MARVIN Exclusive: Bailey Spinn Turns Anxiety Into Anthem on “Fear of Going Out”

MARVIN: “fear of going out” feels like it cracks open Gen Z’s inner monologue of dread and overthinking. What moment in your own life made you want to put those feelings into a song?

BAILEY: After moving to LA, I was always trying to put myself out there and go to new experiences but every time I would come home, I had the same feeling of overthinking and regret. I would think about conversations I had with other people and start to wonder if I said something weird or embarrassing. I realized that I was afraid of leaving my house because being perceived by other people was overwhelming to me. I was in the studio with my producer explaining how I felt, and we came upon the idea of FOMO, which is the fear of missing out. A lot of people in my generation use this term when their friends go out without them, and they’re scared that they missed out on the fun. I felt the complete opposite of that which is the fear of going out, and the song came together right after that! I love to write music about personal experiences because it can help me to overcome whatever I’m going through.

Photo by Gemma Cross

MARVIN: The track hits hard with explosive guitars but still leaves space for vulnerability. How important was it for you to balance that chaos with honesty?

BAILEY: The balance was important to me because I wanted to feel personal, but not sad in nature. Fear of going out is an anthem for dancing around your house, sliding on the wood floors, and turning up the music all the way while singing at the top of your lungs. One of my favorite things in songwriting is the duality between a heavy track with personal, emotional lyrics on top. My lyrics are chaotic in an honest way, while the track brings a fun, high energy back to balance the feeling. I didn’t want fear of going out to feel like a sad song. I wanted it to be something that people could scream to in their house, and dance around like a weirdo.

MARVIN: You’ve described insecurity as a weight. What part of that heaviness do you feel comes through most in this single?

BAILEY: I think my insecurity shows more in the verses because I opened up about what exactly I do inside my house. I’m always active on my social media every day, but I don’t let people into the daily workings of my mind and life all the time. While writing fear of going out, I wanted people to know that I’m not as outgoing as I come across. In my second verse, I talk about staying inside my room and watching other people through my phone because it’s a comforting way to keep in contact without feeling left out. I really am stuck in my brain, and staying inside also represents not being able to escape the loop of overthinking. 

MARVIN: There’s a relatability here that feels almost universal. What do you hope fans hear in “fear of going out” that makes them feel less alone?

BAILEY: I hope fear of going out can help some of my more introverted fans feel seen too. It’s okay to want to stay inside and be by yourself, even if other people are pressuring you to come out. I’m someone that chooses to be alone a lot of the time, and I know that other people out there relate to me and feel the same way. I hope fans can relate to the honesty in my verses about sitting inside and overthinking interactions I had. Anxiety and overthinking can be hard to deal with and I want fear of going out to be an avenue for people that need to know someone understands them.

MARVIN: Compared to the anthems on loser, this track feels like it’s leaning into a darker corner of your world. Was that an intentional shift or a natural progression?

BAILEY: Shifting into a darker sound was definitely intentional and also natural because as I’ve gotten more into rock music, I’ve slowly been listening to heavier music. Recently, I’ve been inspired by some very heavy bands, and I wanted fear of going out to be a small stepping stone to introduce my fans into the heavier sound. my fans can definitely expect so much heavier and darker music in the future.

Photo by Gemma Cross

MARVIN: When you were writing it, was there a lyric that scared you to share because it felt too close to home?

BAILEY: In the second verse, I say “so call me a no-show, I’ll just watch from my phone”, which is one of the most honest lyrics in the song for me. One thing I don’t open up about as much is using social media to see what other people are doing, but staying inside and not actually talking to anyone. I know a lot of other people also get stuck up on what others are doing without them, and it can be hard to ignore when people are having fun without you. In this era of social media, it is easy to watch and see so many things you’re missing out on. 

MARVIN: With 20M people tuned in, does releasing a song about anxiety feel like exposure therapy, or empowerment?

BAILEY: When I write music, I’m all about empowerment. I love to write down whatever is on my mind to try to overcome it, and it’s my time to open up about personal experiences. Through turning emotions into a song, I am able to figure out exactly how I’m feeling to help myself and hopefully others as well. Through fear of going out, I wanted to reclaim my power over my own anxiety, and to shed light on the mind of an introvert and overthinker.

MARVIN: You performed at When We Were Young surrounded by unapologetic energy. Did that experience influence the confidence behind this new track at all?

BAILEY: I performed at an emo night side show during When We Were Young festival and the energy of the crowd definitely encouraged me to keep working on my own project, so that one day I can perform on the real festival stage. I had never performed in front of a crowd that big before, and their enthusiasm was unmatched. Performing on a stage that big for like-minded people definitely gave me the confidence to keep going no matter what.

MARVIN: If someone pressed play on “fear of going out” having never heard Bailey Spinn before, what version of yourself do you think they’d meet in this song?

BAILEY: I think they would meet the best version of myself, because every day I’m working to improve and fear of going out represents my most confident self yet. I’m all about embracing what is different about me and being my most authentic self which is exactly what I encourage others to do as well. In fear of going out, they would meet a fun, loving, and energetic Bailey!

Photo by Gemma Cross

MARVIN: You’ve already built a debut album, played major festivals, and earned critical spotlight. Where does this single sit in your story so far? Where do you see it pointing you next?

BAILEY: My single fear of going out is the beginning of a new era, leaning into a darker heavier version of myself. It is the first stepping stone into a much bigger picture that I can’t wait for fans to see. I plan on releasing more singles soon off of a bigger project my fans can expect sometime in the next year! My goal is to go on tour again to see some fans live and to even play a festival one day!