Today we’d like to introduce you to Bailey Cogan.
Hi Bailey , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started writing music as a teenager experiencing my first heartbreak as a way to express my big feelings and got addicted to the alchemy of the process to help me process my emotions and experiences. Then, I met my bandmates through mutual friends, selling tacos at music festivals, and was in a music collective playing in all of eachothers projects with them for about 5 years. Some of our band mates left the band end of 2019 and Karl and I co-produced our album Portal Party when the pandemic hit and released that in 2021- Then I moved to new orleans for two years, and would come back here in the summer months to throw shows at a DIY space called the Bat Cave, missed the music scene and community here and moved back to minneapolis january 2024. This last February I put on a drag, puppet, music show with all original music at the Southern theater celebrating queer community and telling my story.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course not. Being a musician is working for crumbs. I’ve experienced lots of burn out from this career and it has hurt the pure relationship with the love of making albums and wanting to spread the thing that helped me heal in hopes to heal others or at least spread joy. Im organizing with TCUP (twin cities united performers) to try to change conditions in the performer space to help alleviate the burn out and get back to doing what i love. Also, having band members leave to pursue their dreams more fiercely was a grief that took a long time to process.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
26 BATS! is known for making music that is historically hard for journalists to categorize into a singular genre. I specialize in performing live and producing cohesive albums. I am most proud of throwing my drag, puppet, music show, Fairy Goblin, because that was a huge undertaking and ended up being a success! I am not apart from others I am just a mirror reflecting my perspective through an iridescent surrealistic lens.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My personal need for music to heal emotionally and my generosity and urge to share that experience with others. Also knowing the importance of trans and queer representation in the arts world and wanting to inspire the queer community to express themselves and make spaces for us to celebrate each other.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://26bats.com
- Instagram: @26bats
