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10 Questions with Limerick musician babybleach 10 Questions with Limerick musician babybleach

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10 Questions with Limerick musician babybleach

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Jake Hackett, known as babybleach, is a 25-year-old musical artist from Limerick

Jake Hackett, known as babybleach, is a 25-year-old musical artist from Limerick

Having always had an interest in music, Jake started playing guitar at age 12 and delved into genres such as blues, rock and classical, his first love, however, was always hip hop. Getting to see 50 Cent in concert when he was 6, albeit a questionable move by his parents, was always the direction he was going to go.

Spending his late teens and early twenties playing in various bands, and learning other instruments as well as production, he eventually began his solo journey as “babybleach” in 2021.

His music, which is undoubtedly some form of hip-hop, has many other noticeable influences which he considers to be a unique take on the genre.


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“I’ve been drawing on all of the different experiences I’ve had with music since I started playing it. Everything I love finds a way to creep into the mix. Whether it’s a flamenco melody on the classical guitar, a bluesy bass line or a grungey vocal harmony I feel compelled to make music that I want to listen to above all else and hope that some people get it,” he said.

Releasing singles such as “Voices” and “Walls” his latest single “Easier Said than Done” has been his most successful release to date, garnering a few thousand streams online and being selected for a Spin South West track of the week, there is also a music video in the works for this track that will be coming out soon. 

Being a part of OnLock- a music collective managed by Aaron Daly since the birth of Babybleach- he has performed at events around the city, such as at the commercial bar and venues like Pharmacia and the Wickham Way. He has also performed in Dublin at the RDS for Ireland’s biggest sneaker convention Sold Out. OnLock is all about community, Aaron (manager) and Jake (Babybleach) have also been involved in a music programme with the young people in the south hill hub.

Tell us about your childhood in Limerick

Growing up in Limerick, Having always had an interest in music, he started playing guitar at age 12 and delved into genres such as blues, rock and classical, his first love, however, was always hip hop. Spending his late teens and early twenties playing in various bands, and learning other instruments as well as production, he eventually began his solo journey as “babybleach” in 2021. 

When did you know you wanted to be an Artist?

Getting to see 50 cent in concert when he was 6, albeit a questionable move by his parents, it was always the direction he was going to go.

How would you describe your music style? 

Jakes music,which is undoubtedly some form of hip hop, has many other noticeable influences which he considers to be a unique take on the genre. “I’ve been drawing on all of the different experiences I’ve had with music since I started playing it. Everything I love finds a way to creep into the mix. Whether it’s a flamenco melody on the classical guitar, a bluesy bass line or a grungey vocal harmony I feel compelled to make music that I want to listen to above all else and hope that some people get it”

10 Questions with Limerick musician babybleach

Who are your greatest inspirations?

One of my biggest inspirations musically is my grandad, Billy, who started my musical journey, teaching me the basics on guitar and fuelling my passion by educating me on other genres of music. Listening to guitarists like John frusciante of the red hot chili peppers and Eric Clapton while also being exposed to rappers such as 50 cent and Eminem from a young age I developed quite an eclectic taste in music, trying to fuse together

What advice would you give someone who wanted to start a career in music?

Always be a student of the game. No matter what music you are exposed to, there is always something to learn from it. Study the greats and consume as much music as you can, practice as much as you can, hone your craft and develop a unique sound and make sure you always enjoy it. 

It’s also important to network and get your music out there, social media is a great tool nowadays.

What has been your greatest achievement?

So far, I think my biggest achievement has been becoming a totally self sufficient musician. For years, my output was hindered by my lack of other instrumental knowledge. Having taken the time to learn multiple instruments and production, I don’t rely on anyone else to make music. It has given me ultimate freedom and control over my sound and expression. I feel my music as a result, has an undeniable honesty to it now that didn’t quite shine through in my collaborative efforts.

What has been the most challenging part of your music career?

Getting my music heard. While everyone is supportive of my journey, it can be hard to find your niche as an artist and get your music to the ears of the right people. That’s why networking is so important. Most artists, myself included, romanticise the idea of making music, thinking, “if it’s good enough, people will find it” this is not the case anymore, the industry is so saturated right now and the real graft starts when the music is released. It is not enough to just make the songs anymore, you have to be a business. Finding and pitching to curators and blogs while staying engaged on apps like instagram and tik tok are now as important as the music itself.

Tell us how you became part of the music collective On Lock

10 Questions with Limerick musician babybleach

Like any good story in music, timing is everything. OnLock was a result of the pandemic, moving out of home and having a lot of time on my hands. Aaron and I met through a mutual friend, YungMorrissey, who is also an artist and we just started plotting. We went all in during the lockdown and developed the collective as much as we could during that time, each bringing our own strengths to the project. 2 years on we are still pushing forward and growing all the time, creating a space in limerick for similar artists.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years time I hope to have amassed a strong following of true fans. Ultimately though, my goal is happiness, whether it comes in the form of success or peace I want to have no unanswered questions or “what ifs” in my life.

What do you love most about Limerick?

A10. I love the honesty of this city. There’s no bullshit. People tell it how it is which is rare these days and that is invaluable to an artist . It can be difficult to get honest criticism from people who know you, but it is necessary to further develop as a creator. Limerick has honesty to burn and I think if you’re from here you have thick enough skin to take it constructively. There’s something powerful about that and I think you learn very quickly whether or not something is worth doing.

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Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.