even if it’s not.”

Before the album’s release, Spinn had planned to release “Super Glue” as the second single. After teasing it on social media, fans quickly gravitated toward the track’s punchy chorus. Now that the full album is out, both Spinn and her fans are thrilled to have it. With its energetic guitar riffs and punk-rock lyrics, it’s a highlight of her live shows.

Although she’s still in the early stages of her music career, Spinn’s love of music shines through every performance. Her ability to seamlessly navigate genres appeals to a wide audience – and it’s clear she’s just getting started.

Follow Bailey Spinn on Instagram and TikTok. You can stay updated about new music and more here.

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