Silhouettes & Second Chances: A Night with Bam Rigby
Silhouettes & Second Chances: A Night with Bam Rigby
Silhouettes & Second Chances: A Night with Bam RigbyLive at Hotel Ziggy for We Found New Music
The Sunset Strip has seen its share of rebirths, but on this particular night at Hotel Ziggy, Bam Rigby brought a spark that felt unmistakably new. Fresh off a set packed with unreleased songs, raw emotion, and a room full of unexpected familiar faces, the Bronx‑born artist carried the kind of presence that makes a venue feel intimate in the best way.
It’s not every day you catch an artist who’s opened for the legendary Grace Jones playing an LA showcase, but that’s exactly what made the night electric — the sense that Bam is equally at home on massive festival stages and in rooms where he can look every listener in the eye. After his performance for We Found New Music, he sat down with us to talk evolution, resilience, and the music that’s shaping his next chapter.
We’re here with Bam Rigby, who just wrapped a set at Hotel Ziggy. First off, where are you based, and what’s the music scene like there?
I live in the Bronx, New York. The music scene there is super indie and super chill — a lot of really creative musicians helping each other out, getting each other gigs, building community. It’s a really cool vibe, honestly pretty similar to LA.
You’re here in LA right now. How did the show go for people who couldn’t make it? And what’s it like playing on the Sunset Strip? What were some highlights for you tonight?
So many people showed up — new faces I didn’t expect, plus friends I’ve known forever. Other musicians came out, managers, cool artists. Looking out and seeing all that energy and love was amazing. I just tried to give it back.
It’s been a while since you released new music. What have you been working on lately?
I’m working on an album right now. It’s basically finished, so we’re about to start rolling things out. I’m also re‑releasing some older songs that fit the album better now that my sound has evolved. I’ve moved from a more pop‑electronic world back into my roots — 70s‑influenced rock with a little folk and a little surf.
That’s the vibe of the album. There are songs that mean a lot to me, and everything feels fresh. I’m constantly writing — maybe some of it will go toward the next album. You’re never really done; you’re always learning and creating.
Because I’ve been so focused on recording, I haven’t performed much lately. You really have to put yourself 100% into one thing. So tonight was special — I got to try out a bunch of new songs and see how people reacted. Watching people connect with certain lyrics in real time… that’s what matters.
There was one song with the lyric “I love you isn’t easy if I don’t love myself” Tell me the name of that song and the story behind it.
The song is called Sometimes I Forget to Breathe. I was in a relationship a long time ago with someone who was perfect for me, but I wasn’t ready. I wanted to find the most honest way to say that. That lyric felt like the truest version.
It’s hard to open up when you feel like you don’t deserve the person who’s letting you open up. Loving someone should be as natural as breathing — that’s where the title came from. Sometimes you forget to breathe.
Pick another song you played tonight and tell me what inspired it.
I played a song called Silhouette. My mom used to always tell me, “If you’re going to do something, do it the best — or don’t do it at all.” So Silhouette is about that: Make it good, make it last, so they never forget your silhouette. My mom was a musician too, and she always pushed me to follow my path and be the best I can be. I think about that all the time.
You opened for the legendary Grace Jones. How did that happen?
Bam: Yeah, that was wild. It was at the OutLoud Festival — Santigold, Orville Peck, me, Grace Jones. Such a cool lineup. We played this groovy 70s set that fit perfectly.
What made it even cooler was that she had a hand in choosing who opened. Being approved by her team felt amazing. And being in the back area village with her, watching her come out in her looks, seeing her whole team — it was surreal and super supportive.
Did you get to meet her at all?
Very briefly. Before a show, most artists stay in their zone, so you don’t really mingle. So it was a very brief thing, but it was really dope to do that.
If you could open for any artist — now or from the past — who would it be and why?
Bam: Right now? Lord Huron, Benson Boone, Harry Styles, Teddy Swims, Shaboozey… basically everyone in the lane I’m in.
From the past? T. Rex — look at the hair! He’s everything. He passed away back in the day, after a night out with Bowie. The Who — the original lineup. And Bowie, of course. I don’t know if we’d fit on the same bill, but early Bowie had that skiffle vibe that’s kind of similar to what I’m doing now. I love Bowie. I watch every documentary about him or the Beatles. Opening for the Beatles would’ve been insane.
You’ve been cancer‑free for nearly a decade. How has that experience shaped your music?
I debuted in the States a little over ten years ago, and not long after that I was diagnosed with cancer, so I had to pause everything and give myself time to recover. It takes a lot out of you — you’re exhausted for years, and you’re just trying to feel like yourself again. Being on stage with all that pressure didn’t feel possible at the time, so I stepped back until I knew I was ready.
There were moments when I wondered if too much time had passed, if people had moved on, or if it was even worth coming back. But I realized this is the only thing I truly want to do. Music is something I always return to, so stopping wasn’t really an option. I just kept going.
Now I write from a different perspective. Before, I was always focused on the “now,” wanting everything to happen fast, wanting every song to be the one. But going through something that forces you to slow down gives you a wider lens. You start writing from the present, the future, and the past all at once.
When I revisit older songs, I can finish them differently because I understand more now. I can look back at what I was feeling and tie in what I’ve learned since. It makes the music more human. If you’re just venting, it’s just venting — but when you bring reflection and experience into it, the lyrics become honest in a way people can really connect with.
What do you hope the rest of 2026 brings? What are your goals?
I’m releasing a ton of music — let’s get some stuff going viral, let’s get some awards, let’s get on tour. I want to build community through all of it.
And honestly, I want people to go outside again. Come to shows, have real experiences, not just rely on social media. Let’s make things real in real life, like it used to be. That’s the goal.
In Conclusion
As the crowd filtered out of Hotel Ziggy and the last notes of his set lingered in the air, it was clear Bam Rigby is stepping into a new chapter with purpose. His story — from Bronx beginnings to Sunset Strip stages, from opening for icons like Grace Jones to rebuilding himself after life‑altering challenges — is woven into every lyric he writes.
And for those who witnessed it, the show was a night to remember — the beginning of something truly grand.
(Interview by Ken Morton – Photos by Karyn Burleigh of Rock Edge Photography)
