Conversations with Barii

Today we’d like to introduce you to Barii.

Hi Barii, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was raised in Lakewood, New Jersey in a town where many kids with talent are often overlooked and lack opportunities. Aside from sports, the only activity we looked forward to was being a part of the local drill team and drumline. At five years old, competing and performing all across the country and hearing musicians from other regions is what sparked my first interest in music.

In 7th grade, in an attempt to find my purpose in life, I got in trouble a lot with my mother! She would take away my privileges for months on end, so during this time of boredom, I discovered FL Studio on an old computer we had at home. When she went to sleep, I spent countless hours learning how to make beats. I eventually taught myself how to sing, write, produce and engineer my own songs which I still do today.

I spent years trying to convince record labels and major artists to use my demos but was met with a lot of resistance. According to them, my music was ‘too unique’ – out of frustration, I began dropping the songs on my own! Releasing songs was one of the best decisions I’ve made, and now I have singles with over 3.5 million streams – independently! My sound, which was ‘too unique’ for record labels, attracted major companies in the TV/Film world. The most amazing Music Supervisor – Ashley Neumeister gave me my first song placements ever and continues to be a pivotal person in my career. Two years ago, Ashley introduced me to the legendary, iconic composer Kurt Farquhar (King of Queens, The Proud Family Moesha, Being Mary Jane) this introduction changed my life! I’m blessed to learn and work daily with Kurt as he grooms me to be one of the best up-and-coming TV/Film composers in the business. With Kurt and Ashley, I have landed placements on numerous major shows including; The Proud Family, The Game, Real Husbands of Hollywood, The Neighborhood, Sacrifice and many more.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve always been the underdog, the person that was ridiculed for trying something I wasn’t good at. As a producer, I was considered too far left, as a writer I was told to focus on producing, and as a singer I was told my voice wasn’t skilled enough. I took those criticisms and I worked on developing my craft daily.

I understood nothing worth having comes easy, my journey has been filled with ups, downs, wins, losses and disappointments. But I learned that staying focused, being resilient and trusting in God goes a long way. Self-encouragement and external support from people that believe in me is what keeps me going.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My main focus is composing for television and film, but I’m also an artist, producer and songwriter. I’m most proud of working on a show like The Proud Family on Disney +. Growing up The Proud Family was one of my favorite shows, it’s amazing to get the opportunity to write original songs for such a successful, inclusive animation. The show gives representation to the minority groups that are not normally showcased on major networks. I believe the ability for me to create a song in the studio from beginning to end solely by myself sets me apart for others. There are many that can but it’s not common to find musicians who can complete the process of a song creation without assistance within the process, I’m very proud of that.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Being a good person, working hard, and being very persistent!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.callmebarii.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callmebarii/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CallMeBARii/
• Twitter: @callmebarii
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/BARiiMusic
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/callmebarii

Image Credits
Paul Silva Tommy Rebel