Introducing: Lockwood Barr

Home > Interviews > Introducing: Lockwood Barr

Lockwood Barr will never toe the line — not even if she wanted to. The California native is looking to start a routine: tackle a batch of genres, blend them together, keep fans guessing with her endlessly creative flair and, eventually, drop tracks that’ll span the entire spectrum of emotions. During the pandemic, she suddenly had a bunch of free time to work on this game plan and, now, she’s ready to release some stunners.

Let’s check in with Barr to learn more about why she decided to pursue music, what she’s been doing since the pandemic began and what’s to come for her:

You were born into a very musical family, with your mom, dad and cousin all musically inclined in some facet. What made you want to contribute, and continue, that “family tradition”? What made you decide music was for you, too?

Music has not only been a huge part of my family’s life, but it’s been a part that’s brought my family great joy, so I honestly never considered doing anything else. I’ve been laser focused on music since I was a wee baby. Maybe this sounds cliché, but I never considered any other career options. I always knew this would be my path, come hell or high water, and I’m incredibly lucky to come from a family that views music as a legitimate job. They’ve always believed in me and believed in the work.

If you weren’t in music, what would you be doing?

Nothing … I’d be figuring out how to do music, haha.

What have you been doing during the pandemic?

Writing songs, songwriting and writing more songs. I’ve, of course, acquired other skills, including how to produce a high-quality livestream, how to plug a microphone interface into an iPhone for recording, how to connect with people across the world, etc. But it’s really been a fruitful season for writing new music. This pandemic, especially in the peak of quarantine and social distancing, has been an opportunity to take a step back and reflect, a forced pause. And my version of reflecting has always been writing. I’m so excited to start sharing these songs with the world, one by one.

As a female in the country music scene, it can inevitably be tough to get out of the stereotypical image set for women and break the mold. What are you doing to prove you’re different, and how is that going?

I’m refusing to stop, and I’m doing my best to stay true to myself. In the arts, I don’t believe there’s any actual competition between artists. Either you are striving to be the best version of yourself, or you aren’t. So, I think the trick for me has been figuring out who I really am and then doing it on purpose. Let’s go, girls.

There’s this stigma surrounding artists who want to tackle multiple genres or get out of their comfort zone. You, however, are a pioneer of sorts of genre blending. Take one of your most popular tracks, “Helluva Habit,” for example. It sounds like dream-pop, folk and country all mixed into a savory dish. How do you plan on blurring the lines between country, americana, rock, mainstream pop, etc., beyond the incredible work you’ve already done?

I think, at this point, that blending is involuntary. I have so many influences from various facets of my life, and it’s almost like they can’t be contained. I am the product of school musicals, church choirs, classic country music and ‘70s rock, and they all come seeping out when I create something new.

Do you think this genre blending has also found its way into your personality, meaning do you think your personality is multi-faceted just like your music?

Oh, definitely! I’m equal parts nomad and homebody. I’m equal parts Sunday School student and rocker with a bourbon neat in her hand. And the list goes on … My life is chock full of contradictions, but I suppose that means they’re not contradictions, as they all authentically exist within me. In the same breadth, you might hear me curse, rattle off an inappropriate joke and then turn around and exclaim that Jesus is amazing. (This doesn’t thrill my sweet Methodist parents but, apparently, they still love me … for now). It’s all me, and it’s all real. My personality is simply the result of the life I’ve lived thus far.

Let’s say someone opened whatever streaming service they use and saw your album. They’re deciding between giving it a listen or not. If you could become the voice in their head, what would you say to persuade them to click play?

What an interesting question. I’ve never been asked that before! Maybe I’d make it like one of those corny 2000s emails, where it would tell you to “Forward this to 12 friends, or you’ll have bad luck for 7 years,” except make it “Listen to this Lockwood Barr song, and share her music with all of your phone contacts, or you will have bad luck for 7 years…” Thoughts? Too menacing? I supposed my back-up option would be to say, “I’m super talented, even my parents think so.”

Is there new content coming soon that fans can expect?

Why, I thought you’d never ask! Yes, speaking of all that songwriting I’ve been doing all year … I’m gearing up to drop a new tune at the end of October! It’s called “Adderall and Alcohol,” and I chose it for the next release because it’s already become a fan favorite for my listeners on livestreams this summer. I’m so excited to be bringing it to life in the studio!


Lockwood Barr’s new single Already Gone is available to stream below.

Maria Herrera

Maria Herrera is a freelance music journalist for Indie Is Not A Genre and co-founder of a small Nashville-based indie artist management group called Evergreen Entertainment.



This page may contain affiliate links to providers from whom Indie Is Not A Genre receives a commission. These links are marked with an asterisk (*).

Scroll to Top