Located in the vibrant and trendy Ciutat Vella area of Valencia, ‘Radio City’ is a musical melting pot of genres, providing something for everyone, every day of the week. Wednesday nights are dedicated to reggae, a much-loved genre amongst the Valencian people. Reggae night brings together people from all walks of life to lend a listening ear to those talented musicians responsible for bringing reggae music to the forefront of the Valencian music scene. Last Wednesday’s reggae night featured a performance from Bárbara Gramagê, a Valencian-born musician with roots in R&B, soul and hip-hop. We sit down before the performance to discuss her latest song, ‘Rainy’, her musical influences and what is next for Bárbara.

24/7 Valencia: Can you explain a little bit about your latest song ‘Rainy’?

Bárbara: I was living at a flat here in El Carmen and was creating this EP and I started in that flat. I had a breakup and had to move so I had to stop recording in the studio because I didn’t have enough money for everything at that moment, so it became a little bit of a longer process than I had imagined but yeah like sharing a flat … back and forth with my ex. I used the song to unburden … to get the weight of that situation off me.

24/7 Valencia: Who are your musical influences at the moment?

Bárbara: I usually work so much with music that I don’t have a lot of time to listen to new music so I’m actually listening to the same music that I was listening to a year ago more or less … I listen to old artists but also new ones. For example, Jorja Smith, Rihanna, Beyoncé and sometimes I want just classics and I’ll listen to Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald etc. It depends on the day. But lately I’ve been listening to music to study set lists for events!

24/7 Valencia: Does Reggae music influence the music that you make?

Bárbara: Right now, yes because when I started singing here at the Reggae nights, I wasn’t an expert in reggae, I hadn’t listened to reggae that much and right now I’m actually thinking of making some new reggae tunes because I fell in love [with reggae]. The next project I am making is going to have reggae, reggaeton and some neo-soul again because I can’t leave that out. So, if it’s got some ‘trap’ sounds it’s got to be ‘trap/soul’ because I’m singing and I’m executing technique too.

24/7 Valencia: What did you grow up listening to?

Bárbara: My father used to like rock a lot. He loved “Queen”. But he also loved latin music – salsa, bachata and all of those genres because he loved to dance. Some soul as well … some Spanish rock. I discovered these genres because of my brother because I used to steal his CDs and he listened to rap a lot and that’s how I linked my music to urban music … soul and R&B. 

24/7 Valencia: Do you find it difficult to perform songs that are very personal to you?

Bárbara: I love it. That’s why I chose this career, this musical path. I’m also so sick of singing covers, some of them I love but I’m also excited to be able to sing my own songs. In fact, I would love to eventually bring my own songs to the reggae nights!

24/7 Valencia: How do you choose the covers that you sing on reggae night?

Bárbara: Between the advice that people gave me when I started doing the reggae nights and my tastes, the things that I like, we made an in between.

24/7 Valencia: Are you working on anything new at the moment?

Bárbara: I’m releasing one song, one trap/soul track this Friday and yeah it’s got a video and it’s very intimate. My boyfriend is in it and to me it’s really cool. I also made a song for a contest that I am participating in but only for the contest and it’s coming out the first weekend of December and it’s going to be presented on Radio 3. I think it’s the most important thing that I’ve made in music. It will be part of a compilation of songs that are written and performed by women.

Report by Shemaiah Rose

Article copyright 24/7 Valencia

‘Radio City’ photo copyright Shemaiah Rose/ ’24/7 Valencia’

‘RADIO CITY’

Address: C/ de Sta. Teresa, 19, 46001 València

Tel: 963 91 41 51

Website: https://radiocityvalencia.es/en/

Check out Bárbara’s new song, ‘DIME’ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz8S3QETaC4

Bárbara’s Instagram: @barbara.gramage  and website https://barbaragramage.com/