Smooth Artist Interviews

Barbara Fowler interview image
Barbara Fowler interview image
Barbara Fowler interview image
Barbara Fowler interview image
Barbara Fowler interview image
Barbara Fowler interview image
See more choices
Barbara Fowler
How did your new album/single and overall concept for it come about?

A resonant pause for life in motion, this project was crafted for the quiet commuter seeking peace at day’s end. With velvet-wrapped jazz and R&B textures, we offer music that soothes, restores, and gently returns you to your rhythm.

What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of recording?

Studio work is part confession, part high-wire act. Just you and the mic, no crowd to catch you. You chase feeling as much as pitch, balancing critique with flow. Fatigue sets in, but you reach for raw honesty, hoping it echoes beyond the walls.

Of your touring and gigs so far in your career, do any stand out as being particularly memorable or defining moments?

One of the most unforgettable nights of my career was sharing a bill with the incomparable Phyllis Hyman. We first met at Leviticus in NYC; never did I imagine we’d grace the same stage. That night with Sinnamon, I told the crowd it was my birthday… and the stadium exploded. With the No. 1 record in the country, the energy was electric. It was a moment of joy, connection, and pure musical magic.

What is your MOST favorite part of the music business and LEAST favorite part.

The music industry dances between dream and disillusion. Hearing your EP on the airwaves, feeling truly seen, is gold. But behind the scenes, it’s a maze of metrics, missed promises, and mirages. Still, you sharpen your voice, guard your vision, and grow bolder. These trials don’t just shape your truth, they amplify it.

Regardless of genre, what are your "go to" albums, the ones you turn to time after time for your own personal enjoyment and inspiration?

For pure pleasure and inspiration, I return to Chaka, Aretha, Donny, and Phyllis. Chaka electrifies, Aretha stirs my spirit, Donny’s tone lingers like poetry, and Phyllis soothes like a balm. Their voices have shaped the emotional core of my own artistry.

What aspect of the creative process, from concept to market, do you personally find to be the most rewarding?

The most soul-satisfying moment comes after creation, when someone hears my song and truly feels it. That moment of emotional sync is everything. From shaping R&B textures with jazz-infused hooks to voicing and phrasing that match the vision, it’s magic when it all lands. And when a listener hears God Bless the Child or Feel Like Makin’ Love and something stirs that’s when music becomes ministry.