INTERVIEW: Barli tells us 'Someday All This Pain Will Be Useful' on her stunning EP
Image: Ruby Holland
UK singer-songwriter Barli recently released her new EP Someday All This Pain Will Be Useful, a glorious three track collection which encompass heart felt ballads, smooth R&B and trip hop. It is Barli’s first music release since her 2016 single ‘Speechless’ and her talent for creating masterful songs that wrap around your soul, and her remarkable voice, have only grown stronger during her time away.
The EP was born during the coronavirus pandemic when recording sessions she was working on performing backing vocals for the next Duran Duran album were cancelled. The silver lining was the unexpected free time gave Barli the focus to complete and release the EP. In many ways the EP, and particularly the beautifully raw and intimate title track, are a reflection of the state of the world during the EP’s creation: “Someday all this pain is about enduring and living life lessons, hope and promise,” Barli says. This EP is is the kind of life-affirming music we need in this troubled times and we highly recommended giving it a spin. Barli is one of the great undiscovered talents in the musis industry right now and we can’t wait to see what else she releases this year.
We recently caught up with Barli to find out more about the EP and her career.
Hi Barli! Thanks for taking the time to fill in this Q&A. How is everything in your world right now?
My world has really shifted and is currently sitting somewhere between anticipation and complete peace in stillness. Like everyone else I have been on a mammoth journey of self reflection in the last few months, I am more connected and settled than I have ever been, writing deeply and honestly, thankful for my neighbourhood, my friends and family but mostly for my baby girl Misty. My focus has been making her world magical everyday, in doing that lockdown has been much easier on me.
Congratulations on the release of your EP Someday All This Pain Will Be Useful, it is a fantastic trio of tracks. Was there a collective inspiration behind these tracks, or message you wanted to project?
’Someday’ was written in a minute with my friend Tom Hewson a classical jazz musician. It is a letter to myself and others who are going through hard times to remember that loving properly is hard and every storm runs out of rain. ‘Sunday Best’ is just cute and easy. I wrote it with Pete Cochran by the sea, reminiscing about the one that got away. ‘Get Free’ is a look at how artistry has become so ego laden with the social media helldom we are all encouraged to be a slave to. It’s never really sat well with me begging for likes, and I don't think it serves anyone well to be receiving this constant filtered imagery of life or delivering it. ‘Get Free’ pushes to ask how far that goes as this review and leave comment culture enters into more and more of our interactions and even our relationships
Someday All This Pain Will Be Useful is such a brilliant title and a really great motto to transform the hardships that come our way into a positive. Do you fully subscribe to the belief that every battle, problem or hardship is an opportunity for growth?
I believe we are always stronger than we think. I believe if you keep working on yourself and confronting all your fears and trauma it makes you stronger than if you bury them and try to operate through a false or muted version of yourself. Give yourself the credit due that you survived and you are still here to tell your truth. Healing comes first and that takes as long as it takes, I really believe in becoming the manual for how to get through X for a younger you is great motivation to keep going. I really believe the ones who love you will be motivation for you to keep going
Can you talk to us a little about the creative process behind this EP?
All three songs were written in a heartbeat. ‘Get Free’ was both recorded and produced by Tom Hewson in Hackney East London. ‘Sunday Best’ was recorded in Margate. I sat on it for a while, ‘Someday’ is so special to me it needed to be handled with respect, we thought about speeding it up, overproducing it or under producing, just piano vocals… we went round and round then just realised we couldn't decide what to do because it was perfect as it was and is.
This EP is your first new release since 2016, how does it feel to have your music out in the world again?
So much has happened this year that really makes you face your own mortality so I am committed to doing what I love, and being around people I love and who love me. Making music and sharing it is my passion so I feel I am living in my true self and at my happiest when I do. A lot has changed in the music industry in such a short time and even more so with coronavirus, I miss being in the studio so much, I miss gigs. Releasing music is one of the music connections corona hasn't stolen, so it feels liberating to be able to send my music out to the world to connect with people.
What role did music play in your life when you were growing up?
I was definitely a music loner until I got to the Brits [a music college based in London], as in my taste in music and love for it was way deeper than my secondary school friends. I have many older brothers and sisters and a dad who is very into jazz to thank for that. I used to go to sleep listening to music and wake up listening to music. I knew I was a singer and writer from always.
How did your career as a musician start?
I started as a session musician doing backing vocals for artists on tour, then graduated to vocal sessions in the studio where i started to meet producers and work on my own material.
The coronavirus pandemic has hit the music industry particularly hard. What do you want music fans to do in order to support their favourite artists and make sure we have a music industry to enjoy again when this is all over?
Keep downloading and sharing your favourites with your friends, spread the word, talk and connect with people about music you love. Then when that is under control and it is totally safe to do so, buy that ticket, celebrate everything with all your loved ones, make up reasons to get together and see a gig, go to all the festivals you can afford go to, stay up late with your strangers, neighbours, family and friends, share playlists and tell them about your favourite albums. Just create beautiful memories to the sound of beautiful music.
The music industry has not always been the kindest to female artists, both front of stage and behind the scenes, mostly due to a power imbalance that favours straight, white, older men. What are your thoughts on sexism and gender equality in the music industry?
Men can be gross and they need to know. They need to be held accountable and women need to be believed. Some women in the industry need to stop shielding these men and companies need to act when they have a sex pest problem. How hard can it be? Don’t touch me and don’t be a pervy dick.
The last few months have seen a wave of global unrest and activism in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. What do you hope comes from these justified protests?
I hope all companies, including record labels, publishers and brands show their stats, how many black people applied for jobs, how many interviewed, how many were turned down, how many black artists have we invested in, how much did we invest in them in comparison, how many black people on the board of our company, how many black A&Rs? How many white artists are mimicking black artists? There also needs to be monitoring within interviews and meetings. I had a meeting about my music with the director of a leading independent publishing company as the creative director was working with me. He spoke nothing of my music and only asked me what it was like to be black in Margate and did I know his dog only barked at black people...
What else is on the agenda for Barli in 2020?
I am releasing another EP in autumn.
Someday All This Pain Will Be Useful is out now, stream on Spotify and Apple Music.
To keep up with all things Barli you can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
