September 4, 2024 |
Multidisciplinary artist Daisy Warne, you’ll know her as Babii, unveils a new personal single ‘Sweet Tooth’ – taken straight off her upcoming third album DareDeviil200, out this October. The newest track from the mix-jockey, is a futuristic result of post-club and UK Garage sounds elevated with sci-fi beats and Warne’s signature enigmatical vocals.
A storyteller of both dreamlike and real world issues, the UK-based artist began laying her solo musical foundation with 2019’s debut album Hiide and 2021’s Miirror, and followed up with a sling of collaborative mixtapes collections with artists Igloohost, Kai Whiston and Pholo. Babii has built a name for herself within the electronic dance genre by combining her soft, nymph-like vocals and textured beats to create a Björk-level immersive universe.
The newest record release rides off the back of previous single, ‘JOYR1DE’ and ‘Scarface’, plucked from Warne’s anticipated album DareDeviil200 releasing October 11th. Following her third album release with a strong celebration, Warne will host an immersive event “The DD2000 Collection Investigation and Seized Evidence Auction” at Hackneys’ Metamorphika Studios running from October 11th to 20th. The launch event comes ahead of a six-date Asia tour hitting up cities throughout Japan and China – a familiar territory for Warne following her successful stint with artist Iglooghost on tour earlier this year. Talk about being booked and busy.
We sit down with Warne ahead of her ‘Sweet Tooth’ release to chat about what her average stan is like, the fast-approaching album release and what we can expect next from her sound.
1. Who is Babii?
Let me rephrase that, because you should have asked, ‘Who the hell is Babii?’ Those were the words printed on my first-ever piece of merchandise: a bright orange long-sleeve T-shirt. It was pretty swag. I went on tour with Iglooghost before I even had any music out, and I thought it would be funny to print the words that were probably going through people’s minds at the time. Looking back, it’s fascinating, as I was managing to make a lot of noise, especially for someone without any a single release. I did everything backwards – not only did I go on tour before releasing music, but when I finally released music, it was my debut album. I love reaching beyond what should be possible or normal, all the rules you think you have to follow aren’t real anyway. If you want to exist in a certain space, just jump in, do your thing, and let people ask, ‘Who the hell is ______?’
2. How would you describe your sound in three words?
Ethereal fist fight.
3. How would you describe the average Babii stan?
If it’s true that an audience is a reflection of you as an artist and what you create, then I like what I see. I genuinely love every Babii stan. You can tell just by looking at pictures and videos from my live shows that the feeling is mutual. Honestly, though, there isn’t really an ‘average’ Babii stan – they are all so unique and different from one another. If I were to try and combine them into a single, average Babii stan, it would be like a demented, asymmetrical Frankenstein’s monster, constantly shifting between 100 contradicting personality traits. One thing they all share, though, is this incredible, almost indescribable energy that is both kind and tough at the same time. They’ll form a mosh pit and crash into each other, but in a nice way – like play fighting. I’d say that energy definitely reflects the music I make. Anyway, they’re all 10/10, and I love them forever.
4. What inspired the name of your upcoming album?
I named the album before I had actually made it or even had any idea what it was gonna be. What happened was, I was walking around the estate close to my old house and there were some kids playing truth or dare and causing mischief. And one of them ran up to me and asked me for a fiver, but quickly bottled it and admitted it was just a dare. I jokingly called him a little daredevil, and the word just got stuck in my head. So much so, I decided I wanted to create an album called Daredevil. I added ‘2000’ to the title because I love how new models of power tools or gadgets often get a number tacked on to make them sound epic, even if the changes are minimal. I like to imagine Daredeviil2000 as a master truth-or-dare player – someone who would need those skills to survive in hell.
5. The visuals for your music have a very nostalgic video game aesthetic, what is your favourite video game of all time?
It’s interesting that you think that, and I can see why, but it’s actually more inspired by movies than video games. Films like Batman and Robin (1997) and the live-action Scooby-Doo movies were big influences. But if you must know, I love Fable 2 with all my heart. I’ve played it so many times. I actually sold my old Xbox at a car boot sale with a 100 percent completed saved game of Fable, owning every property and basically turning it into a gold generator. I was like the Jeff Bezos of Fable. There’s probably like 1000000000000000 gold in there now. I have to admit though it was mega boring if I ever opened that save because everything felt meaningless. I wonder if all these mega billionaires feel like that in real life?
6. In three words, describe Daredeviil2000?
Spiritual, criminal biometrics
7. Your single ‘Sweet Tooth’ drops today – what inspired that track?
My entire album is centred around the nine circles of hell and their corresponding sins. ‘Sweet Tooth’ represents the sin of gluttony, which I interpreted as addiction. The song explores that overwhelming feeling of losing control when addiction takes over, overriding every rational thought that tells you not to engage in a self-destructive act. While writing it, I became obsessed with watching YouTube videos that analysed the behavioural science behind the reality TV show 1000lb Best Friends. I was both fascinated and moved by the extreme struggles with food addiction that these individuals were facing. I ended up diving deep into research for this song, which not only helped me better understand addiction but also allowed me to find compassion and forgiveness for my own struggles and those of the people around me during the process of writing it.
8. Your music often delves into complex and challenging situations that life can put us in, what is one piece of advice you would give to listeners off the back of completing this album?
Forgive. Forgiveness and understanding are acts of liberation that free you from the chains of victimhood. They don’t have to excuse someone’s wrongdoings, but whether you’re extending that forgiveness and understanding to yourself or to others, it should always be something you do for your own peace – to let go and move forward.
9. If you could only listen to one record for the rest of your life, what would it be?
David Holmes Essential Mix 98/01. I have had a bootleg tape of that my dad gave to me as a child and I’ve listened to it 100000 times. If I’m not sick of it by now I’m sure I’ll never get sick of it.
10. What album would you say has had the most impact on your artistry?
Alopecia by Why?. There’s lot of reasons for this but first and foremost is changed the way I thought about lyrics forever!
