By Satchel B. Jester
In the world of music, the saying “out with the old, in with the new” often involves a tale of chart-toppers witnessing the demise of their relevance alongside talented novices shaking the world unapologetically. To that point, a fresh-faced group of musicians, including Elle Varner, Miguel and Luke James, have deemed themselves the “Nouveau Noire” and femme force Stacy Barthe is in the center of it all.
Rewind. The Brooklyn-born beauty—whose first song was a rap ditty at the age o f7—cut her industry chops as a result of a misunderstanding. While studying English at St. John’s University and interning at Geffen and Jive Records, Barthe developed a career-igniting relationship via MySpace with G.O.O.D. Music producer Hit- Boy. “He would send beats and I would basically write to them. In 2006, he got a situation with [producer] Polow Da Don and I went to Atlanta, and met Ethiopia Habtemariam, who signed me to my publishing deal and my Motown deal as well,” she remembers.
Barthe found success penning songs for megastars like Britney Spears; however, she felt a void. She continued to write and submit some of the most personal pieces she ever had, yet artists continually declined the product, which ultimately worked in her favor. The rejected songs eventually made their way into a collection that Barthe presented as her first EP, Sincerely Yours.
Now,with four successful EPs,writing credits for Rihanna (“Cheers”), Katy Perry and Brandy, Grammy nominations, fence riders may still wonder about her true gift. “Honesty,” she says, “I speak from a place where every person has been. Wanting to be wanted, not just in a relationship, and not wanting to be overlooked, and it helped me.” Her latest EP, P.S. I Love You, features the thoughtful single, “Hell Yeah!” (think a 21st century “The Message” featuring Rick Ross instead of Grandmaster Flash). “I write my truths and they shouldn’t offend anybody. That’s my message and my motivation.”
In preparation for her upcoming as-yet-untitled fall debut album, the performer, who once wore a size 26 and is now a proud 10, has placed herself in what she calls her “cocoon phase.” “I’m incubating to become a butterfly. There are no two identical butterflies and that’s how I describe myself, and the evolution of my music.”
