A Baeble NEXT Session With Skylar Stecker

A few months ago, upcoming pop artist Skylar Stecker stopped by the Baeble office for a session. Between acoustic performances of her songs "Bring Me to Life," "Let It Show" and her newest single "Only Want You," Skylar answered questions about singing the National Anthem (which she's performed at sporting events and NASCAR races over 100 times), spirit animals, and her first musical memory. The 15-year-old (who was 14 when the session was recorded) recounted the story of her first time singing in front of a crowd at her elementary school talent show, and some fun stories about the making of the video for "Only Want You."

While the studio versions of Skylar's songs have a very polished pop vibe to them, she proved in this session that her songs and voice still hold up when all the production is taken away. Singing with nothing but an acoustic guitar to accompany her, you can hear strength and emotion in her voice. She mentions in between songs, "I love doing acoustic sets because it's a different vibe... and I get to connect more too with the camera and with the people watching." This definitely comes through in her performances here at Baeble; her vocals are powerful and dynamic, especially for someone so young.

- A little bit, yeah.
- Sure.
Oh, say can you see
- I love it.
It's so fun because it's so, like, straightforward.
So any artist that has it, they can make it their own, which I feel like is really fun because I've never heard a national anthem that's ever sounded the exact same ever before.
Twilight's last gleaming
- Good job.
'Cause I think we could be something We got this good thing, baby I know
- My name is Skylar Stecker.
I'm 14 years old and I'm very excited to be here today.
'Cause I think we could be something
- You know, I get like, anxious before a performance because I'm just like, "I want to go on.
I want to do my thing.
" But I love being in front of people.
I mean, I love the feeling.
I love the rush and the, you know, state of feeling like, when you're performing, so... - Great! - Cool.
- Yeah, whenever you're ready. If you want to... - Let's do it.
- ...introduce the songs, that'd be great. - This song is called Bring Me to Life and it was one of my songs on my first album called This is Me.
Oh, yeah Oh, yeah
You remind me of everything I like It's so good to have you by my side
When I'm with you I wanna touch the sky
Take my hand Make me feel like I can fly
'Cause all I need is you and me It's like I'm on cloud 9
So bring me to life Oh, bring me to life
Oh, I keep reaching for this feeling Every single time
So bring me to life Oh, bring me to life
And I said Hey, take me
From 1 to 10 1 to 10 tonight
Baby, bring me Bring me to life
Hey take me, From 1 to 10
1 to 10 tonight Baby, bring me, bring me to life
Oh, na na na Oh, na na na, eh
Oh, na na na Oh, na na na, eh
Oh, na na na Oh, na na na, eh
When you talk All I wanna do is listen
Give me everything That I thought was missing
I know I don't wanna spend another minute with somebody else
When I'm with you I know I'm winning
'Cause all I need is you and me It's like I'm on cloud 9
So bring me to life Oh, oh, bring me to life
Oh, I keep reaching for this feeling Every single time
So bring me to life Oh, oh, bring me to life
And I said Hey, take me
From 1 to 10 1 to 10 tonight
Baby, bring me Bring me to life
Hey, take me
I want attention man I want attention man
Baby, bring me Bring me to life
Oh, na na na Oh, na na na, eh
Oh, na na na Oh, na na na, hey
Oh, na na
And I said Hey, take me
From 1 to 10 1 to 10 tonight
Baby
And I said Hey, take me
From 1 to 10 tonight 1 to 10 tonight
Baby, bring me Bring me to life
Oh, na na na Oh, na na na, eh
Oh, na na na Oh, na na na, eh
Oh, na na na Oh, na na na, eh
Whoa, oh, na na na Oh, na na na, eh
Oh, na na na Oh, na na na, hey
Oh, na na
Oh, na na oh na na
- Hi.
May I ask you what your spirit animal is? - Mine? - Yeah.
Think about that one.
- Probably, like, a bull.
- Whoa.
- Well, I'm a Taurus, so I already am that.
- Okay.
What's your mom's spirit animal? - Well, I would say her spirit animal is probably, like, monkey.
- Not a bad thing! No, because they're really smart but like, in a funny and really cute at the same time.
- Yeah, and eat lice off your hair and - No, you do my hair, and like, you, like… - Who's this messing around with your hair? - My mom.
My wonderful, gorgeous, best mother… - Aww, thank you.
- The first time I ever sang, which was in my elementary school talent show, and that's my earliest musical memory because before that, I had nothing to do with music.
My family didn't do anything in music.
Like, I was never surrounded by it, so the first musical memory was me singing, you know, like at a talent show, and falling in love with it instantly.
And just... I remember running off the stage and just being like, "Mom, I want to do this forever.
This is what I want to do.
Please let me do this.
" So yeah, that's, like, my earliest memory.
Show, show, show, show, show, show, mmm
I got a thing for ya I'm thinking you should know
Wish I could be with ya But I keep it to myself, I know
See, I play the wall But you're on my mind
I think about you all the time But, I
But I don't let it show No, no
'Cause lately I've been dreaming about you
And I'm thinking about you Boy, I'm thinking about you
So tell me, boy What do I have to do?
No-oh-oh!
Yeah, I think we could be something We got this good thing, baby I know
I wish that I could love ya
I don't ever let I don't ever let it show
I think we could be something We got this good thing, baby I know
I wish that I could love ya
I don't ever let I don't ever let it show no
Show, show, show, show, show, show hey, yeah
Show, show, show, show, show, show
Wanna be with ya Don't wanna let you go
Thinking we should be honest And be a little more oh, no
See, I play the wall But you're on my mind
I wish that I could make you mine Be with ya
But I don't let it show No, no
'Cause lately I've been dreaming about you
And I'm thinking about you Boy, I'm thinking about you
So tell me, boy What do I have to do?
No-oh-oh!
No, I think we could be something We got this good thing, baby I know
I wish that I could love ya
I don't ever let I don't ever let it show, no
I think we could be something We got this good thing, baby I know
I wish that I could love ya
I don't ever let I don't ever let it show, no
Show, show, show, show, show, show, mmm
Show, show, show, show, show, show, mmm
I never let it show Oh, no, I
I never let it show, no
Could be something We got this good thing, baby I know
I don't ever I don't ever let it show oh
We could be something We got this good thing, baby I know
I wish that I could love ya
I don't ever I don't ever let it show, no
Show, show, show, show, show, show hey, yeah
Show, show, show, show, show, show hey
Show, show, show, show, show hey…
Show, show, show, show, show
- We just dropped the new single called Only Want You just a month ago and I'm very excited that it's finally out and the world can hear it.
'Cause I ('cause I), I only want you (I only want you)
- At one point, I actually, like, interact with this Elvis impersonator, and he was like a balloon guy and he had a heart balloon.
And so, I grabbed it from him and we started dancing together, and it was really funny, and he just kept doing, like, his Elvis thing.
He stole the show.
Like, that was his music video after that.
- You know.
- No, I got it in my head, "Am I doing the right thing?" - Five, six, seven, eight.
- I love doing acoustic sets because it's a different vibe that you get when it's, very intimate and you get to like, strip it down than when you hear the studio version.
And I get to connect more to it, I guess, like with the camera and with the people watching.
It's raw you know, so I really like that element to it.
Oh, yeah oh
You messin' up, You messin' up Why you gotta make this complicated?
You say it's love, you say it's love
Why you gotta treat me like I'm basic?
You're pushing buttons Imma blow up
You're not enough, You need to grow up
You got something I can't give up Let's just stay and work this out
Boy, you know I love you so That's why you be actin' up boy, don't
Don't make me mad, don't make me hate ya
Don't make me see you in the morning And say, "I would never date you"
I can't be sad, just wanna love ya
Right now, we're doin' so, so good Don't make me wish I never knew ya
'Cause I, I only want you
I only want you I only want you
'Cause I, I only want you
I only want you I only want you
I can't lie You treat me right
Makin' me feel like no other, baby
You got me gone, I'm paralyzed
Need to see you more I need you daily
You got my heart but not my mind, yeah
You're working hard You're breaking a sweat
Just give it up, I'll never regret Let's just stay and work this out
Boy, you know I love you so That's why you'll be actin' up
Boy, don't
Don't make me mad Don't make me hate you
Don't make me see you in the morning And say, "I would never date you" I can't be sad, just wanna love ya
Right now, we're doin' so, so good Don't make me wish I never knew ya
'Cause I, I only want you
I only want you I only want you
'Cause I only want you I only want you I only want you
Yeah, we've got some hard times, like everyday
We go through the storms Standing in the rain
Oh, baby you got that sunshine Shine on me, baby, shine so bright
Only you can make me this way
Don't make me mad Don't make me hate you
Don't make me see you in the morning And say, "I would never date you"
I can't be sad, just wanna love ya
Right now, we're doin' so, so good Don't make me wish I never knew ya
'Cause I, I only want you I only want you I only want you
'Cause I only want you
I only want you I only want you
wish I never knew ya
'Cause I ('cause I), I only want you (I only want you)
I only want you (I only want you) I only want you (I only want you)
'Cause I ('cause I), I only want you (I only want you)
I only want you (I only want you) I only want you (I only want you)

Skylar Stecker emerged on the pop stage at a very young age, honing her vocal skills with YouTube covers, National Anthem performances, and school talent shows. Born in Tampa, Florida and raised in Wisconsin, the young Stecker moved frequently with her family, following her father, Aaron Stecker, and his former NFL career. The family relocated to Irvine, California in order for Skylar to pursue her singing career. After releasing an iTunes covers album in 2014 (including her takes on Sia, Disclosure, and Sara Bareilles, among others), she was signed by Cherrytree Records/Interscope and released a seven-song EP, Firecracker, which showcased her versatility with '90s R&B, electro beats, hip-hop bass, and carefree pop. Mirroring the sounds of Rihanna, Beyonc, and Leona Lewis, Stecker released her debut LP, This Is Me, in September 2015, with production by RedOne, Rock Mafia, and the Stereotypes. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Artist Bio -iTunes