On ‘Baby Baby’, Singapore-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Sanjay Michael looks to the golden age of rock for inspiration, drawing on the bluesy excess and unfiltered swagger of the ’70s and ’80s. Built around muscular guitar riffs, a driving rhythm and a hook designed to linger, the single embraces the genre’s larger-than-life sensibilities without abandoning the directness that makes a good rock song work. For Michael, whose musical identity has been shaped by a multicultural upbringing spanning Malaysia, Australia and Singapore, rock ’n’ roll remains less a period piece than a language through which to communicate instinctively.
The influence of artists such as Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses and Van Halen is apparent in the track’s emphasis on guitar-led momentum and blues-inflected attitude. Yet ‘Baby Baby’ is less concerned with reproducing a particular era than capturing its spirit. Michael’s conversational vocal delivery gives the song a loose, almost mischievous character, cutting through the weight of the instrumentation with an approach that feels closer to a frontman working a room than a vocalist chasing technical perfection. The result is a track that prioritises personality and groove, allowing its central riff and chorus to carry much of the weight.
The accompanying music video reinforces the single’s old-school sensibility, placing Michael and his band in a barroom setting that complements the track’s live-wire energy. Together, the audio and visuals evoke a familiar rock ’n’ roll environment built around performance, camaraderie and the physical thrill of amplified guitars. There is little interest here in subverting the genre’s conventions; instead, Michael finds value in their durability, trusting the music to speak through its riffs, rhythm and delivery.
‘Baby Baby’ ultimately succeeds on its own terms. Its appeal lies in an uncomplicated commitment to the fundamentals of rock: a strong groove, a memorable hook and a performer who understands the importance of presence. While its influences are firmly established, Michael approaches them with enough conviction to make the track feel like an active part of his evolving catalogue rather than a simple exercise in nostalgia. In an era when guitar music continues to find new forms and audiences, ‘Baby Baby’ makes a case for the enduring pleasure of getting back to the basics.
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