Liam Reyes, who goes by his artist name BABYBOYBLUE, is a Filipino artist and producer currently based in New York, whose sound displays touches of electronic pop crossed with a more indie approach.

"MOCHA" his most current single, is a project he did in collaboration with fellow artist Ryan Mitchell Grey. Impressively, the two artists developed the track entirely over Zoom, which I believe showcases how artists can overcome the obstacles of the current pandemic despite its limitations. According to them, it all began with the idea of starting a song based on a single word. That word was "MOCHA", which then influenced the entire concept of the song and the theme of "relationship tropes being used in future partners after a breakup", states BABYBOYBLUE.

Over the last 7 years, BABYBOYBLUE has produced music independently for both himself and other artists, both he and Ryan Mitchell Grey have stemmed from the same music scene in New York, surrounded by bands that played punk and consistently witnessing the new singer-songwriter acts that came about within the Philippine community there. However, over the years, both their sounds have taken on a more modern electronic vision.

BABYBOYBLUE was behind the production of the song, stating that they "were heavily inspired by The 1975" and even dubbed it their own "Somebody Else". They also drew inspiration from "Lie 2 Me" by OPM artist Fern. using a vocoder and harmony engine. Additionally, he's stated that producers like Illmind, Jesse Barrera, and artists such as Jon Bellion play a hugely inspirational role in his music. As he's begun to develop a more electronic sound, his works have been compared to the likes of Calvin Harris and Zedd.

Upon first hearing "MOCHA", I was immediately drawn to the emotional undertones in both the nostalgia of the lyrics and melodies. There is a sweetness, which, upon discovering more of his music, I also found in his popular collaborative track with artist Marylou Villegas "peaches". Its uplifting lightheartedness is indicative of the success of the track and of how much more he will find in the future. "MOCHA" is definitely one of those tracks you can reminisce with while on a drive.

It is clear that BABYBOYBLUE's experience within the music community in New York has helped him to establish his sound which is responsible for his achievements, including one of his songs being featured on the popular CBS show’s The Young and The Restless, and Spotify plays with other artists raking up to 2 million streams.

Lyrically, BABYBOYBLUE also tackles topics such as mental health in many of his songs and the importance of battling through tough times.

"I always push the message of always being yourself and fighting through the motions that make you feel pushed back. I always make my music in hopes that it helps people, whether it be through its messaging or with the sound itself to make them feel great." — BABYBOYBLUE on the meaning behind his music.

In the future, he looks forward to continuing his collaborations with other interesting artists as well as releasing new singles. There is definitely a rawness and honesty that can be heard from BABYBOYBLUE's music, which I believe will make for an exciting and promising journey to watch.

About The Author

For Stephanie, her passion for writing has always been there, whether it was writing poetry, songs, essays or articles. Over the years, her involvement as a Singer-Songwriter in the Philippine music community combined with her passion for a wide variety of music makes her a great ear for hearing which arising artists stand out. She is currently making music with the pop electronic band SYLAS.