WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
Though she may not exactly be putting brush to canvas, Delaney Bailey imprints heavy feelings of heartbreak, betrayal, isolation, and uncertainty onto her music with alternately ethereal and expressive vocals. Her dynamic voice feels right at home layered into the fabric of otherworldly beat-craft, expansive sonic vistas, and living and breathing soundscapes.
Amassing hundreds of millions of streams and earning critical acclaim, she paints a portrait of who she is.
Growing up in Indiana, Delaney uncovered her passion for music early on. Given that she was named after Jimmy Buffet’s daughter, it’s perhaps no surprise. She went from listening to Norah Jones and Adele to My Chemical Romance, Pierce The Veil, Nick Drake, Lorde, and Grizzly Bear. Simultaneously, she honed her voice by singing in theater and choir throughout high school. With seven siblings, she had an unpredictable and interesting childhood, to say the least. As such, she developed keen empathy and a heightened sense of understanding.
“Since I grew up around so many different individuals, it became an important skill to learn why others were feeling the way they were and, in turn, why I was feeling how I was,” she goes on. “I knew what mood everybody would be in based on what was going and how to navigate it. I’ve always had an ability to look internally, and I don’t take it for granted. Maybe it contributed to me growing up a little too fast, but it makes for good songwriting.”
