Words By: Bre Offenberger

Americana singer-songwriter Rachel Baiman has released “Joke’s On Me,” the first single off her forthcoming sophomore album, Cycles, due out June 11 via Signature Sounds. Baiman, with her Brandi Carlile-esque sound paired with her own recognizable sound, has raised the standard for singles that are meant to draw album hype.

Baiman goes right into it, blaming only herself for every poor decision she’s made and flips the idiom “joke’s on you” back to herself. A steady acoustic guitar follows her all the way through her revelation, while gently patting drum brushes stays close behind. Even though she is working tirelessly to achieve everything she wants in life, she keeps getting beaten down and, most of the time, doesn’t want to get back up. However, she keeps trying to remain positive, but that causes her to lose “every day to tomorrow,” not being able to enjoy the present moment. In the last minute, an electric guitar shines, spewing the hard-to-reveal emotions Baiman can’t. The track ends with her same struggles, not showing any sign of forward progression — which is all too real for those trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel of the pandemic.

Of the single, Baiman shares: “‘Joke’s On Me’ was written in a moment of frustration, self-loathing and ridicule of my own mind. I’m an ambitious person and find it impossible to stop working towards a goal. I realize I’ve gone too far too make something happen when I’m no longer enjoying it. Pressure on artists to self-promote is at an all time high, and it takes a toll on mental health. I could easily destroy my own happiness in the pursuit of my career, so I try to find balance between making great art, working towards the next step, enjoying the process, and remembering my dream: to spend each day creatively… much easier said than done.”

“Joke’s On Me” was co-written by Olivia Hally, the frontwoman of Oh Pep! who also help co-produce Cycles. The 10-track forthcoming album is a product of a mostly women-led crew, including the likes of Shani Gandhi, Bree Hartley, Jenee Fleenor and more. Cycles is the follow-up to Shame, a debut album that was instantly lauded by critics everywhere. Baiman is scheduled to do in-person shows later this year, pending COVID-19 restrictions, after her upcoming livestream on April 9. For the time being, sit back, put your headphones in and let Baiman and her painstakingly raw music consume you.

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