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| Photo by Aleya Malacane |
It’s not easy being a pop wonder because at the end of the day everyone wants to know your story. What makes you different in 2010. A 29-year-old Italian-American from Miami, Fl tells his triumphs and trials over experimental rock cuts and hoppy pop tracks. “People are always interested in my health issues so as I try to keep my music and that part of my life separate they always seem to blend.”
Barry Brandon Squillace started writing music with his best friend, Jose Luis Rodriguez, ten years ago and it was in spring of 2008 that he received doctoral confirmation to continue his singing career.
The release of his first EP Scar to Star takes a listener through love, dance, his fight with his heart melodically. It also prepared him for what's to come musically. "Although it wasn't perfect, it sparked interest from people. It’s definitely allowed me to do what I'm doing now."
“I'm an 80’s baby born and raised,” Brandon starts, “It’s something about that time that it was happy and lyrically driven. Songs had meaning and were still pop music, light and fun, which is important.” His belief that the present pop scene is reinvented 80’s music, gives him the creative spin that he wants in his sound. Electroglampop is Brandon's mix of a classical pop genre with an insert of rock and a twist of electro.
Brandon’s inspiration to pursue music lies solely with a Swedish pop star from the 90’s. Her transformation throughout the pop scene have really made a difference to his take on how to present music to the public and set himself apart, which he’s been able to without any comparisons.
“My main inspiration is Robyn. Her music is perfect to me. I listen to her records and it’s all inclusive of a couple of different genres. She’ll do ballads with a piano or just an element of violin and then she has mixes and produced pop tracks. I haven’t been compared to anyone, is that weird?!” he exclaims. Not being compared to another artist isn’t necessarily a bad thing but Brandon gives the fans what they want in so many ways.
His one man show “In My Own Words” musically tells his life story stripped down and acoustically performed. “The cabaret talks about my life growing up, a comedy and drama. It’s the musical outlet for the Heart Foundation and “The Tin Man Project”." The Heart Foundation is an charity organization started by Brandon that benefits the families of children with failing hearts. The foundation does what it can to handle all expenses involved in bettering the child's health. "The Tin Man Project" is a documentary filming Brandon in the times of his final open heart surgery.
Coming soon, Brandon will be performing live on Monday night with a live band for the first time. Following that, he will be overseas with firepower women, Fuel Girls and recording his full-length album. His goal to be everywhere no matter who makes it happen. "Making sure the music is right and hopefully I get picked up cause in a perfect world I would be signed. But we’ve come this far doing stuff on our own so we’ll just keep doing things that way until otherwise," he says.
Don't let his heart get you down, Brandon is quite the party starter! Many say the nightlife in Miami's South Beach is something everyone should experience so the 80’s miracle brings that same lively, dynamic style to Atlanta. When he’s not singing away, he's throwing or hosting a party somewhere in the city. “I’m focused on the music but we’ll continue to do parties in Atlanta every week.” You can catch him shaking ass and charming crowds at Midtown's Aurum Lounge or East Atlanta Village's My Sister’s Room and I-Lounge.
Download Barry Brandon's "I.D.N.U." here!
