“To be in a band? It’s about being in tune with each other.”
The Baby Cosmos, a band that officially burst onto the local music scene on May 10th, 2022, has swiftly made a name for themselves. The band comprises four talented members: Timothy, who leads with vocals and guitar; Darrel, the lead guitarist who also takes on vocals occasionally; Joseph handling the bass rhythms; and Shaun, who completes the ensemble on the drums.
This alternative rock band sees themselves more as storytellers rather than political commentators, striving to make music that resonates deeply with its listeners. They’re down-to-earth guys, the sort you’d encounter at your local mamak stall, but on stage, they transform into artists that you’d passionately admire as they deliver their songs. Renowned for their distinctive sound that stirs coming-of-age nostalgia and features lyrics that encompass themes of youth, love, heartbreak — and apparently ‘Christian worship’ — I had the opportunity to engage in conversation with the band.
It’s a Saturday afternoon, we’re at a loft sitting in a circle, and the chuckles have shifted the conversation topic to their songwriting approach.
Songwriting as a Band
The band’s music journey can be traced back to Joseph introducing the band to Audacity, a music production app, during the pandemic. Confined to their homes, Darrel took on the role of an impromptu producer, collecting tracks from Joseph and Tim. “I’d ask them to send me tracks on WhatsApp and then we’ll put them together,” Darrel explains. He acknowledges that Audacity’s sound quality wasn’t perfect, but it was indeed a nice place to start. After Shaun joined the band, he also started partaking in the songwriting process. He recounts, “When we’re alone at 3 am and have these random thoughts, we will start writing on our own.” Sometimes the melody comes together with the lyrics, but sometimes, as Tim describes, “We have the tune but no lyrics yet.” Even at times, the lyrics might be composed for their rhythmic quality or to convey a simple narrative. Over time, however, these words often take on new, more personal meanings.
“Sometimes when you write, you don’t really have anyone in mind at the moment. But after that, you would look back and think, ‘This has happened to me before!’. And if that happens to us, then it could resonate with other people as well.” One funny thing that Joseph mentioned was that, if listeners interpret the lyrics of “Right Here, Right Now” with Jesus in mind, it would instantly transform into a worship song. (I can confirm, it does!)
In any creative ensemble, especially one as dynamic as The Baby Cosmos, differing songwriting visions are bound to clash, especially between Timothy and Darrel. Darrel jokes, “Tim doesn’t like it when I use she/her pronouns, he prefers to use first person pronouns.” Despite their differences, the band consistently finds a middle ground by releasing songs that encompass a variety of stories and emotions, evident in their first EP, “Love and Other Addictions”.
The November 25th Concerts
In the whirlwind span of just under two years, The Baby Cosmos has held two concerts, both on the 25th of November in consecutive years, also collaborating with fellow local acts. Reflecting on the journey of organizing their sophomore concert compared to their first, the band share a collective moment of laughter and exasperation. Timothy adds on to the sentiment by saying, “It was nightmare fuel”.
The debut concert, a sold-out affair that drew an audience of 200 to Drum Asia Studio, came together with relative ease, thanks in part to Shaun’s resourcefulness. As for their second concert, headlined ‘Today, Tomorrow and Forever’, it was self-reliant and orchestrated without outside help. The boys explain, “For our second concert, we wanted to do it better and give it our all, so every bit of it was very stressful.” Despite the challenges, their stage presence has become more polished, a growth even Joseph’s mother attests to. “She told us that we seem more confident,” Joseph nods at the statement made by the other boys. Darrel adds on, “I used to struggle with looking in front, but now, I can face them head-on.”
Have You Made It?
At The 2nd Mic Awards, hosted by The Mic Stand, The Baby Cosmos clinched the title of Best Malaysian Rock Song 2023 with their hit “Tomorrow Never Knows”. When asked if this song has become the most memorable song for them, the boys unanimously respond that “Right Here, Right Now” still holds the title as it’s simply the symbol of their origins.
“Have you had that moment of “I’ve made it” yet?” I inquired, which they all collectively and humbly declined. Timothy even shared a piece of advice given to them by the bassist of Masdo: “slowly but surely”. This mantra seems to be encouraging the boys to take a more grounded approach to achieve that ‘moment’ soon.
However, there have been moments where they all felt that a big change is definitely happening in their life. One such instance, recalled fondly by Timothy, was their gig at the Methodist Boys' School’s IU Day, an alma mater of Shaun, their drummer. “We were the first outsider band at the school, and to watch them lose their cool was amazing,” Timothy reflects. After playing “It’s Momentary” live for the first time ever, the crowd yelled out for an encore, requesting for “Right Here, Right Now”. Even though the band hadn't rehearsed prior, they managed to deliver a riveting performance, evidenced by the sheer energy of the audience, with a student even being flung into the air in excitement. Shaun shares a personal highlight with a big smile, “My headmaster walked towards me and shook my hand. He said that he’s very proud of us and offered us more gigs. I was quite proud of us.”
The revelation of their burgeoning fan base among high school students brings a shy, almost disbelieving laughter from the band. They’re modestly coming to terms with their growing popularity. “When we played at Sri Hartamas’s IU Day, someone asked for a hug after a picture”, Darrel recalls, sharing a story that still baffles the boys. “We obviously see it happen to other people, but when we’re in this situation, we don’t really know what to do.” They’re bewildered by the ‘bias’ culture surrounding the members, but still express heartfelt gratitude for the support they’re receiving. Shaun, with a hint of humor, chimes in, “I don’t mind it though,” eliciting laughter from the band.
In Tune with the Band
Amidst the easy banter filling the room, it’s clear the band members share a deep bond with one another. Yet, as they reveal, this harmonious dynamic hasn’t always been prevalent. Shaun vulnerably admits, “Back when the band was still forming, I was going through a rough patch and wasn’t on the best terms with some of the members.” He then proceeds to apologize for his past actions, which was met with a chorus of warm, dismissive chuckles. Despite divergent personalities and living locations that physically separate them, they always try their best to work it out.
The most important part of The Baby Cosmos is being in tune, not only with their music, but with one another — it’s a connection that flourishes both on and off stage. They’re in tune as they’re on stage, gesturing to each other when one of them makes a mistake. “When I sing a wrong line, Darrel would shoot me a stare,” Tim jokes. Darrel himself is quick to add, “And when I make any mistake, I can see Joseph and Shaun smile at me.”
With this silent yet expressive communication that they fostered, the boys are more in tune than ever. Joseph encapsulates this by mentioning that he would never try to stand out on his own, but instead just wants to solely complement the band and enrich their collective melody. The selfless approach to music and to each other is what makes the band come alive in its own tune and rhythm.
What We Can Expect
To all the fans of The Baby Cosmos, the band informs that there will be new music released soon, in fact, before October 22nd of this year (the day their Amuse subscription expires). When asked about which bands they would love to play with, the band speaks fondly of other Malaysian acts, such as Dukes, Allester Shaun, Jaggfuzzbeats, Advents, and especially The Filters. The band has been profusely vocal about their love for The Filters’ stage presence and music production, which they would definitely want to work with professionally one day. As the interview is ongoing, Joseph’s wearing a merch from The Filters! Darrel also mentions that adding another musician in the band would be a great addition, such as a keyboardist or a saxophonist.
“Would there perhaps be a new sound then?” I asked. The band is open to trying new things but ultimately wants to establish their own general sound first. The band also teased about more future gigs, including a big one that’s happening soon!
Advice to Future Musicians
When asked to give advice to local musicians who want to release music as a band, Joseph immediately offers, “Making music is an expensive hobby.” Darrel joins in to explain, “Renting equipment, studios, gears and instruments are not cheap, which is why you will need to do it for the passion and exposure.” For lead singers, Timothy stresses the importance of mastering singing techniques, since it’s tough to handle vocals in a rock band, also reflecting on his own initial struggles. Lastly, always form a band with friends and company you enjoy, because compromising comes hand in hand with making music.
Shaun adds an encouraging note for aspiring musicians out there, “If you love music, you will find a way to make it work,” a sentiment echoed by the entire band, underlining their shared passion.
The charm of The Baby Cosmos lies in their authenticity; despite the newfound fame, the boys remain a tight-knit group of young friends, eager to share simple joys like thrifting together some time soon, just wanting to play music and have a good time.
For fans and those curious about their journey, check out their Instagram (@thebabycosmos) and their first EP “Love and Other Addiction” on Spotify! Don’t miss them at IGNITE: A Charity Showcase by PKM on 10th of March 2024, with tickets now available here. Experience their vibrant performance, and get ready to be captivated by their youthful energy.
Interviewed and Written by: Leah Khor Sue Ann
Leah Khor is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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