How to Be Outside, Inside Featuring BAYLI
Brooklyn-bred pop and R&B singer BAYLI shares her perfect New York day and her favorite spots to refuel and clear her mind.
Photo by Angel Rivera.
Raised in Bedstuy by way of Long Island, BAYLI is no stranger to the fuss and buzz of New York. She cut her musical teeth in the punk-soul band, The Skins, alongside siblings Reef and Kaya, where she honed her skills under the guidance of legendary producer Rick Rubin. Her unique sound is a harmonious clash of pulsating beats and unapologetic lyrics. A fixture in the queer, alternative club scene, these days, she’s focused on her sobriety and her forthcoming solo EP, No ReEntry, dropping November 11. To maintain the balance, her days off are a blend of long walks through her Fort Greene neighborhood and chill vibes at her favorite eateries and uncrowded, loungey bars.
Okayplayer: When you want to be “outside” without really being OUTSIDE, where do you go in NYC?
BAYLI: Not to expose my tea but… I love staying local in my neighborhood. I’ll hit the Fort Greene Park farmer’s market or sit on my favorite bench there with my girlfriend. It’s so tree-lined where I live — I can literally walk down the side streets with Brownstones and feel like I’m in a movie, just wandering and thinking about life and my goals. Restaurant-wise, my forever fave is Evelina — I call it my second home. For date nights, though… Kiki’s in Dimes Square has my whole heart. It’s the perfect mix of chill and hot.
Where do you go when you want to be around people, but not overwhelmed by crowds?
Jeans in LES, hands down. I love pulling up on a lowkey night when the resident DJs are spinning. You can still feel sexy, cute, mysterious… but you don’t have to elbow your way to the bar.
What does your perfect NYC day look like, from morning to night?
My perfect day? Honestly, it’s hard to say at this moment. My life right now is a blur of work, family, and a million tabs open in my brain. Like, no shade, but we live in capitalist America. So the perfect NYC day for me is having nothing on the calendar, just an empty apartment, time to think, dream, and plot my next move. Probably ends with me linking one of my besties (they all live a few blocks away) and vibing somewhere local.
