Meet The Mesmerising Hungarian “Queen Of R&B”… Babé Sila

Attention, R&B fans! Emerging talent Babé Sila is that artist that needs to be on your radar. Hailing from a small Hungarian town, the rising star first fell in love with music within her multicultural home. During her childhood, Babé immersed herself in the poetic worlds of Erykah Badu, Alicia Keys, Sade and Lauryn Hill. But after joining a friend’s jazz-soul band in her early twenties, the young talent then decided to explore her own artistry by writing heartfelt songs and creating her own signature sound. 

Since her debut in 2015, Babé has delivered unique and soulful tracks that have captivated music listeners worldwide. With her latest single, ‘Fresh Pinks,’ the Budapest-born artist has continued to effortlessly explore the multilayered R&B genre with its heartfelt lyrics about relationships and addictive funky fresh beat. We were able to chat with Babé Sila about everything from her immersive new single, her diverse music beginnings and so much more. Read the full interview below. 

Hey Babé! Thank you for speaking with us today, how is everything?

Hello, thank you so much for the opportunity! Everything is great, really loving life at the moment. 

Congratulations on the release of ‘Fresh Pinks’! How does it feel to have this out in the world?

Thank you! Fresh Pinks is a song I have worked on for the longest time with a team of brilliant producers and musician friends (Balazs Altsach, Roman Hansen, Cole Ostrin, Jerome Sylvester, Tamas Toth), so I am really happy to finally give it to the world. 

‘Fresh Pinks’ is a song about finding the beauty in past relationships. Are there any specific moments in your lost loves that inspired this song and the creative process in particular? 

There is, yes. I wrote it after a 2020 summer romance – my hometown, Budapest opened up from lockdown that summer and the joy and the sense of freedom it gave me after months of isolation – was indescribable. I experienced feelings on steroids. 

During this time, I met someone and we shared a beautiful time together. Come fall, everyone went back to different cities with lockdowns and restrictions so it was inevitable that it came to an end. In that period I experienced some of my loneliest and darkest moments, and I found myself going back to my summer memories for little “fixes” and it warmed my heart every time. Soon the sadness of letting go was replaced by gratitude for having felt and experienced something good. This is when I wrote Fresh Pinks. 

You also have a music video coming soon to accompany ‘Fresh Pinks,’ what did you want to convey with the visuals?

Yes, super excited for the visuals. My good friend, Dora Riederauer directed it and she did such a brilliant job bringing these feelings alive with a simple but beautiful concept. She decided to tell my story with a musical approach. In the movie, we see pictures switching between me singing alone and playing with my band – same outfit, different sets. 

We hoped to create the illusion that even when I am alone, music and musicians/people I love are with me within, if that makes sense. We shot it with a full Hungarian team in an old socialist building in Budapest, wearing Hungarian designer brands like Aeron and Abodi. 

To those who may not be familiar with your music, how would you describe yourself in five words or less?

Soft, expressive, groovy, sassy, feminine.

What inspired you to begin a career in music? Was this something you always aspired to growing up?

I used to go to a music school when I was little and I played the violin for a bit but music has always been a hobby until I turned 21. 

That year my guitarist friend encouraged me to sing in his jazz-soul band and that’s how it all started. After 1-2 years of performing with them I felt the need to write my own songs in a genre that felt the most authentic to me. I grew up listening to funk, soul and R&B so I started writing my own lyrics and melodies and teamed up with amazing musicians and producers to create my first tunes. 

What’s your ideal songwriting setting? 

Cozy studio, talented friends, carpets, instruments, or my bed. Hehe

You split your time between London and NYC, but were born in Budapest. Where do you feel most at home, and why?

I feel at home in all 3 cities for different reasons. Budapest will always be home, my family and friends are there. New York City is a 7 year love affair and home to some of my favorite memories. London is a new love, but it gave me so much in terms of career, friends, support, in such a short time that I really feel like I belong there. 

Name us a few artists you would love to collaborate with.

Inflo, Cleo Sol, Yebba, Eliza are some of my favorite artists. I would love to write with them one day. 

What can we expect from Babé Sila next?

I am working on my EP that I am planning to release later this year. I wrote every song around a similar theme, heavy on nostalgia, sun, water and love and clinging onto the sweet memories that involve them

Make sure to listen to Babé Sila’s new single ‘Fresh Pinks’ here or below.