Tough Times, Owen Barney Interview and 5 Quick Questions
Owen Barney is growing up in music. He’s been playing live wherever he can since he was in her earliest teen years, and now as he enters his 20s, he’s released a new three-track EP, Tough Times, for fans to dig into.
The Toronto singer-songwriter has been on our radar for a couple of years now, and we’ve had a chance to connect with him in interviews, over the holidays for Q&As and see him perform live on stages as big as Boots & Hearts. We’ve seen growth in sound, confidence, and who he is – and it’s been fun to watch.
This time, we caught up over Zoom to talk about his new music, working through the pandemic, songwriting, and more. And, we played a new round of 5 Quick Questions that you can watch a little further down in this post.
But first, check out the title track to the new EP, Tough Times.
Owen Barney – Tough Times
We talked to Owen about songwriting and his process over the last year or so. He told us that he’s done a lot of co-writing and solo writing, both with their own unique challenges and perks.
On the co-writing side, everything has been virtual, so when I asked if he’d written with anyone new, it was understandable when Owen told me that the process has been a lot easier with writers he knows because there’s an existing comfort level. And the hurdle of not being able to get in the room with someone and get a feel for them is something he’s bypassed this time around. That’s a bit of a downer. The perks, of course, are having great ideas and opinions and collaboration coming from people he knows and trusts.
On the solo writing side, Owen said “I’ve been writing songs now for four or five years and this year, I feel like it’s given me the opportunity to really dive into it. Explore what styles of writing I like to do on my own, what kinds of things I feel and how I share them to the world. So I feel like this year’s been a really good time for me in that sense. I definitely miss playing shows, but songwriting has definitely been the focus for me.”
Note: While we’re talking about Owen and songwriting, we have to give him some congratulations for picking up two 2021 Country Music Association of Ontario Awards nominations. He is up for Single of the Year and Songwriter of the Year (with Jamie Appleby, Alyssa Reid, Dave Thomson, Mike Wise) for Thank Her For That. Congrats and good luck!
2021 CMAO Awards Nominees & Fan Polls
Owen also told me that he “feels like these songs (on the EP) are a really good representation of you I am as a songwriter.” And that’s cool to hear because as much as we love a great hook, it’s always fantastic to know that the writers and performers feel like the songs they’re creating are representative of who they are and what they can do.
We talked specifically about Tough Times, and how Owen came to write the song. He told me that he was on a drive to Ottawa and saw a guy changing the sign at a gas station to “too high”. That guy stuck with him, and he became a story and then a song. That is newer to Owen, and it’s storytelling music and he is looking forward to doing more of it.
Owen and I switched gears for a few minutes and talked about Movember. It’s an organization that is dear to me and has been part of my life for more than a decade. And Owen has also joined the cause fundraising, spreading the word, and playing official shows for the last four years. He talked about a personal family experience that brought him in. And as he learned more, that it wasn’t just about prostate cancer, but men’s health in general, including mental health, he became more invested and involved.
Owen added that it’s become more personal for him over the last two years as he has worked through mental health struggles of his own. He said after, “If there’s anything I can do to make things easier for people, share my stories and encourage other people to get help, that’s what it (being involved) is to me.”
As a Movember participant with my own personal connections to the cause, I’m proud of Owen and all of the other men and women who have and continue to participate. Thank you all.
Now, hit play on our new round of 5 Quick Questions with Owen Barney to find out which album he’s reaching for, where he’d love to play, who he thinks you should be listening to – and more!
5 Quick Questions with Owen Barney
Now, hit play on the Tough Times EP from Owen Barney and enjoy his new songs. And then stay tuned for more!
Owen Barney, Tough Times Tracklist
1. You Make Me Wanna (Brown Eyed Girl)
2. Tough Times
3. Let The Wheels Roll On
creator of content, daddy blogger, writer, coffee drinker, fan of the Batman. proud mo bro. prouder dad.
