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Barz da Lyricist - Soul feat. J

Barz da Lyricist explores interplay between colors,
sound and emotion on new EP ‘Red Room’

TACOMA, WA –Darius McCray – better known as the artist Barz da Lyricist – was studying marketing when he was struck by a course that examined the impact of color on a person’s emotions. Yellow – a vibrant color – enticed feelings of happiness and joy from people, while cooler colors of blue brought the mood down. The more he studied, the more fascinated he became, and that research played a huge role in his debut mixtape “Yellow Room,” which released to rave reviews in 2017. His girlfriend, Jala Williams, suggested that he continue his exploration of colors and feelings with his follow-up project, “Red Room.”

The five-track EP was released on Dec. 21 and is already gaining the up-and-coming musician from Tacoma, Washington some major attention along the West Coast. Barz said red is a color that evokes thoughts of love and passion, and so this project is all about relationships and the feelings that come with chasing the love of your life. It’s a project that dips into R&B while showcasing his ability to combine classic soul with chill lyricism. And throughout all of the songs Barz displays a unique ability to rap and sing – showing off a rapid-fire delivery with a pure, melodic pitch that is unlike anything else in the game today.

“This project is very melodic, and those melodies intertwine with lyricism,” Barz said. “It’s singing and rapping at the same time. You usually don’t see both at the same time, and I think what sets me apart is the way I intertwine both and keep that balance. I’m a sonic artist who has lyricism spiked throughout all his music.”

Barz said though his songs have depth and encourage listeners to hit repeat so as to understand the full messages of his music, he also doesn’t over-do it with his lyrics. They’re palatable, he said, in ways that are both commercial and catchy.

Take, for instance, his single “Carmine,” which is one of the two debut singles from the project. It’s a very commercial-sounding, radio-ready track that embraces different structures all wrapped around a very melodic and catchy hook.

“All my style is slight lyricism, and this song is the perfect example of that,” Barz said. “I express simple lyrics that people can relate to and catch on to.”

This unique ability is also showcased on “Soul,” the second showcase single from the project. Like its name would imply, it’s a more soul-forward song that Barz said was inspired by the sounds of Erykah Badu. He calls it a pure “love vibration.”

“It is simple vibrations with soulful melodies and slight lyricism throughout,” he said. “And the production value really sets it off. It’s crazy. There’s a deep bass line that’s groovy and very catchy.”

Barz said he plans to continue releasing singles throughout 2019, and is excited to interact and engage with his growing fanbase through social media. Already his Twitter account has 10,000-plus followers, and he’s actively growing his Instagram account.