Bay and team launch a crowdfunding campaign to record BAYARD, a kaleidoscopic genre-hopping pop/cabaret concept album set in the enchanted woods beyond The Meadow. With the rise of AI, BAYARD provides a much needed alternative: intentionally crafted music by a team of passionate artists, a live immersive experience, and the kind of hope that can only be provided by the spirit of a legendary Medieval horse…

  • The 28-day Crowdfunding Campaign (Nov 13-Dec 11th) aims to raise £10K (£11,200K incl. Kickstarter Fees) to get into the studio. £10K budget = studio costs, producers, musicians, mixing/mastering and album art creation.

'bayard' kickstarter page

Bay Bryan photographed in front of Piccadilly Records with DJ Luke Una. Bay’s record ‘The Meadow’ on display. April 2023.

A bit of the past…

Bay Bryan is a Manchester-based, Colorado-born singer-songwriter and theatre artist. His/their concept album The Meadow (April 2023) became a bit of a hot-topic in Manchester upon release, spurned on by passionate shout-outs from prominent DJs Luke Una and James Holroyd. The surge of interest led to a sold out show at Deaf Institute, a spin on Mark Radcliffe’s BBC Radio 2 Folk show, multiple notable live performances including MIF 2023, Jazz Café in London, Bridgewater Hall, HOMOBLOC, Wild Wood Festival, and more…


Two years on from The Meadow’s release Bay is looking to get into the studio with a team of brilliant Manchester-based musicians and producers to create a new concept album called BAYARD.

What is BAYARD?

A Miniature of the Four Sons of Aymon riding Bayard, taken from a 14th Century Manuscript. Source

BAYARD is a kaleidoscopic concept-driven musical experience brought to life by a puckish raconteur called Bayard who dwells in a fairytale-like forest enchanted by the spirit of a medieval horse by the same name. With our real-life world outside these woods growing evermore uncertain, it is within these enchanted trees that we may yet find our bearings once more.

Carrying on from The Meadow’s similar theme of escapism, BAYARD reflects a newfound confidence and symbiotic relationship between fantasy and reality. Like a surfer learns to ride a wave, it would appear that there is an ongoing wink-and-a-nod about our drag-like host who is here to take us along for the ride. Or is it all just a fabulous facade.

With themes of self exploration, freedom, identity and challenging convention, the lyrics & storytelling are rooted in modern day whilst set against a pseudo-fairytale setting.

“When I was a child I used to tell people I was an alien, which I think came out of a deep desire to be something more than myself —more than human. What I’ve found doing drag over the years —as my drag alter-ego separate to Bay— is that this costume or persona has allowed me to be something bigger and yet somehow express certain parts of myself openly that I find myself guarding in daily existence. It’s a bit paradoxical but I think that this larger-than-life Bayard within the enchanted woods is a drag-like superhero costume that I get to wear, and a raconteur vehicle in which I can share my more dynamic self with the audience. To entertain, see and be seen, and connect more deeply from behind the safety of a mask.”
~ Bay

Kickstarter - Getting Into The Studio

Crafted with intention by human hands and hearts.

With the rise of AI, Bay feels it important to draw a clear line in the sand. No creative replaced by AI. This goes for the music, the visuals and everything in-between.

~

The plan is to record for a week at Giant Wafer Studios in Wales with a team of musicians as well as Matthew Campbell and Matt Brown of Ember Productions who will be producing, engineering and later mixing the record.

Production aim is a sound world somewhere between Labi Siffre’s Blue Lady and Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black while spanning multiple genres like folk, Americana, Jazz, R&B and rock.

Mixing will take place in Matt Brown’s studio in Manchester with Mastering by Zach Kornhauser in NYC, who mixed/mastered The Meadow.

A photo from Giant Wafer Studios provided by Ember Productions

From Studio To Stage…

Bay and band, Refract Festival ‘25 at Waterside Arts

As an artist who has long straddled the lands of music and theatre Bay creates work that is a unique blend of the two, often resulting in creations that are story-led, disarming and immersive.

A live show with Bay and his band is an experience in-between that of a gig and show— with crafted stories and theatrical moments that weave in & around the music to create a cabaret-like atmosphere that ties everything, and all that are souls in the room, together. 

In this world of AI, Bay believes that he and his band will be there to quench the growing thirst for connectivity and all things human. Which is a massive part of what the project as a whole is about. A space for us to be together and feel more connected to ourselves and with each other.

A theme throughout BAYARD is challenging the status quo. This is reflected in the songwriting, the stories that accompany the songs, the theatrical moments like a live tarot reading mid-song, and the near-drag costuming that is still being developed.

A Song from BAYARD - ‘Slow Rider' (live take) in Matt Brown’s Manchester Studio. 9 Nov 2025

There’s more to dive into that can be best found on the Kickstarter Campaign page!

‘BAYARD’ Kickstarter Campaign Live Now Until Dec. 11th!

  • If you love supporting independent grassroots music, gig-theatre, gig-meets-cabaret, story-led songwriting, storytelling, multi-disciplinary performance artists, then what Bay is up to might be right up your street! 

  • Bay's individual links:  website, youtube, instagram, facebook, spotify, bandcamp, apple music, linktree

    CTA: If this resonates, check out Bay’s campaign and the rewards on offer! Your pledge will be an active way to help a team independent artists to keep making work together —a project that does not replace any creative along the way with AI. From the music to the visuals, everything is crafted, intentional, and human.

\\ Press Photos //

 

Lead Contact: Bay Bryan at baybryanmusic@gmail.com
PR: Jo Lowes at presspufferfish@gmail.com