BabyJake

Originating from Florida, singer and songwriter Jake Herring—known professionally as BabyJake—crafts a soulful pop-rock sound. Viral attention arrived in 2018 through the track “Cigarettes on Patios,” after which he issued his first album, The Sun Wakes Up Earlier Now, and later explored further stylistic blends on Aren’t We Ever Gonna Be More Than Friends? and Rude, Crude, And Uncouth.

Growing up in Fort Myers, Herring picked up the guitar near age eight and began performing original material by fourteen, drawing from the songwriting approaches of Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jackson Browne, and John Mayer alongside an affinity for hip-hop and R&B. During his college years in 2016 he put out the EP Little Mess, anchored by its introspective title-track ballad; a remix of that song produced with !KE later circulated widely online. Discontent with academics and seeking sharper creative direction, he stepped away from school for several years to reconsider his path.

Eventually settling in Los Angeles, he adopted the BabyJake name and joined Republic Records. The 2018 single “Miami” highlighted an R&B- and electronic-leaning direction he initially labeled “urban pop.” June 2019 brought “Cigarettes on Patios,” which spread rapidly on TikTok and amassed more than 100 million views. Capitalizing on the momentum, he released the BabyJake EP Don’t Give Me Problems, Give Me Wine in 2020.

A year afterward came his debut full-length, The Sun Wakes Up Earlier Now, reflecting a shift toward ’70s-informed pop and rock textures and featuring a guest appearance by Lizzie McAlpine. After parting ways with Republic, Herring relocated once more, this time to Nashville. In 2023 he unveiled the albums Aren’t We Ever Gonna Be More Than Friends? and Rude, Crude, And Uncouth. The following year, alongside a set of demo recordings, BabyJake issued the bright, piano-led single “Bottom of a Dirty Shoe.”