The multitalented pansexual artist Baby Tate has plenty to say on her Sexploration: The Tour. She's packing up her "Wig" and traveling to Chicago to perform an inclusive set of songs such as "Luv Everybody" at Lincoln Hall.
Tate Sequoya Farris was born in Atlanta to singers Dionne Farris and David Ryan Harris. Some may be familiar both with her mother from the hip-hop group Arrested Development and her father from the rock band Follow for Now. Stemming from genetics and encouragement, Tate started making music at the early age of 13 and hasn't stopped since.
She released music as Yung Baby Tate in 2015, and her full-length album Girls debuted in 2019. As a rapper, her unique voice has elevated songs like "Hey, Mickey!" to new levels with lyrics such as "I found out that Mickey was gay." Her television contributions include starring in the tenth season of VH1's reality series Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta and the soundtracks for HBO's Insecure and Euphoria.
The 27-year-old singer's most recent project, Baby Tate Presents - Sexploration: The Musical, is a visual five-track EP where she explores her LGBTQ+ roots and identity.
Tate returns to the Windy City after opening for Charli XCX in the past and talked about this upcoming trip by phone in Los Angeles recently.
Windy City Times: So you are based in LA, but grew up in Jersey?
Baby Tate: Partially. I went to Jersey for summers and lived in Atlanta before relocating to California.
WCT: You have a video for the song "Jersey" where you were in front of a school you attended.
BT: Yes, that was the first elementary school that I went to. I was homeschooled after that by my mom. It was Grant Elementary School in Trenton, New Jersey.
WCT: Did making the video feel like a full-circle moment?
BT: It did feel very full circle with my grandma and my aunt out there with me. My grandmother used to teach at that school and taught for 35 years.
It was really fun to do a video there, and it looked exactly the same as when I went there in first grade.
WCT: Have you visited Chicago often in the past?
BT: Not much. I have been there for shows before with Lollapalooza and The Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash, plus some other tours. Every time I go for work, I never have time to explore and eat all the good food that Chicago has to offer. I love it there and always love performing in Chicago. There is always good energy and some of my best crowds have been there.
WCT: We could hit the gay bars after the show.
BT: I would love that! We will see how the night goes…
WCT: How has the journey been with coming out publicly as pansexual?
BT: The journey has been eye-opening. I have learned so much about myself and the spectrum of sexuality. I no longer allow people to box me into something they think I should be doing or labeling myself as. At the end of the day, I am queer regardless.
It was something that felt right for me at the time that I came out. Previously I was bisexual, and I have always been queer since a child. Society makes people feel like they are not supposed to be that way, and for me, it took a while. I had to become an adult to make my own decisions, and needed more development in my frontal lobe.
It was easily avoidable. The older I got, and the more real I got with myself, I decided to come out and let other people know. I feel I have a big responsibility to be a representative for people who look like me.
WCT: Well, it didn't hurt Lil Nas X's career, but Queen Latifah didn't publicly come out until after he did. Putting people in boxes was a thing during her generation, but younger people don't want that anymore.
BT: Yes, that's true.
WCT: How was it working with Issa Rae for the show Insecure?
BT: It was really great. I wish I could have gotten to work a bit closer and on more projects. When I signed a partnership with Raedio it was the end of 2019. The following months the whole world shut down. I don't think either one of us got to participate in the partnership as we wanted to. The things we did work together on I was very appreciative of.
I am always rooting for Issa and looking up to her. She is such an amazing woman.
WCT: She is also President Barbie!
BT: Yes. [laughs]
WCT: Did you become a Euphoria fan after your song "Beckham" was used on the show?
BT: Yeah, I got a call that they wanted to use my song. I didn't know what it was because season one hadn't come out yet. It was cool having my song played and hopefully one day I can act on it.
WCT: Your "Wig" video uses RuPaul's Drag Race as inspiration. Who is your favorite Drag Race queen?
BT: I just became a super Drag Race fan last year. I started binging every single episode of each season. Picking one performer of all time is pretty hard because there are so many aspects and sectors within drag. There are so many amazing girls and all for different reasons…
WCT: How about Chicago's season nine contestant Shea Couleé?
BT: She is dope and beautiful. I met Shea at an after-party during the Charli XCX tour. I didn't know who Shea was at the time because it was prior to my watching Drag Race. I was inviting people to come onstage and dance when I performed at the party. She came up and the crowd loved her. Someone told me who she was after and I was so gagged!
WCT: How has musical theater inspired you for the record Baby Tate Presents - Sexploration: The Musical?
BT: I studied performing arts in elementary, middle and high school. In high school, we did a musical every year. The musical version of Legally Blonde is my favorite of all time. I took my mom, my grandma and my mom's friend to A Christmas Story: The Musical when they were out here for the holidays.
WCT: I am seeing the movie musical version of Mean Girls this Wednesday and you have a song about the original called "Mean Girl."
BT: You have to wear pink because it's Wednesday.
WCT: I will. Talk about working with songwriter Justin Tranter.
BT: They are just one of the most amazing writers I have ever met in my life. Justin was the executive producer for Sexploration and they made me feel free in the studio, which is what all artists need. Everyone should be so lucky to work with Justin.
WCT: Justin appears in the video for "Wig." With each of the videos, you focused on a different segment of the LGBTQ+ community. How did that develop?
BT: It is all about representation. Being able to see yourself in media is so important for young people. A lot of us are making strides to make sure that is being done. With the visuals especially, I want to make sure that the LGBTQ+ community was shown.
There were other things that I wanted to do, that we unfortunately ran out of time and couldn't do, but we did some important work on this.
WCT: Do you have a person in mind for a future collaboration?
BT: Doechii is a good friend of mine, but we are always in two different cities at the same time. I would like to get in the same space as her at some point and work on something.
WCT: For 2024, is acting a goal for you?
BT: I would love to do acting and dabble as a writer for film and TV. I want to continue to express myself and share the gifts that I have been blessed with.
WCT: Was being on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta a good experience?
BT: No, I hated it.
WCT: So no more reality television?
BT: Maybe, but not in that arena.
WCT: Are you planning on releasing more music in 2024?
BT: Yes, new music will drop by the end of the year.
WCT: There's a DJ for the live act coming to Chicago?
BT: Yes, DJ Sky Jetta lives in Chicago and is from Detroit. She is like a sister to me and will be on this tour. It is a two-woman show with us up there rocking it out. I am excitednto tour these cities that have shown me so much love over my career. It will be fun!
WCT: Do you want the audience to wear a certain color, like pink?
BT: Honestly, they can wear whatever they want, but I want them to bring a wig because I will ask them to wear it for that song!
Sexploration: The Tour arrives at Lincoln Hall, 2424 North Lincoln Avenue, on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 8 p.m. Visit lh-st.com or babytate.com for tickets and information.
