Meet Marcus Bailey

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marcus Bailey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Marcus , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

Since the moment I came into this world, music has been a part of me. From the time I could walk, I was running around the house, singing, dancing, and being generally boisterous. Growing up with a single mother after my father passed away when I was young, I found comfort in music. It became my safe space—the place I turned to when I needed guidance on how to navigate my emotions. Naturally, I began learning how to make music of my own.

From a young age, I learned how to sing by listening to the music my mom played on the radio and by singing in my church choir. When I was old enough to get my first guitar, I taught myself how to play chords and strum along to my favorite songs by Ed Sheeran and Green Day. I wasn’t thinking about fame or a career at that point; I was simply playing music for the joy of it. Music became a form of therapy for me—it helped me process my emotions and made me feel grounded.

I never considered turning my love for music into a career, but that all changed during my sophomore year of high school. Like many kids growing up in America, I was expected to start figuring out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life around that time. Some of my classmates dreamed of becoming Division I athletes, doctors, lawyers, or astronauts, but for me, the decision wasn’t so easy. So, I turned to music.

From that point on, I continued my self-taught journey, learning more about the guitar and starting to write my first original songs. I juggled this passion with a weekend construction job and staying on top of my schoolwork. It was during this time that I made a life-changing decision: I wanted to be a musician. I wanted to be the one on stage, singing and performing. But it was also around this time that I noticed a strange tingling sensation in my arm.

As the school year went on, the tingling worsened and eventually led to a loss of function in my dominant hand. I was confused and, understandably, terrified. After countless doctor visits, MRIs, CAT scans, physical therapy, and tear-filled breakdowns, we finally had an answer. My doctors diagnosed me with Parsonage-Turner Syndrome—a rare condition where the body attacks its own nerves, though no one could explain why it was happening to me.

For a while, I held on to the hope that time and therapy would heal the problem, and that everything would eventually go back to normal. But nearly eight years have passed since that diagnosis, and my journey has been anything but easy.

In those years, I had to relearn many of the basic things I once took for granted—playing the guitar, writing with a pencil, even giving a proper handshake. I could have let that life-changing event define me and my future, but I chose not to. I couldn’t let it. While many everyday tasks became more challenging, they were never impossible.

Over the past eight years, I’ve graduated from high school, moved to Chicago, earned a degree in music from Columbia College Chicago, recorded and released my first EP, and performed at countless live shows across the country. I’ve never seen my situation as a sob story or something that entitles me to special treatment. Instead, I’ve always viewed it as just another obstacle to overcome. And I’m still overcoming it.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Marcus Bailey is a versatile singer, songwriter, and recording artist based in Chicago, Illinois. Originally from Pickerington, Ohio, Marcus’s deep connection to music began at an early age. He was profoundly influenced by the timeless melodies of The Beatles and Elton John, which his grandparents would play, as well as the contemporary pop sounds his mother would often have playing around the house. These early musical experiences sparked a lifelong passion that would ultimately shape his career.
In 2019, Marcus moved to Chicago to pursue his dream of becoming a professional recording artist. He enrolled at Columbia College Chicago, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Contemporary Jazz and Popular Music (CJP BMus) in May of 2023. During his time in Chicago, Marcus had the opportunity to collaborate with other prominent musicians including Morris Hayes of New Power Generation, Woody Goss of Vulfpeck, and Nick Tremulis of Nick Tremulis and the Prodigals, among others. These collaborations helped refine his sound and further solidified his place in the city’s vibrant music scene.
Marcus’s original music spans a broad spectrum of genres, from pop and rock to singer-songwriter ballads, blues, and country. His work draws inspiration from a diverse array of iconic artists, such as Ed Sheeran, Stevie Wonder, Chris Stapleton, and Elton John, blending contemporary sensibilities with classic influences. In addition to his solo work, Marcus has contributed his talents to other projects, providing songwriting, arranging, and vocal work for groups like DZ Riley and Disco Lemonade.
At the heart of Marcus’s music is a desire to connect with his listeners on a deeper emotional level. He uses his songs to explore the complexities of life’s ups and downs, seeking to understand and express the emotions that define the human experience. Through his lyrics, he hopes to provide listeners with something they can relate to, offering both solace and insight as they navigate their own journeys.
Marcus released his debut EP, In The End, in May 2024, a project that showcases his unique blend of genres and heartfelt storytelling. He is currently working on new music, with plans to release more projects in 2025. As he continues to grow as an artist, Marcus Bailey remains committed to creating music that resonates deeply with his audience, reflecting both his personal experiences and the shared emotions that unite us all.

You can find his music on all streaming platforms and find updates on live shows, new events and more on his Instagram(@mbail.official).

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, the three qualities and skills I’ve found most impactful in the music industry have been sociability, habit building and patience. All three of these skills I’ve honed over years of putting myself into uncomfortable situations. Not dangerous, simply outside of my comfort zone. They also don’t just apply to the music industry. I believe anyone who works on these three skills can see benefit no matter what field they work in.

My best advice for picking up these skills is figuring out how you learn. Some learn in the moment and some learn by reading a book. I personally am a mix of a few learning styles. When is comes to sociability, I’m constantly putting myself in situations that force me to be friendly and start conversations with people I’ve never met before. Across all fields, and especially in the music industry, your network is your net worth. A lot depends on who you know.

Habit building I picked up from learning discipline participating in team sports but, was refined as I got older through reading books that gave me tools on how to best shape my everyday practices. One specific book I’ve read is “Atomic Habits” by James Clear.

Patience is something that can be learned, but in my experience is an innate trait that some people just have. Me personally, I picked up this from being an older brother. Taking care of my siblings was a chore back when I was younger, but looking back I can see the value of having done it. For those who haven’t had a similar experience to mine, I’ll tell you that a lot of things in life take time. From what I’ve seen, anything worth working towards and striving for takes time, effort and a lot of patience. Specifically in music, we see artists seemingly blow up overnight through viral TikTok’s or Youtube Videos. After being in the industry for a while, I can tell you the chances of that happening are slim to none. And most of the time, those “viral” hits are the result of years and years of work, patience, determination and sometimes luck.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

Being overwhelmed is something I’ve struggled with a lot throughout the years. Being diagnosed with ADHD and high levels of anxiety, I’ve had to learn ways to cope with the stressors of life. One of my main ways to sort my thoughts and relax is music. Whenever I find myself overwhelmed with the emotions of a traumatic event or the stress from a long day, you’ll more than likely find me sat down with a guitar in my lap. This is honestly the main reason why I even do music at all. Without it, I’m not sure where I would be.

But besides music, I find clarity in physical activity. Whether that be a workout at the gym or a run around my neighborhood. I’ve learned that our bodies and minds are connected a lot more than we realize. That being said, I understand that everyone is different. If you find yourself overwhelmed with whatever may be causing that, I would say you need to find something that allows you to turn your brain fully off, and I don’t mean taking a nap. Find something that you can do without thinking about it, for me that strumming some chords on my guitar or going for a run. For you that could be meditating or watching your favorite tv show.

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Image Credits

Alina Pawl-Castanoñ

Valerie Loeblich

Ryan Swaney

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