Kat Harlton
Canadian duo Via Barcelonia recently released their new single “It Ain’t Over”. Comprised of Vernon, BC based Gold selling, hit songwriter and recording artist Andrew Allen and percussionist, vocalist, and producer Taylor McKnight, the duo set out to create pop-influenced world music with a nod to the music of the past and a leap into the music of the future.
The duo released their debut single “Just Wanna Dance” in 2018 which was followed by their debut EP in 2019, earning them FACTOR support for their upcoming EP release which is slated for the Fall of 2020.
We had the opportunity to chat with the duo about their musical identity, their new single, and how they’re staying connected.
Kat: For those who are just discovering your music, how would you describe Via Barcelonia?
Via Barcelonia: We’ve been told we’re like a fusion of Paul Simon’s Graceland meets the Chainsmokers. Essentially world music inspired alt pop music. Super fun, upbeat and meaningful lyrics.
Kat: Can you talk about the inspiration behind your latest single “It Ain’t Over”?
Via Barcelonia: It’s almost a song to ourselves, reminding us that we’ve been in worse spots before, made it through, and need to continually remember that it’s not over til it’s over, so keep going!
Kat: You’ve headlined the Richmond World Music Festival, Parks Alive, Harmony Arts Festival, BX Press Cidery, Metabridge Tech Event, and Sun FM Boat Cruise. What has been a highlight for you? What have you learned along the way?
Via Barcelonia: We always have a blast playing live, and the music is definitely created in a way that it pushes an agenda of dancing and fun, so live shows are the best! Harmony Arts was stunning with the sunset over the ocean and just an incredible vibe of dancing and singing along. We’ve learned a ton through the live shows and the recording process about who we want to be, what we stand for, and what kind of music we want to create. Overall we’ve learned that change is good, and we never wanna get into a place where we choose rules over creativity.
Kat: Can you talk a little bit about your musical inspirations and role models?
Via Barcelonia: Both of us are inspired by different people musically, and it varies from The 1975, to Paul Simon, to John Mayer, the Chainsmokers, Ziggy Alberts and everything in between! We love authenticity in writing, so artists that embody that are definitely on our playlists.
Kat: How have you been staying connected to fans during Covid-19? What’s next?
Via Barcelonia: Honestly it’s been tough as we were both living in different cities when it first hit, so staying connected with live streams was near impossible… as restrictions have lifted we’ve been able to do more together and have recorded some of the new material performed live from our living rooms so as to share what we’ve been working on. In regards to what’s next, we continue to release singles from our new album ‘Wonderland’ with a new song coming every 4-5 weeks, and we’ve been filming music videos for all the songs which will be released simultaneously until they’re all out there for the world to see! It’s been a really fun and creative process, and of course we continue to write and come up with new ideas for future releases!
For more on Via Barcelonia, visit: http://www.viabarcelonia.com