Pop/Review Bailey Grey - USE ME

Bailey Grey is a singer/songwriter and actor from New Jersey whose music fuses pop with indie rock and jazz stylings. Her acrobatic voice and grounded songwriting let her navigate wildly different genres while always sounding at home. Reminiscent of artists like Amy Winehouse, Sara Bareilles, Dodie, Joni Mitchell, and Fiona Apple, she connects with the world through music that is honest and relatable.

"USE ME," Bailey Grey's first single, is a clever, whimsical, and unquestionably catchy prelude to her upcoming album in May “Love it All.” With light pop compositions, jazzy piano riffs, and a dash of theatrical flair, Grey offers a novel and fascinating perspective on a subject that most musicians avoid: what happens to our bodies after we pass away. However, she uses comedy and compassion to turn the story on its head rather than delving into morbidity.

"USE ME," which was produced by Sam Cook-Stuntz at Homespun Audio in Seattle, is flawlessly produced, showcasing Bailey's witty lyrics and emotive vocals. Despite dragging you into her lighthearted perspective, her performance feels like a mischievous wink to the audience, appealing to a very human need to be useful, even in death. The arrangement of the song has a sense of retro flair, reminiscent of early Regina Spektor or classic show tunes, but Bailey makes it uniquely her own.

It's humorous and somehow touching lyrically. "USE ME" demonstrates Bailey's talent for taking unusual themes and turning them into emotionally stirring, musically complex compositions. “Love it All” looks to be a daring, eccentric, and emotional album.

Bailey Grey is not only leaving her imprint with "USE ME," but she is also raising the standard for a new generation of pop storytellers who are fearless, unvarnished, and unabashedly themselves.