Baird

Zamar Velez, known professionally as Baird, is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter originally from Baltimore, Maryland, and now based in Los Angeles. From a young age, Baird engaged with music, taking piano and classical guitar lessons. This early musical education, combined with an interest in beat-making during the early SoundCloud era, laid the foundation for his unique approach to music production. He developed a method of layering electronic and acoustic sounds, akin to scrapbooking, where each element is meticulously placed to form a cohesive composition that often sounds like a full band, despite being crafted by him individually.

Baird’s formal education in ethnomusicology at Brown University and his experiences living in Mexico City further enriched his musical perspective, influencing the Latin-infused sounds present in some of his work, notably on “Lo Que Tuvimos” from *BIRDSONGS, Vol. 2*. His career began to gain significant traction after college, leading to the release of his *BIRDSONGS* series, which explored the intersection of acoustic songwriting and electronic production. A pivotal moment in his career was his collaboration with the hip-hop group BROCKHAMPTON, contributing to their album *ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE*.

His body of work includes three volumes of the *BIRDSONGS* project, with *BIRDSONGS, Vol. 3* launching him into further endeavors. He is also one half of the duo The South Hill Experiment with his brother Goldwash, releasing albums such as *MOONSHOTS*. Baird has also released solo singles like “Angel Hair,” a song he describes as one of his fastest and most clear narrative compositions. His collaborations extend to artists such as Kevin Abstract, Arlo Parks, and Berhana, showcasing his versatility as a producer and songwriter across diverse musical styles.