You might remember Chantelle Barry as the Popstars alumn who took a very public fall from grace. These days she’s left the world of manufactured pop far behind to forge a career as an indie singer-songwriter. She’s currently in Australia to promote her debut album Simple Things. I caught up with her to talk about life in Los Angeles, the new CD, and why she still calls Australia home.
How does it feel to be home?
It feels so good. I wish I could be here more and do what I’m doing over in L.A. Nothing compares to being home with family and friends.
How does life in Los Angeles compare to living in Australia?
I think the biggest difference is that it’s so fast-paced. There’s something happening all the time. There’s like seven or eight lanes on a freeway all going one way.
Oh my goodness. I struggle with Sydney!
Yeah, I know! It’s crazy! It seems like there’s always traffic. It’s always peak hour. Everyone around you is in the same industry, pursuing something creative in entertainment or fashion. It’s go-go-go, really competitive. But I do love it too because I have a bit of a competitive nature, which I think is what drives me in music.
What inspired you to head to the States?
Well, when I was younger I always wanted to go to America. I had some friends at a singing and dancing school that I went to as a kid and they went to America. And when they came back I was like “Oh my god, I want to go there!” It sounded so exciting and fun. And the opportunity arose in about 2000 for me to go and just visit. So I visited L.A. and I fell in love. The weather was fantastic; it’s comparable to Perth. And I knew some very good music producers over there. So I was like “I think I want to move and give it a go.” So it was just good timing I think. And I’ve been there for eight years. It’s been a slow but steady progression. Things have been happening and I’m happy there.
You’re out here to support the release of your new album Simple Things. What can you tell me about it?
Simple Things is very much a story. Every song on it is something that’s happened from my life over the course of the last seven or eight years. The title track, for example, “Simple Things” is about just getting back to the simple things, you know? Where material things don’t matter so much, and I refer to being young and carefree. And being in L.A. definitely inspired that song. At the time I wrote it I was broke and down on my luck, and I was like “I just want things to be back to simple; money not to matter and not to drive things.” I wrote that song and everyone that heard it really responded to it. It was such a good feel. And I realised it was actually relatable; it’s not just me who goes through these downs. Everyone wants the simple things in life.
I wrote the album over the course of probably two years, and then I chose the best songs. Scott Whyte, he produced the album, and we built a studio pretty much, and just locked ourselves in it for four months and really got to it. And it was such a fun process. We wrote a couple of songs together. We wrote the single together which is called “You,” and I just did a music video for that.
It seems to be going pretty well. I’m really, really proud of the album. I didn’t compromise any of the sounds or styles. Hopefully everyone else will receive it that well too.
How have the local crowds responded to your new songs?
Pretty well actually. It was really nice because I was a little worried. It’s important to me that Australia, and especially Perth since I’m from here, hears my stuff and goes “Oh yeah, that’s our girl. That’s Chantelle.” So I was a little nervous, but on Saturday night when I hosted the Fashion TV Diamond Model Awards I opened the show by singing two songs, “Simple Things” and “You,” and I got a really good response. A lot of people throughout the night were like “Oh my god, I loved that second song,” and “That’s really cool” and “Can I buy it?” I was really really happy and flattered, so hopefully it continues that way.
You mentioned that you were here to host the Fashion TV Diamond Model Awards. Do you have an interest in fashion?
I absolutely do. I love fashion. I grew up watching my mum sew and design our costumes as kids, so it kind of passed on to me. I sew as well, and I make a lot of my own clothes and whatnot. It’s fun, and it gives me something to do on my downtime. I’ve actually just launched my own jewellery line. It’s called White Elephant, and our stuff is available in Australia through Style Palace, it’s an online outlet. It’s cool; I really love doing it. I love making jewellery and designing. It’s another creative outlet for me, which I love.
You released the album in the US in August. What’s the reception been like so far?
It’s been good. It’s definitely a different process doing it indie. I don’t have a major distribution deal. It’s all me. So any of the results I’ve gotten are from me hustling and calling and sending out packages and stuff like that, e-mailing people. But it has been well received, and I’m really happy about that. I have a Canadian company interested in distributing it around the world, but now I’m not sure if we really need to take that deal just because we are getting interest and starting to do little tours.
My music’s playing on rotation on all the islands in Hawaii, because we use a lot of ukuleles from a big island company; they sponsored us for the album. So it has a real island feel to it, which I think places like Hawaii respond to. So it’s playing there, and at the end of the year I’m going to Hawaii to open for a really great artist, Matisyahu.
So with no major label backing us, it’s been a good response.
You first rose to fame here through the program Popstars. Your exit from the show was shrouded in controversy. How did you pick yourself up after that?
It was a tough time for me because it was my first taste of any kind of fame at all. Having my name out there, and not in the best light, was tough for me, especially at 18. I was like “Oh my god, am I ruined for life?” I believe I have really good parenting. My mum is probably the strongest woman I know. And she always taught us that you have to pick yourself up, and know who you are, and if you have dreams you’ve got to go for them no matter what. There’s always a chance of failure, and you can’t let those things get in the way. I kind of used it as a lesson, and at the end of the day I’m kind of thankful that the entire experience happened because it’s part of who I am. And it’s given me a really good grasp on how to handle situations like that. There’s always going to be people talking trash about you and you just have to take it with a grain of salt and then just move on.
You’ve clearly moved on to bigger and better things. I read that Lionel Richie said you were the world’s best kept secret. How does it feel when a legend like that is so supportive of your music?
Oh my gosh. It’s huge! Growing up, New Year’s Eve parties when you’re seven years old singing along to “All Night Long.” I was star struck. But he’s a good friend of mine. He’s become a really great mentor to me. Any time that I really need advice he’s there to give it to me, and he gives it to me with no BS. “This is how it is. You deal with it or you don’t. This is how it works for me.” I’m really appreciative of having him in my life. For him to say such flattering things like the one you just read, that means a lot to me.
How did he become aware of your music?
I actually took a meeting with one of his older managers years and years ago, maybe seven years ago when I first moved to L.A. And I didn’t continue the relationship with his manager, but during the meeting Lionel walked in because he was a client of his, and we just hit it off. He’s definitely like a father figure to me. We had that kind of chemistry where he could be who he is and we could just joke and stuff, and he really got my sense of humour and vice-versa. Through becoming friends and that relationship he would always listen to my stuff and give me advice and whatnot. And now that he has my album he’s like “Oh my god, this is great.” He has a couple of plans that he wants to take the album with him in Europe, so fingers crossed that all happens.
You’ve played some amazing venues like Hotel Cafe and The Viper Room. How does it feel to step onto stages like that, where so much musical history has been made?
It feels good. It’s a little surreal. When I first started doing it, it scared the hell out of me. It was like “I’m just a Perth girl, really? Can I be singing at The Viper Room right now?” But you get on stage and it’s just like any other stage, and you’ve got a bunch of people in front of you and lights on you. More than anything it feels good. That is my favourite thing in the world, being on stage with a live audience. I just love it. I get a real adrenalin rush, and it feels good. So I adapted pretty quickly I think!
Your acting career is also thriving with roles in TV shows like 90210 and How I Met Your Mother and the new Vince Vaughan movie Couples Retreat. Music it’s all about showing your true self, so does that make acting and pretending to be someone else all the more liberating?
Well, no, for me I think it’s a really nice outlet. Because I’m so exposed in the music and I’m writing songs based on real stories and all that, when I get the chance to do acting it’s kind of like a nice relief. Because I’m still being creative, but I get to play. And I’m bringing aspects of myself into the other character, regardless of the character I’m playing. So I think they kind of go hand in hand, because I’m still being creative, I’m still performing. But it’s fun. You’re just playing. It’s like being a kid and just pretending you’re this person. You just do it and it’s great.
So after this Australian visit, what’s next for Chantelle Barry?
When I get back to L.A. I’m back on doing my shows. I do shows every month, so I’m back on doing those. And then probably rehearsing for the Hawaiian gigs for the end of the year. And then next year for me I really want to be tours, so that’s the big goal for me.
So will we see you back here?
I would love to. I would love to kick off the tour in Australia more than anything.
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