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Interview by Carol Wright | Photo Courtesy of LPR Agency

Musical duo BARBUDO chatted to NYOTA about their song “Sunshine” and the advice they have for aspiring musicians.

Take us back to the beginning. How did BARBUDO come to be?

Me and Ben had been in a band previously that fizzled out when we were at uni. We both carried on writing songs independently a few years ago and decided to combine our efforts to make a new band, which was Barbudo. 

Over time have you established a specific collaboration process or music-making process?

We don’t have one formula for writing songs and we hope this keeps things fresh. That being said, we usually write the melody and chords first and build the track around that.

Tell our readers about your song “Sunshine.” What inspired the lyrics?

The lyrics of “Sunshine” were written at a time when misinformation was a hot topic in the news. Obviously, this is still a serious issue that bothers us. With this in mind, we wanted to write something about losing faith in things you previously trusted, self-doubt, and the uncertainty of the world we live in.

“Sunshine” has such a funky, disco vibe to it. What influenced the way the song sounds?

We love funk disco of the 70s & 80s and “Sunshine” is influenced by this era. We wanted to write a Wham-esque kind of song in the vein of  their track “Everything She Wants.” Whilst the music is quite summery and joyful, we wanted to juxtapose it against a slightly darker lyrical undertone to add more depth and to make it our own. 

Do you often look to current events when it comes to finding inspiration for your music?

Sometimes. Everything we write is a reflection of our experiences whether conscious or not, and often we comment on current events – as we have done in “Sunshine!”

What advice do you have for aspiring musicians?

I’d say to prioritise enjoying the process of creating and playing music and don’t get too hung up on what other people think.