Wow, what a musical ride… Barbara Nicole’s new EP More Of Me opens with “XTC,” a track that pulses with a deep, magnetic energy. It’s immersive, a little dangerous, and undeniably seductive—a wild journey that invites you to leave reality behind and dive into the darker, more tantalizing corners of the night. As Barbara puts it, “We start on a night out with ‘XTC,’ followed by intense passion with ‘Come Alive,’ and then the bitter end when lovers turn to strangers but still keep tabs by watching each other’s Instagram stories as reflected on More Of Me.” Inspired by real-life experiences, this EP dives into the highs and lows of flirtation, passion, and the haunting traces that linger after a love fades.
Barbara Nicole has crafted this seventh release on her own label, Good Crazy, alongside producers ST..N (also known as Dutch artist Luxe Agoris) and FortySevn. Together, they deliver a bold, genre-hopping exploration of deep house, punk house, and East Coast club influences, showcasing her fearless approach to blending sounds and moods. Raised in Boston, Barbara’s musical journey has taken her across NYC and San Francisco, and now to Ibiza. Every destination has left an impression on her, fueling her dynamic and unapologetic sound—a reflection of her varied experiences and passions.
In our interview, we talk about everything from her creative risks to navigating modern romance and finding peace in solitude, all while embracing the “good crazy” energy that defines her work and her label.
photography by Heinrich Benjamin
Congratulations on your new release More Of Me. How are you celebrating this special day?
Thank you so much. This release means a lot to me for a few reasons. First, it was about a year ago that we started working on these tracks. I was so inspired by the sounds of Halloween in New York: from the Circoloco party I attended to dancing to Arca’s “Incendio” in my apartment. I have vivid memories from that weekend and who I was “dating” at the time that inspired the lyrics. It’s wild that this year, I find myself back in NYC on Halloween celebrating the release with my tradition: enjoying a donut at Casa Magazines in the West Village. For every release, it’s a tradition that I get donuts wherever I am. My great-grandmother spent a lot of time at Dunkin Donuts with her friends when I was little, and she always had fresh donuts in the house, so in a way, I feel close to her when I have my donuts. I know she would be so proud of the woman and the artist that I am today. Tonight I’ll continue the celebration at Good Room to see my good friends from Italy, Modular Project, play with one of my favorite artists and source of inspiration, Kim Ann Foxman, and I’ll see my mom in Boston later this weekend. It’s been a while since I’ve spent quality time with my family due to my crazy travel and recording schedule.
You’ve said that More Of Me was inspired by true events, specifically the frustrations of ambiguous relationships and lingering social media connections. Can you tell us more?
I find nothing more infuriating than someone who cannot communicate, cannot make future plans, lives in this “gray area” when you’ve had a genuine connection, but they continue to keep tabs on you or linger around just in case by watching your Instagram stories. It’s happened with a few folks I was dating, and I’ve tried the blocking vs. unblocking to numb the pain of seeing their name. I’m sure I am not the only one that feels this way. But then I thought, well, if they’re watching, I might as well make it very interesting. Yeah, I guess I’m a little sick. (laughs) But that’s the whole problem with social media, right? Why not remove that feature of who’s watching? I’m sure we would all benefit and not spend so much time thinking about what we post.
“I bring a lot of emotion and passion into the vocals, even with spoken words, so you can feel the tension and excitement.”
The opening track, ‘XTC,’ really captures the intense energy of a night out. How do you bring the physical, almost touchable, feeling of a party atmosphere into your music?
It’s spicy, right? This one is one of my favorites because it was inspired by an incredible night into day at Burning Man with a really lovely individual. When I listen, it brings me back to his touch when we were dancing. It felt like my skin was alive. I do this in a few ways: I bring a lot of emotion and passion into the vocals, even with spoken words, so you can feel the tension and excitement. The second is the musical arrangement with breaks and builds so the track feels like a ride. And the last element is the effects. I love to play with sound design and bring in fx that feel like a pulse, water, reptile, or a little broken.
You’ve mentioned that your sound is bold and adventurous. Can you share a time in your career when you really went all-in on taking a creative risk?
My album Palm Dreams. I wrote my first album in two weeks with my talented co-producer, Jim Greer, having never worked together before and never worked in a recording studio. I just had this gut feeling that we were embarking on something really special. We made 17 tracks in 2 weeks that span disco, indie rock, techno, and house. I was so vulnerable in this process, writing from good and painful experiences of my life in New York, and I had to have trust. I am really proud of this body of work and had said that if you listen to the last few tracks, like “World Goes Dark,” that this is where I want my sound to go. And I’ve done that on “More of Me.”
How do you balance the more intense, vulnerable aspects of music-making with the business side of running a label?
Great question. I turn to making music as my therapy. When I’m happy, sad, frustrated, feeling lost, even when I’m feeling unmotivated, I always go to creating my art. When I don’t have a ton of energy, I’ll journal, write a poem or lyrics versus starting a new track in Ableton. The business side is easier for me because that’s my background. I studied marketing and art history in college and excelled in my business classes. In my career (outside of music), I’ve worked in advertising, e-commerce, tech startups, and now I still work in product marketing at a tech company, so I am a very business-savvy artist. On the label side, I am really happy with the brand we’re developing, and I look forward to working with more artists. Please, if you have any demos you would like to share, we are planning our release schedule for 2025 and would love to hear your music. Submit demos at hello@goodcrazymusic.com.
Many artists experience periods of doubt or burnout. How do you stay creatively inspired and motivated?
To be honest, I am feeling that a bit now. Even with this release and all the opportunities ahead of me, I feel exhausted and overwhelmed. So I am aware of it, being a bit more kind and loving to myself, and trying to take it slow. It doesn’t help to try to bury emotions or push through burnout; it’s a clear sign to slow the f down. My coach once told me to appreciate feelings of doubt, that with imposter syndrome, it gets worse as you get closer to realizing your goals because of our survival instinct that exists in all of us. So when I’m in doubt, I know I’m close to something and reflect on all my fans and the people in my life that are supporting me on this journey. It brings me back to “my Why,” which is I’m here to inspire people and spread light and joy through my art. I find inspiration everywhere from everyday life, moments with friends, reading, movies—literally anything can become a song. And I have three really big goals that keep me motivated… meditating every day, good sleep, and a healthy diet helps.
“I find nothing more infuriating than someone who cannot communicate.”
I love what you said in a recent interview: “When you find yourself and truly love yourself, the good and bad parts, there are things you realize you won’t settle for or tolerate in other relationships that are too toxic and damaging.” It’s inspiring but can be tricky to practice in real life. Do you have any good tips on staying true to yourself, especially when it’s hard?
For me, it’s about quieting the noise and listening to yourself, whether that means changing my environment, minimizing the social aspects of my life, or even taking a breath and closing my eyes. I ask myself at the moment I am doing something: is this from my true “self” or my “not self,” which is the self conditioned by society and other factors that are not truly in alignment with our soul. I’ve done a lot of deep self-work to get to this point and honestly spent a ton of time in isolation. Moving to Ibiza this past summer was the best thing that I could’ve done for my soul. When it’s really hard and noisy, go deep; the answers are within us and not anywhere else. And reflect on how your energy feels in certain situations or with certain people. Do you feel uplifted or drained? If it’s the latter, then it’s a good indication that it’s not healthy for you.
You’ve also been very open about your divorce, sharing how it can lead to a freer, more fulfilling life for both partners. How did that experience shape your music and your outlook on life and relationships?
I talk about it a lot, but it’s still really difficult to process because I am so much happier and finally myself after a long time of dulling myself, but I know my ex is still in pain. Anytime with a breakup, someone will still be hurting, but I know in the long term that it was the best choice for us both. Because I did something that was really scary and against what society would say we do (i.e., get the divorce), I feel like I found this courage to pursue more things that are a bit scary. I’m not afraid anymore of making a pivot, having hard conversations, or changing the people I keep in my inner circle. For the music, I am writing so much more openly about the pain, the joy, what I’ve learned, this new world of dating, and rediscovering myself. I feel free now.
You’ve got Italian roots, so of course, I have to ask—what’s your favorite Italian food? (smiles) The most important thing in life is?
My mom’s eggplant, escarole soup and pizelles, my grandmother’s Sunday sauce, and BUCATINI AMATRICIANA with guanciale, not pancetta, the only proper way. (smiles)
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