waterbaby - “911”

SXSW 2024 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 8

Pairs Well With…Billie Eilish, Pink Pantheress, Remi Wolf

Singing softly over a creative blend of dreamy pop and R&B, waterbaby has struck a unique, swaying chord on her debut EP Foam. Incorporating bedroom folk, hip hop, and dance-pop moments, Foam features a genreless ambition while keeping a cool pocket throughout her five debut tracks. An advanced new artist in a delicate space, waterbaby is even able to make “Wee ooo wee ooo” a striking chorus as they replicate the sound of a siren with a surprising nonchalance on key single “911”. Followed by a touch of orchestral strings repeating the melody at the end of the song, it adds a sense of grandeur before quickly receding back into waterbaby’s ocean. Delicate, raw ballad “Born too late” balances more pop-oriented track “Airforce blue”, consistently understated while still being fully enticing. Folk and R&B combined in a way that avoids neo-soul nostalgia, there’s something special in waterbaby’s sound and makes her one of the top finds through Operation Every Band so far this year. (Kevin McStravick)