Gem Tree keeps up the pressure w/ release “Baby Baby”

Gem Tree is one of those artists whose résumé within Chicago’s music ecosystem speaks for itself, but even the résumé doesn’t completely explain the foundation she has built. Throughout the years, she has developed a sound, aesthetic, and performance style that feels distinctly her own. Existing somewhere between R&B, soul, and the intimacy of live performance, Gem Tree has consistently demonstrated what it means to approach being a vocalist at an extremely high level. In many ways, she has also been an example for other artists coming through the ecosystem of what professionalism, vocal control, and presence can look like when all three are taken seriously. And judging by the music she has been releasing over the last several months, Gem Tree is nowhere near finished. “Baby Baby” is another example. The production is pristine, smooth, and intentionally understated, giving Gem Tree enough space to allow her voice to become the centerpiece. The lyrics are simple without feeling empty, warm, intimate, and effective in creating an atmosphere rather than trying to overcrowd the record. It’s chill. It’s smoky. It feels like something made for the transition into fall..

But our critique for Gem Tree at this point is bigger than simply wanting another single.We’re ready for the project. Because understanding the significance of Gem Tree’s music requires understanding the history surrounding it. Her artistic foundation, her influence, and the people who have encountered her work throughout the years extend further than what somebody discovering “Baby Baby” for the first time might immediately recognize. Some of the artists operating on much larger stages today have crossed paths with, learned from, or been influenced by the creative foundation Gem Tree has helped establish. Do your homework on exactly what we mean by that. That history is part of why a full length Gem Tree project feels important right now. Not simply for Chicago, but for every place, community, and musical lineage that she represents. We want the complete thought..

We want to hear what Gem Tree has to say when she has an entire body of work to say it with. We want the storytelling, the R&B records, the soul, the experimentation, the vocal performances, and all of the life that has happened between the artist people have known for years and the woman stepping forward with her music today. Because Gem Tree fully stepping into the foreground as a solo artist isn’t an introduction. It feels more like the world finally getting an opportunity to catch up..

Until then, take a listen to “Baby Baby” and let us know what you think..