Babylamb: "Being queer is still an act of rebellion here"

Boasting a bubblegum pop sensibility, Babylamb are a relatable quartet of self-described “sad, fresh-faced queers” - and they’re ready to take on the world in 2021. Tobias, Rian, Cian and Laoise are a joyful outfit, brimming with potential, despite having only released two singles to date. Nonetheless, the vibrant duo of ‘Bodyright’ and ‘Icky’ have marked them out as effervescent storytellers, with a dancefloor-friendly sound.

“It’s surreal, to be honest,” says Rian. “Last year’s list featured people we completely admire, like Denise Chaila. We’re in awe of her. It’s incredible, but also weird to be put on a similar list.”

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in our band,” guitarist Cian adds. “We’re pretty great, but I have such imposter syndrome being on a list of that calibre!”

Despite a housing crisis, chronic unemployment and other issues, Babylamb tackle the difficulties facing their generation head-on. Inspired by drag queen creativity, the band represent the club kid scene of the LGBTQ+ community.

“Gay club music is a big influence on me,” vocalist and producer Tobias says. “There was a drag queen performing at The George when I first met Rian, and it was one of those musical moments we shared that brought us closer as friends and injected itself into our music. It informs the situations we write for.”

“We get major inspiration from drag artists,” Rian adds. “We love the interaction, the accepting nature, the togetherness; there’s no wall between the artist and the audience.”

“Being queer is still an act of rebellion here,” pianist and vocalist Laoise says. “Shame is so entrenched in our whole culture, so something as joyous and freeing as theatrical performance feels special. There’s something revolutionary here about drag, because it’s the opposite of traditional Irish Catholic culture.”

“You could be out in a nightclub dancing with a random stranger, and in that moment, it doesn’t matter who either of you are,” Cian says. “You’re connected by this one shared experience. The best way I’ve been able to describe a Babylamb gig is that everyone there wants to fucking party. Whatever else happens aside from that, a good time will be had.”

“We also do well with the goths,” Tobias laughs. “They’re drawn to us!”

“We’ve got the goths, the girls and the gays,” Rian quips.

“There’s a relatively small but very excited group of people when it comes to fans of Babylamb,” Tobias explains. “Our audience is like a family - they really root for us. Drag also showed me that a live show is more than just musicianship. If you’re paying attention to the people in front of you, that’s all you need - it’s about sharing: Irish people are drawn to that.”

The outfit have no plans for a debut album as of yet, and are focusing on consolidating their sound (and their ambitious dream of a Christine and the Queens collaboration). Given that the quartet work remotely on their music between Mayo and Dublin, lockdown hasn’t hindered their progress.

“Putting out an album would be the wrong decision at the moment,” comments Tobias. “When you have a small audience, you don’t want to fatigue them. We’re having fun putting out singles without feeling under pressure.”

“The idea of just dedicating yourself to making something beautiful like an album would be incredible, but that’s a far off dream,” Rian says. “Sitting in a room with someone and connecting with them has been everything this year, so next December I want to be partying in a room with these guys.”

“I would just love for us to be doing as many live shows as possible,” Laoise says. “That’s what I miss the most; loads of sweaty bodies in a tiny space together. I only met the lads in college, and now I could never imagine my life without them. Not everyone gets to make music with their best friends! We’re doing what we love, what’s the worst that can happen?”

• Babylamb’s second single ‘Icky’ is out now