: Critics describe it as a "dreamy synth-scape" that serves as a "blissed-out soundtrack".
: The track reached #23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the charts in several countries, including Romania. Who is Surf Mesa? Surf Mesa - ily (i love you baby) (feat. Emilee) (Audio)
Powell Aguirre took the name from a map in the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive . Before this hit, he was a student with a 1.8 GPA who spent most of his time making music in his bedroom—a hobby he kept somewhat secret from his high school friends until it became a worldwide phenomenon. : Critics describe it as a "dreamy synth-scape"
The song’s journey began in November 2019 in a . Surf Mesa (born Powell Aguirre), then a 19-year-old producer from Seattle, was scrolling through TikTok when he came across a video of singer Emilee Flood performing a stripped-back cover of Frankie Valli's 1967 classic, "Can't Take My Eyes Off You". Inspired by her vocals, he downloaded the audio and created a dreamy, "tropical house" track around it that same day. The Viral Path to Success Powell Aguirre took the name from a map
: The song was renamed from "ILY" to "ily (i love you baby)" to make it more searchable for fans looking for the familiar Frankie Valli lyrics.
: Surf Mesa sent the finished track to Emilee via Instagram DM. She loved the "dope" edit, and they decided to release it together.
: As the song went viral, major labels began calling. Surf Mesa initially feared they were calling to sue him for copyright infringement, but they actually wanted to sign him and help clear the rights for the Frankie Valli sample. Key Song Details