You’ve been thrown off the dock by an all-knowing force. You must swim. That’s the premise of change and trust for sibling trio BAILEN. Julia, David, and Daniel Bailen, blend indie rock, folk, pop, and psychedelia, anchored by three-part harmonies. Following “Thrilled to Be Here” (2019) and “Tired Hearts” (2023), the New York City natives enter a new chapter with their first fully independent album, “SWIM!!!”
In it, they take control of the creative process, from writing and producing to engineering and mixing, embracing the challenges of independence while reconsidering what it means to build a career on their own terms. In the KHOL studios between sets at a mental health conference they told KHOL’s Morning Host John Garcia that they now rely less on outside approval and more on instinct. For BAILEN, “SWIM!!!” is about finding the confidence to move forward, even when there’s no clear roadmap.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. — Ed.
Support for this arts and cultural coverage comes from the Wyoming Arts Council.
John Garcia: You’re entering this new chapter with your first fully independent album, “SWIM!!!”. The title almost sounds like a command; jump in and figure it out. Is that how this experience has felt?
Daniel Bailen: It’s our first independent release, and it kind of just embodies what it feels like to put out an album independently
Julia Baelin: You learn something new about the music industry every day that you wish wasn’t true. We’re just trying to kind of make it our own.
JG: You have all had a hand in the creative process, from writing and producing to engineering and mixing. What does having that much control over your music give you?
DB: It’s more work, but what you get back feels like ten times what you feel when you’re working on a label,” Daniel explained. The freedom also allows the siblings to follow their ideas without waiting for outside approval. They can experiment, make decisions together, and shape a record according to their shared vision. There are challenges, of course. Ultimately, the shift is about agency. Having the freedom to make decisions about their music and career rather than assuming someone else knows best.
JG: That brings us to trusting yourself. After years of working in the industry, have you reached a point where you’re more confident in your creative instincts?
“I think we just kind of can trust that we have good instincts on musical stuff,” said Julia. The band acknowledged how easy it can be to defer to people with more experience or perceived authority. After years of working with different people, they’ve accumulated knowledge of their own. “We had a lot of experience under our belt at this point and have learned so much from the people that we’ve worked with.” That confidence has also been reinforced by the people who connect with their music. The band spoke about seeing fans at shows who care deeply about their songs, even getting tattoos of their lyrics. “When you have a community that believes in you and you see it at your shows, it’s more encouraging and helpful to follow your instincts,” says Daniel. It is a powerful reminder that the value of music can’t always be measured in streams or followers. For BAILEN, seeing their music affect people personally has been a meaningful way to reconnect with why they make it in the first place.
JG: The three of you are siblings as well as bandmates. How does that relationship shape the way you write together, especially when you have different ideas about where a song should go?
Of course, working with family can have its complications. When asked whether they disagree during the creative process, the answer was immediate: “Oh, we definitely fight!” However, there is an upside to that familiarity. “It’s definitely easier to be blunt and to say the thing that you have to be political about with people that aren’t your siblings,” Julia explained. That can make the creative process a bit tense at times, but it also helps the band get to the heart of an idea. The band find it easy to challenge one another without losing sight of their shared goal: making the best music possible.
JG: You each bring different creative instincts to the table. How do you balance those individual voices without losing the identity of BAILEN?
“We’re all three individual songwriters within the group,” said David, describing the importance of following each person’s creative impulses. That means leaving room for unexpected choices, from unusual harmonies and chords to melodies that move beyond familiar genre boundaries. Rather than settling into one lane, the group allows its individual personalities to shape the music. Those differences can create a natural push and pull. One sibling might want something more experimental or confrontational, while another might steer it toward something more accessible or pop-oriented. Rather than seeing those differences as obstacles, the siblings use them to find the perfect balance.
JG: If “SWIM!!!” represents a new chapter for the band, what do you hope people take away from it?
“Don’t let people tell you that you don’t know what you’re talking about, because I think you probably do most of the time.” It’s a fitting message for a band learning to navigate independence on its own terms. “SWIM!!!” represents a willingness to take risks, trust experience, and follow creative instincts without constantly second-guessing every decision.
For more information about BAILEN go to bailentheband.com.
