Stacy Barthe is the epitome of a real artist.
The R&B newcomer got her start in the music industry as a songwriter, penning hits for stars like Britney Spears (“Blur”), Katy Perry (“Hummingbird Heartbeat”), Rihanna (“Cheers”), and most recently, Miley Cyrus (“Adore You”), to name a few.
While Barthe is a prolific songwriter and has had some nice placements, not everyone seemed to be interested in her songs. Instead of letting her good music go to waste, Barthe recorded the songs as her own.
Subsequently, she packaged them into two EPs: Sincerely Yours, Stacy Barthe (2011) and In The Inbetween (2012). It didn’t take long for her to attract labels. She ended up signing a deal with Motown Records in 2012 and released an EP titled P.S. I Love You.
Barthe’s music eventually caught the attention of R&B star John Legend, who gave her the opportunity to develop a working relationship with him.
“This man named Eddie Blackmon found me online. I had just put out Sincerely Yours and he shared it with John,” Barthe tells Rated R&B. “John thought it was dope so, he wanted me to come in and write for the album,m and so we did that.”
She continues, “I was actually in the process of doing my deal with Motown, and they both wanted to be involved. John didn’t know I was an artist. He just thought I was songwriting. And so, that’s how that whole thing came about.”
On July 10, 2015, Barthe released her debut album, BEcoming. It’s one of the most introspective, raw, and emotionally charged R&B albums released so far this year. The album is Barthe’s open diary that explores some of her personal battles with mental health, addiction and self-acceptance.
Even though the album is loaded with deeply personal songs, Barthe says it wasn’t difficult to be so transparent. “I didn’t really think about it,” she says. “I didn’t have a choice in this case because I’m always going to write what I feel. I didn’t really think or care. I just said what I felt.”
Instead, Barthe’s only struggle with BEcoming was enduring all the heaviness she was going through at the time. Nonetheless, she hopes her story will inspire others to seek the light.
Barthe’s intentions for BEcoming are far greater than following today’s trends in music. “I hope my transparency helps everyone else to find themselves, especially in the black community. We don’t like to talk about certain issues as it pertains to addiction, depression, or whatever,” says Barthe.
“Sleep To Dream” is one of the album’s most captivating moments. “It’s about finding your reason, basically finding the bright-eyed kid that thought anything was possible before I got into the world and saw how terrible it could be — getting back to your essence,” Barthe explains.
Although BEcoming is laden with melancholy songs, it doesn’t stop Barthe from pondering about her understanding of happiness.
When asked what makes her happy, Barthe responds, “I think happy is a fleeting emotion because we’re not happy all day, all the time. My goal isn’t to be happy per se; it’s to be content and know that whether it’s a good or bad situation, I’m going to be okay.”
So, what’s next for Stacy Barthe? “I have to wake up first,” she candidly states. “I don’t have any plans. I just wake up, and my day becomes whatever it’s going to be.”
Stream Stacy Barthe’s debut album BEcoming below.
