In searching for ways to shed light on artists that they feel don’t get the attention they deserve, music industry senior Owen Baekey and Loyola graduate Teddy Tietze began their blog, Weird Face.
Centered around the music community in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas, the blog was created this spring to highlight artists by curating playlists that include independent musicians, feature articles, and a podcast that discusses music topics and offers music tips to new and upcoming artists.
Being musicians themselves, the two crafted the idea of Weird Face after finding themselves in various conversations focused on the lack of recognition for artists deserving of more attention.
“Weird Face came about because Teddy and I couldn’t stop talking—and arguing— about music on our own time,” Baekey said. “We kept saying we needed to find a way to capture the discussions we were having, so we decided to create a platform where we could take our conversations and opinions and turn them into something we could share with everyone, while also giving a platform to the artists whom we believe deserve one.”
Focusing especially on self-managed artists, Tietze and Baekey said they shared a vision of wanting more for local musicians trying to make their break.
“A lot of the national focus on New Orleans is centered around jazz since it’s historically a very jazzy place, and funk sometimes too,” Tietze said. “When people come to visit New Orleans, they flock to watch predominantly jazz performances. That’s great, but there are also so many other artists that deserve more attention.
Baekey, a Connecticut-native rapper, and Tietze, an indie rock artist from California, said they each have vastly different tastes and perspectives regarding the world of music.
“It’s great that we have different experiences and backgrounds because it allows us to have a wider spectrum of the things we’re covering,” Tietze said. “I’m mostly covering indie and alternative stuff and the live scene around that, and Owen is covering hip-hop and R&B because those are the circles we surround ourselves in.”
Baekey said being a musician gives him the upper hand in terms of artists’ respect when it comes to being a music blogger.
“I know the blood, sweat, and tears that people put into their craft and art, and I strive to be as respectful and accurate as possible when I write about someone. As an artist myself, I know how difficult it can be to get people to hear your music, and all I want is to give a platform to the artists who really deserve it,” he said.
In an effort to get the word out about Weird Face, the duo hosted a launch party on Jan. 20 where students and New Orleanians alike gathered for drinks, music, and a good time.
“I feel the house party scene in New Orleans, at least among college students, hasn’t quite been revived since COVID-19, and it was refreshing to be at a truly sick party,” English major Aubrey McClaran said. “Both Teddy and Owen are so talented, and are really immersed in their respective music scenes, but because the music they make is so different, it’s really cool to see them collaborate on a project like Weird Face. It’s bringing two polar sides of the New Orleans music scene together.”