I got an email from Barry Southgate this week letting us in the blogosphere know that his new single, Don’t You Think?, is available on iTunes.
Indeed it is and you can hear it above. Sweet, smooth, reggae-inflected R&B which is very catchy, Don’t You Think? should be on everyone’s iPod and is a very promising preview of his longer work, Epitome, to be released soon.
Singer and songwriter Southgate lives in Australia and has extensive international connections and influences. Born in South Africa, he spent his teen years in New Zealand and moved to Australia to launch his singing career in 2003.
Southgate follows the philosopy, “Bring Change Somewhere.” He abbreviates this BCS and refers to it as the BCS Movement. According to his bio, this is “a motto and a way of life. But before being embraced as such by thousands of supporters, it was a personal mission (and the initials) of its creator– singer/songwriter Barry Southgate.”
Below is a behind the scenes video for one of his recent photo shoots. His website may be found at: http://www.barrysouthgate.com.
And here is some material from his bio to explain his Australian musical journey:
Barry Southgate became widely known as a Top 24 finalist on the second season of Australian Idol. His dynamic voice and striking good looks (Southgate is of African, German, Indonesian and English decent, and has modeled extensively) made him a clear favorite among judges and fans, alike. He was chosen as the only non-Top 12 or Wildcard contestant to perform at the show’s grand finale at the Sydney Opera House, televised and viewed by millions.
Southgate’s time on Idol catapulted him from a virtual unknown to an in-demand singer, songwriter and on-air personality. In addition to working on over a dozen recording projects, Southgate hosted a PR tour for Channel Ten, and was a celebrity guest alongside Neighbours star Dan O’ Connor for Telstra’s Australian Idol media presentation. In one of his most memorable music experiences, Southgate performed before the Pope for World Youth Day ’08, a televised event that reached half a billion people worldwide.
Locally, Southgate has worked with some of Australia’s finest artists, including Guy Sebastian, Stan Walker, Delta Goodrem and Paulini. His songs have been featured on the debut album of Sasha-Lee (winner of South African Idol) and on LadyLike, the current album from German girl-band Monrose. Internationally, he continues to perform extensively with singer/songwriter/worship leader Darlene Zschech, and with Grammy Award-winning Israel & New Breed.
But Barry Southgate is clear that it is time to step into his own. And he does so with the release of his first solo project. Epitome, his 7-track EP, is a fusion of pop and soul music– an eclectic representation of Southgate’s love of many genres, ranging from pop, rock and soul to gospel, country and classical.
“You,” for example, is an old-school R&B-styled groove inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall,” while “Summer Night” features the hallmarks of great lyricism set to a powerful ballad. The project’s first single, “Don’t You Think?,” is a playful love song with an island vibe, and is already gaining radio airplay in New Zealand. Even with its varied influences and styles, Epitome remains a cohesive project, representing a snippet of the greater soundtrack of his life.
To be sure, Barry Southgate has got plenty more music to share. Right now, he is merely scratching the surface. But what a significant scratch it is– with a little something for everyone, Epitome introduces Southgate’s solo artistry to the world, positioning him to indeed Bring Change Somewhere… perhaps everywhere.
Website = http://www.barrysouthgate.com
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