Q&A: Barrie Talks Her Return with Single “Dig”, Releasing New Music & More
WHEN I FIRST LISTENED TO THE SOFT-TONED VOCALS OF BARRIE LINDSAY on her former band’s only full-length album, Happy To Be Here, there was something arresting and blissful that had me wishing that the 34-minute record would miraculously lengthen. With Barrie’s disbanding, out from this indie-pop outfit emerged Barrie Lindsay’s solo project of the same name, but wholly different in sound and spirit. Evolution and rebirth are some terms that came to mind on my first listen of her new single “Dig”, and true to its name, it is a grounded track that is simultaneously bursting with emotional expression.
Since 2019, Barrie has encountered several monumental changes and losses that are woven throughout “Dig”, and culminate in an unrestrained hook that sings “I can’t get enough of you/ Where did you come from”. The track’s most impressive feature is the use of percussion-focused production that creates an earthy-folk atmosphere - and notably, this is the first of many self-produced tracks from Barrie as part of this solo project. This single is an exploration of catharsis and embodies a sense of clarity and openness that will have you yearning for a full-length release. “Dig” is the first of two singles coming this Fall with more music to come, and with the world gradually opening up, she is set to tour in 2022 with live dates in Paris, London, New York and Los Angeles. Read below to learn more about Barrie’s new era and what’s to come.
LUNA: To start off, I’ve been really excited for new music from you. What made you feel like this was the year to release new material?
BARRIE: Thanks! I think you just know when it feels right to release new music. It has to do with feeling like you have something to say, and also with feeling like your sense of self and your emotional state are strong enough to get through an album cycle intact.
LUNA: The vocals on Happy To Be Here were a lot more soft-toned than on “Dig”, there was something so raw and expressive about your performance on this track. What was the driving force of this choice?
BARRIE: During Happy To Be Here, I recorded most of my vocals in my apartment in Brooklyn, which is in a quiet building, especially late at night when I was doing most of the recording. So it was partly that noise limitation, and certainly partly an aesthetic choice. With Dig, I was in rural Massachusetts, in a much more emotionally raw state, and didn’t care what my voice sounded like. And I couldn’t make myself care about setting the mic up properly, so I recorded a lot of the demo vocals from across the room, shouting. I ended up liking them and kept them in.
LUNA: I found that the percussiveness and earthy production on “Dig” felt like a bit of a departure from your debut which had more indie-pop influences. What is the sonic direction you’re going for on your upcoming music?
BARRIE: In the past, with my songwriting, I’ve been more self-conscious about making sure there’s a certain amount of accessibility. I’m finding more and more that I just want to make stuff that I find compelling, and not worry about public reception. I’ve been interested in finding new sounds, and new ways of singing or playing instruments and giving them a lot of texture and space. I want them to feel human.
LUNA: Since this is a self-produced single, should we expect more of that?
BARRIE: Yeah! I plan on self-producing my music for a while.
LUNA: What were some key inspirations that shaped the feel of your new recordings?
BARRIE: It’s hard to say. I wasn't listening to much music or taking in much art in general, and it felt like relevant inspirations were more subconscious than they were active. I’ve collected a lot of instruments and synth sounds, and I think those provided a lot of the inspiration. My wife, Gabby Smith (Gabby’s World), is a musician and a producer, and I really admire her taste. A lot of what I was doing was trying to make sure what I was doing would pass her bullshit test.
I was in rural Maine and Massachusetts for most of the writing and recording, and there’s something about being there, away from the affectations and self-consciousness that you can find in New York, that was inspiring. It makes you stop trying so hard, on some level.
LUNA: What is one thing you’d like listeners to understand about this current era before listening to “Dig” and your forthcoming project?
BARRIE: That’s a cool question. Aside from drums on a couple songs, I was really committed to writing, recording, and producing my upcoming music by myself. It’s not really important that people know that, but I think it changes how you hear it, and maybe adds something.
LUNA: A fun one - if you could only listen to three albums for the rest of your life, what are you listening to?
BARRIE: Hmm probably Blue by Joni Mitchell for downtimes, something minimalist and ambient for calming times (Max Richter or Suzanne Ciani or Music For a Large Ensemble), and something poppy and happy to get shit done (the Ariana Grande album with One Last Time or Be Alright on it?)
LUNA: As the year starts to wind down, what intentions do you have for the rest of 2021?
BARRIE: Trying to keep a healthy work/life balance. It’s hard with music, because it’s work but it gets confused for life sometimes.
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