Rebecca’s Creations…Design and Mode for the Indie Music Scene – Chantelle Barry

Rebecca Nobrega, HorizonVU Music

Rebecca Nobrega and “Rebecca’s Creations…” is a bi-weekly column. Rebecca was born in Toronto, Ontario. Her interests which include marketing, design, and of course, styling. She keeps a close listen and watch on the Indie music scene . She loves working and strives for success.

Chantelle Barry is an exceptional Indie/Pop musician from Western Australia who started her career at a very young age. She was well known by

Chantelle Barry

the public when she won Popstars Australia in 2000. She is a singer and songwriter who released her album ‘Simple Things.” Through that she toured in Australia at the end of 2009, featuring a performance on Good Morning Australia. Her songwriting has allowed her to gain first place in the UK Songwriting Contest for her song “You.” Not only is she a singer, but she is an actress. She was known in many movies, some of which were: “Couples Retreat” as the Eden East Shot Girl and Veronica in the movie “Wish.” She is such a talented person in the fields of music and acting, that as she continues in this successful career path, she will reach above and beyond to the goals she has for herself. And she will do this because she embodies determination and confidence.

Being an Indie musician means to be independent and represent one’s self and being who you want to be. Along with having your own style to music, the musician’s personal choice of attire had with it the factor of their own originality. Chantelle Barry has more of a Indie beachy look to her, which can also be seen in her pictures. For many people including newer artists have their set style, but may not have the all the expenses needed. To get this “Indie Beach” look like Chantelle or any look for that matter, it is easy, as it can be done in an affordable way. Though the expenses are a vital factor in creating an image, one also needs to remember confidence. Any look needs to be worn with that and also to what makes you happy. Expression of your inner character is very important.

Now, Chantelle’s look is very simple yet fun. One thing that she does is play with colour! Now being the spring/summer season, colour up your wardrobe and don’t be afraid to stand out! An outfit consists of many parts which will turn into something very flattering. From baby doll tanks to plain or patterned tank tops, it all works. Even a simple cut shirt will do in achieving this look. Off the shoulder tops are very nice too as the way they drape allow for a nice touch. Pretty much any choice of bottom will work. A simple pencil skirt or a teared skirt are great for this look. Any colour or even with a print, they allow for the indie beachy look. A dress does also, as they are versatile and can be worn in many ways whether one likes to dress them or up or down, they are a fun piece to work with and very comfortable to wear. Skinny jeans that are white, light wash, or just a lighter colour fit this look as they too can be worn in many ways. Another piece to an outfit is a jacket. For this look, earth tone vintage leather will add a soft edge to the outfit. A jean jacket with the cuffs rolled will also make it look good. An outfit is not only about the clothing as it is very much about the choice to accessories and footwear. Vintage boots or a simple flat or sandal can be worn with what one chooses to wear. Different styles add different touches. Chantelle in some of her pictures is seen wearing more chunky accessories, like bulky bangles, some of which are different textures and colours. Belts and bags are also an important component. A belt can allow for a change in the look of an outfit, or add that extra umph it need. There are an endless amount of style when it comes to bags, just pick one you like that are complimentary to your outfit and you will see how fast your outfit look great and completed. Vintage accessories and clothing is always unique. It always gives that extra lift to your outfit.

Through that, one is able to achieve that “indie Beachy” look that Chantelle Barry possesses. When going for her image, include your own character and represent your individualism because that is what the best kind of image is-being yourself.

Chantelle Barry is a very talent artist who has a great sense of style. Check out Chantelle’s CD ”Simple Things” and downloads at SHOP HorizonVU Music and be sure to visit her at:

http://www.myspace.com/chantellebarry

http://www.horizonvumusic.com/Chantelle_Barry.php

Chantelle Barry: A Personal Chat with the Very Talented Singer/Songwriter and Actress

Chantelle Barry

By: Phil Cartwright

Commenting on singer/songwriter and actress Chantelle Barry, Lionel Richie comments ”long overdue,..the best kept secret on the planet”. We couldn’t agree more. We first came to know her through her music – “You” and "Like You Do” (Elvis-like).

She’s intelligent, talented and strikingly pretty. If that isn’t enough, talking with her is just…fun. You come away from meeting her feeling like you have a real new friend. A native of Perth Western Australia, Chantelle Barry won Australia’s version of POPSTARS, earning a coveted spot in the all-girl pop group, Bardot. The group’s debut single, “Poison”, entered the ARIA Singles Chart at 1, where it spent two consecutive weeks, earning a double platinum certification. It became the sixth highest selling single in Australia in 2000, and was the highest selling single by an Australian act that year. Since leaving Australia, she’s lived in London and now resides in Los Angeles.

Chantelle, thanks so much for taking time to talk to us. It’s such a pleasure to chat with you. We know a little bit about you – we know you are Australian, you left Australia to pursue you music and acting career, stopped of in London and now you are in Southern California. Fill in the blanks a bit if you will…how and where did you start your career in music and acting?

CB: I started singing when I was 5 or 6. I sang in a lot of competitions and really loved being on stage. Acting came later. When I was in my last year of primary school my music teacher who was from California, Mr Mike Leaderbrand wrote a musical based on the C.S. Lewis novel ‘The Silver Chair’ and made me the star of it. I was like “Wait, I can act AND sing at the same time?, I’m in!!”. Mr Leaderbrand was a huge inspiration to me. He taught me how to read music and introduced me to a lot of great music like The Beatles and Pink Flloyd. My dad was also a musician and an audio engineer so when I wasn’t at school I had my dad teaching me about decibels and country music. Yep, he insisted that if I wanted to be a good singer I needed to be able to sing country, so I had an eclectic style from a really young age.

I went to a performing arts high school and buried myself in theater. I just really had a passion for learning about different techniques and playwrights and loved the idea of becoming a different person to tell a story on stage. I wasn’t a ‘cool kid’ that’s for sure, but I truly believed that everything I was interested in was cool.

When I finished high school I moved to The East coast (Sydney) to study acting and that’s when I really started to get into songwriting. Then I auditioned for a TV show called POPSTARS. It was a making of the band type show, I made the final cut and the rest is a hop, step and a google click away

How do you describe you music – your sound?

CB: That’s always a tough question for me but I think I’d call it ’singer songwriter/pop’. If I had to do a pitch I’d probably say Sade meets Bruno Mars. Old school meets new school. I have a lot of musical influences and I think they all make an appearance in some song or another.

Tell us a bit about your journey from Australia to LA – were you performing along the way?

CB: And what a long journey it’s been!! I’ve always felt like there was more for me out in the world and I felt a little stunted in Australia- for lack of a better word. So I moved to London first, it was an easier transition seeing that there are so many Aussies in the UK, but after 8 months of cold and writing too many songs about being lonely I moved to sunny Los Angeles CA. I’d visited the states before and since I was a little girl I had dreams of one day living here so it seemed like the natural next step for me to take.

Your first CD, Simple Things…tell us about that…what inspired you to do the CD?

CB: Simple Things was my first album and a really big deal for me. Being in a place like LA, it’s easy to get swept away in all the excitement and

Scott Whyte and Chantelle Barry

opportunity, but on the flip side it’s just as easy to feel jaded and to personalize the daily rejections that this industry deals out. So one day I was sitting in my car thinking about my life and my (at the time) evident lack of money and out came the song Simple Things. People really took a liking to the song and it was the first time I’d written something that organic that didn’t come out of me asking “Ok, what do the labels wanna hear? Would this sound good on the radio?”. It resonated because it came from a real place. So a few years later I met a really talented actor/musician on a movie I was working on by the name of Scott Whyte. He came out to see me perform one night and once he heard my music he wanted to produce an album for me. At the time he was a first time producer so it was a fun and bumpy ride for both of us. The thing about Scott is that he really got my music immediately. He wasn’t wanting to change my style or put beats to my songs- he just wanted to produce something really organic that showed the songs in their best light. And I think that’s exactly what he did.

Now Scott and I are writing partners and have a song that we wrote on hold for the new Footloose movie. Fingers crossed.

Let”s take a few minutes right now to watch your video, “Letting Go”…

We’ve mentioned the support you’ve gotten from Lionel Richie…tell us about how you came to know Lionel and a bit about the direction he has given you.

CB: I met Lionel years ago when I first moved to LA. His manger at the time was trying to sign me (and get into my pants, but that’s a whole other story) and mid meeting in walks Lionel Richie. I tried to play it cool given that he’s an absolute legend and I grew up listening to him on the radio but I think it was obvious that I was really star struck. We immediately clicked. He reminds me a lot of my dad in some ways so early on we established a fun relaxed relationship, and I always fee like he’s someone I can be myself around and really trust. He’s alway given me the most honest advice in regards to my music and he respects the fact that I’m still here pursuing my passion, and admittedly it’s really nice to have that kind of support from someone as like him. He’s a pioneer in the music business. He’s also one of the most generous people I know- when I told him that I was going to make my album Simple Things he bought me an Apple computer completely decked out with all the music programs that we’d need. We’ve talked about me opening for him one day,…that is definitely one of the most exciting prospects I can imagine.

Do you recall a special moment in your career – that memory that keeps you going even when it’s been a really bad day?

CB: When I was just out of high school I auditioned for big show and got really close on it. My mum flew to Sydney with me for the callback and when I didn’t get the part I was so disappointed, but my mum gave me a huge hug, told me how proud she was of me for getting that far and took me to see Showboat that night. I know that no matter what I always have my family and my friends and they love me no matter how successful i am. That is a constant in my life and that keeps me going for sure.

A lot of our young friends dream of going to LA and becoming a star…Be frank, tell us about what’s it’s like to be part of the LA music scene…the great, and maybe the not so great…?

CB: I always tell people to do it because you love it,..because there’s nothing else you wanna do. For me, when I wake up music’s the first thing on my mind and when I go to sleep it’s still there. There are so many ups and downs (welcome to life),…I get a lot of joy from performing live because I know that my music is reaching people immediately, and I love getting letters from people telling me how they could relate to my lyrics or how one of my songs helped them through a breakup. That’s really rewarding. On the not so fun side often it feels like you’re fate is in other peoples’ hands. Waiting for someone to say “yes” , which could be the one yes that changes your entire life. But I think finding a way to say “yes!” to yourself is key. Approval has to start from within, and I’m still learning that.

You seem to have your finger in a lot of different pots. Do you get much free time to pursue other passions?

CB: I try to stay really busy. Kind of like the concept of throwing a bunch into the air and seeing what sticks, ya know. I recently performed at the NAMM conference at the Sennheier booth and received an awesome endorsement deal with them http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBGJ_dLqO0g. I couldn’t be happier, especially since this satisfies my microphone fetish As a result of that Scott and I made a cool making of video where that showcases my songwriting process from start to finish featuring Sennheiser gear. The company loved the video so much that they’re now going to put the video on their home page. Making the video was fun.

I also just became the face of a new skincare lone called KEVO Naturals (www.kevonaturals.com). I have really sensitive skin and this product is amazing. It’s made from all natural ingredients like certified organic shea butter blended with jojoba and essential oils,..and having a free life time supply isn’t a bad deal!

What’s next for you? We know you are working with Gerry Ceagle…what do you two have planned?

Believe it or not I met my music manager Gerry on Facebook. (I will NEVER talk sh*#t about an online social network again!) He’s managed some really amazing artists, has an impressive career as a radio programmer for many years, and above all he’s a real fan of my music. At the moment we’re shopping to major labels. It’s been a weird time for me because I’m such a proactive person and have a difficult time not being in control of my career (ha, clearly I chose the wrong business), so I had to take a lot of my content down from websites and online stores and haven’t been pursuing the same opportunities that I usually do just because we’re waiting for labels responses. I think the biggest frustration for me is that it seems like major labels wanna find the next big ‘unique’ thing but no-one’s really willing to take the risk on someone that doesn’t sound familiar or like an artist that already on the radio. I trust Gerry though and I trust my own instincts so at this point it’s just a waiting game. Maybe I’ll try to master the art of patience in the meantime

I always have to ask my friends…who is your hero?

I have a couple. Judy Garland for sure. That is a woman who took so much crap from the industry from such a young age- she wasn’t pretty enough or skinny enough or whatever, and she never quit. There was something so beautifully melancholy about her and yet everytime I listen to her singing I feel so happy. What a gift.

My other hero is hands down my mother. An amazingly strong woman who didn’t have much growing up in terms of material wealth, but she has never let her circumstances define who she is. My mum is one of those rare people that lives by example. Not to mention the fact that she made every costume of mine when I performed as a kid and has done nothing but support me and every crazy idea I’ve ever had. I’m very lucky. Oh yeah, and she cooks up a storm!

Chantelle, it’s been a real pleasure chatting with you. Please know you have friends at HorizonVU Music…five stars for you and all the best of luck! Stay in touch!

HorizonVU Music celebrates the independent music community by supporting emerging musicians’ efforts to achieve a key business objective - recognition. http://www.horizonvumusic.com

Danielle Engen of The Village – Shares Her Success Story and Her Views on Getting Ahead – “Stay humble. Always be open and willing to learn”.

By: Phil Cartwright

Danielle Engen at The Village, Los Angeles

As good fortune would have it, we had the opportunity to visit with Danielle Engen. Danielle is the studio coordinator for The Village, the legendary Los Angeles studio. Danielle – she’s passionate about music and her work, she’s successful, and she holds onto a strong sense of humility.

The Village www.villagestudios.com is famous for landmark sessions by Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, The Rolling Stones (Goat’s Head Soup), Supertramp (Breakfast in America), Pink Floyd (Momentary Lapse of Reason), the last three Smashing Pumpkins releases, Barbra Streisand, the last two Chili Peppers and Korn releases, The Wallflowers, Rage Against The Machine, Melissa Etheridge, Oasis, Usher, Nine Inch Nails, Nelly, Alanis Morissette and many other projects. Our film scores include The Bodyguard, The Shawshank Redemption, Mulan, Tarzan, Almost Famous, Something About Mary, Moulin Rouge, Ali, Walk The Line, and Across the Universe.

The Village has been frequently nominated as studio of the year by the readers of Mix magazine.

Danielle, thanks very much for taking time to tell us about yourself and your workin the music industry.We know you went to the University of Hawaii, you live in Los Angeles and you are working at The Village in Los Angeles….Tell us more about yourself – your background and your career development. What are your goals?

DE: My love for music started when I was just a kid. Some of my earliest memories were parading down the cul-de-sac of my childhood home with a tambourine, following the legendary Eagles’ guitarist Joe Walsh. He was dating my older cousin Kristi at the time and he would jam out on his guitar at family gatherings, awing me and all my friends. It was him that turned me on to the classic grit of the Stones, Zeppelin, and Hendrix. The passion I had developed from that point on, brought me out to Hollywood at seventeen, about an hour’s drive from where I grew up. I attended Musician’s Institute and familiarized myself with every nook and cranny of the music business I could get my hands on. Since then my career has taken me from scouting for A&R at Capitol Records, to producer management with some of the greats (John Alagia, Ed Cherney, Ethan Johns, Jacquire King, Charlie Sexton), to developing my own artist roster on a label called Villa Music Group. Working as the studio coordinator at The Village, I get the privilege of learning from longtime music industry guru and studio owner, Jeff Greenberg, who is always looking towards the future of the business. Goal-wise I think it’s all about fresh ideas and I’d like to expand on what we can offer as a traditional studio. Now days, with home-based recording an industry of its own, our focus is to capitalize on the experience and go beyond just the gear. We are beyond lucky to have amazingly talented artists and bands passing through our lobby each day and we’re moving in a direction of becoming more involved with development and distribution. Ideally, I’d like to continue helping artists build their careers while integrating the resources we can offer here at The Village. I’m also really driven about rebuilding a sense of community in music that can span across local and worldwide markets through innovative technology.

What are you doing at The Village?

DE: As the studio coordinator, I’m basically at the central hub of all our

The Village, Los Angeles

operations. We have our staff engineers that work directly with clients on sessions to perfect the sound. We have our studio manager that handles bookings and facility management. Our techs contribute to making sure the equipment is working properly and they optimize configurations for each room. The runners act as general assistants and do outside errands based on what the clients need each day. Then my role is to make sure each of these departments work together seamlessly and that everyone’s communicating to get the job done. I’m the first face to greet the artists as they arrive at the studio. I tend to any special requests or needs they may have. I work directly with the studio manager to distribute session set up information and organize the secure delivery and release of any data devices that come through the building. I find the most enjoyable part of my job however to be the marketing aspects – PR, staying current with trends, and making sure our studio stands out through every channel – as well innovating new projects for us to take on as a company. I’m at the forefront of some of the hottest new records hitting the market, so I challenge myself daily on how I can mobilize the opportunities in front of me. My daily tasks could include anything from co-managing bands with Jeff and doing A&R for our side venture (Villa Music Group), to putting together industry mixers here at the studio (we’re currently organizing a pre-Grammy party for the P&E Wing and partnering with Daisy Rock Girl Guitars for a “Women In Rock” event), to teaming up with the LA City Council on charitable causes to bring music into the lives of children. What’s great about it is my day is never the same and working in a studio allows me to constantly mix it up. I love it.

How did you come to find yourself at the Village and how does it play
into your longer-term plans?

DE: My first stint was working as an intern for Sanctuary Records’ producer management department, where I got to see the some fantastic albums come to life and familiarize myself with all the hard work that goes into making them fully mastered products. Several of the producers on our roster were regular clients at The Village and it was fascinating to me to drop by the studio and see all the history displayed on the walls. You can almost feel some sort of artistically charged energy the second you walk through the door. It’s intense. Being here enough and working directly with so many talented producers and engineers, it was only a matter of time before Jeff brought me on as the coordinator and my role here continues to evolve every day. I’ve been blessed to work in an environment where I can appreciate music in it’s most basic state – before the artwork and photo shoots and touring schedules and merchandise ideas are layered on. Those extra elements factor into the artist’s marketability, but they mean nothing without a single melody, a great player, or a page of lyrics. We hear so much about the recording industry fading and there’s always constant banter on what the future of music is. Personally I believe that music lives and my long term vision is to recreate for our next generation the same feelings and
experiences that brought me to this business in the first place – killer live shows, exquisite musicianship, and a tight network of fans. We’re moving towards a digital era that’s driven by interactive, personalized experiences for consumers and being at a studio full of both history and cutting edge technology, I’m in the perfect position to become a part of that.

Tell about your favorite project?

DE: Classic rock is in my blood so I think I was most blown away getting to meet Keith Richards when the Stones came here to work on a track called Rough Justice in 2005. We had a 10am start time scheduled but they didn’t end up arriving until somewhere around 11pm that night. We must have rearranged Studio A a hundred times throughout the day and gone through a case of candles trying to keep the mood lighting going. By the time they came in with producer Don Was and engineer Dave Sardy, we were so exhausted. But nothing could describe the energy that band brought and the way the sound filled up the room. They were phenomenally gracious clients to work with and shaking hands with some of the most epic legends in rock and roll history goes down in my treasured moments.

What are the positives and negatives (or not so positives) of your work
today?

DE: Predictably the biggest plus is getting to be around what I love, every day, all day. There’s not a day of work that goes by where I don’t get to hear live music in one form or another, so that’s a blessing that goes without explanation. I’m also constantly grateful for being part of a such a creative team. Every staff member and client at The Village, despite what they do, is an artistic soul at heart and we all connect on very special level as we share a passion for music. It’s a very exciting time for us as well since the industry itself has begun to evolve on such a large level. We get to be a part of this growth and help contribute to the next frontier. On the downside, the long hours you have to dedicate to a job like this can be exhausting. My day starts early to prep the studio before everyone arrives and often I don’t leave until well into the evening. Then it’s off to live shows so I can stay current on what’s new and continue looking ahead for our next projects. It’s completely rewarding, but it can be draining too. Also it’s frustrating sometimes to see artists or bands with real dedication and commitment struggling, while some of the less musically inclined acts are getting backed by so much funding and press. That’s always a little disappointing.

Have you ever been discouraged yourself or by others about working in
entertainment?

DE: Absolutely. In fact when I attended University of Hawaii to finish my degree, it was because I needed that break from the business – to reassess, regroup, and

Danielle Engen with The Warhols

make sure it was where I wanted to take my career. During my time scouting for Capitol, it became regularly discouraging to bring in groundbreaking demos from indie bands I had seen out at shows, only to have the execs “pass” on them. I was seeing EMI release records from artists no one would recognize today, and then completely disregard bands I was raving about like the Cold War Kids (who I first saw at the Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa in 2005), or Darker My Love (now on Dangerbird). It was hard to get a grasp on what it would actually take to be successful in the business if what you were passionate about wasn’t doing the trick. It’s truly a game of patience and persistence. You start from the bottom and work your way up and it’s all about who’s gonna pass that test of faith. It’s a huge pool of people wanting to make it in this industry and everyone thinks they have what it takes to bring in the next best act. But the ones that succeed are the ones that are in it for the long run. They don’t take no for an answer and they’re willing to do whatever it takes. So the journey itself can be a daunting one. It’s not for the thin-skinned.

Do you have any advice for others wanting to work in entertainment, and
in particular, music?

DE: Stay humble. Always be open and willing to learn. We all started from the bottom of the totem pole and with exception to a few unique cases, it took hard work and dedication to get where most of us are today. It’s not out of the norm to intern for any given period of time. It’s not beneath you to work as anyone’s assistant. Those are great opportunities to broaden your knowledge and learn from people that are seasoned in the business. Network as much as you can. Book your weeks up with live shows, industry mixers, workshops, conventions, festivals – anything you can attend where you’ll meet other industry professionals. This business is based on relationships and I can’t stress that enough. Almost every job I’ve held working in music has been a result of someone I met at a show or an event or during my tenure as an intern. And those individuals continue to help me on a daily basis, even in my current position. You’d be surprised how small the entertainment world really is. And as cliche as it sounds – don’t ever give up. If this is truly what you love and what you’re passionate about, don’t let anything trip you up. Stay grateful for every experience you gain and keep your goals in sight. When you hit a dead end, find another way around it. Hard work and perseverance always pays off.

Finally, on a personal note, who is your hero?

DE: I’d have to say Alex Patsavas of Chop Shop. She is just the ultimate powerhouse when it comes to helping propel great indie bands into the music world and she is so deserving of all the success she’s had throughout her career. Patsavas has supervised incredible soundtracks for TV shows and movies like The O.C., Grey’s Anatomy, Gossip Girl, Mad Men, the Twilight saga – all of which are often recognized solely for the great music they showcase. I remember first hearing Coldplay and the Doves on the TV show Roswell as a teenager and being completely enamored by the all of the music she continued to include on the show. She’s a true indie music fan like myself, and a role model because she’s such a huge female voice in the industry now. She has such a keen ear for sound and brought phenomenal talent out the hidden, unsigned music scene. She’s never stagnant – always on the hunt for what’s new and great. That’s the same kind of work I hope to be recognized for one day.

Danielle, thanks so very much. Fantastic to have met you here at at HorizonVU Music. You have a fascinating story and great advice. Hope you’ll join us again!

HorizonVU Music celebrates the independent music community by supporting emerging musicians’ efforts to achieve a key business objective - recognition.http://www.horizonvumusic.com