We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Barbara Schucko. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Barbara below.

Barbara, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I’ve been fortunate to work on many meaningful projects, including one that was particularly special to me. Recently, I wrote and produced a song for Songs For World Peace, representing Brazil, my home country. I created the music during the pandemic when travel restrictions made it hard to connect with people. Writing this song helped me feel more connected to my roots and to others. It was a healing experience, and my hope was that it would promote empathy and compassion through the project as a whole.

What I loved about Songs For World Peace was that they already had songs from over 80 different countries, all in their native languages. It was an honor to add Brazil’s voice to that list.

Barbara, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Barbara Schucko, I’m a musician, composer and music producer. My journey into this industry began at a young age, without even realizing it. I started studying singing when I was just 10 years old and played guitar at acoustic shows during my teenage years. It wasn’t until I recorded my first songs that I discovered the career option of being a music producer. From that point on, I knew this was my path, and it led me to pursue studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where my passion for learning continued to grow.

When an artist approaches me, they usually send over a song demo featuring their vocals and guitar or piano. We spend some time discussing their musical vision, the emotions they want to evoke, and other essential details. Using these insights, I bring their music to life by creating a full arrangement enriched with various instruments and electronic elements at my studio in Santa Clarita. For certain projects that demand a bigger sound, the artist and I might select one of the incredible recording rooms here in LA to capture a full band experience. Just last year, I had the privilege of working with an amazing artist named Amparo. We recorded her EP ‘Day and Night’ at EastWest Studios, where the band created arrangements on the spot based on Amparo’s vision for each song. I had the fortune of not only contributing as a bass player but also co-producing the full record alongside Corbin Dooley.

I see my role as making the artist’s life easier, allowing them the freedom to focus on creating. Music production is incredibly fun and creative, but there are also a lot of technical details musically and sonically that if you don’t absolutely love, it can be pretty overwhelming. I am one of those people who loves every aspect of it, so I take care of all those intricacies. Meanwhile, the artists can dive into new creations, perform live, brainstorm visuals, and bring together artistic elements that make their music cohesive and authentic. I must admit, I have a soft spot for hosting as well. Recording and writing sessions at my studio are always a blast. Creating in an environment that is fun, beautiful, and safe is my top priority because I believe it seeps into the music, regardless of the genre or style.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Around a decade ago, I made a significant move from Brazil to the United States with the goal of studying music production and composition at Berklee. I traveled from my hometown to Sao Paulo to perform my audition, and I had decided to play a Brazilian song that I loved. It was an extremely difficult tune to play, with about forty different chords on the guitar, and I even decided to add a loop pedal for some percussion on top of it. I was confident and I did well, but I was really trying to perform what I thought people would like or would be impressed by. Needless to say, that didn’t work out. I went back to the drawing board for a year and decided to work with a song that I loved to perform and that was just fun to me. Once I stayed true to myself, everything worked out beautifully.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being able to connect with people is the most rewarding aspect. I’ve had moments where music has deeply healed people, and that’s very special. Other times, it’s just plainly fun and it’s an exchange of energy that it’s hard to explain. I remember playing at an outdoor blues festival in Kentucky a few years ago. When it started raining, the band thought everyone would leave and our show would be… a bit empty. When it was time for us to play, I don’t think people even opened up their umbrellas. They just danced through our entire set under the rain, and there was this insane connection happening with the music that the whole band and audience were a part of. We could really feel how excited and carefree they were, and we all became that. I always remember that moment even when I’m in the studio producing or recording – that connection, the fun, the goosebumps, that’s why we do what we do.     

Contact Info:

• Website: www.babiamusic.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/babia.music
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/babia.music
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaraschucko/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/barbaraschucko
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@iambabia
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/@itsawildspring

Image Credits
Nick Poortman, Chris Miranda