Songbird Robin Barnes sings the praises of The Ella Project

By Jann Darsie

                                                                  Photo by Katie Sikora                               

Robin Barnes’ very name is that of a songbird. And when she was small, her mother always used to call her “the first bird of spring.”

 Now an award-winning musician, Robin Barnes is aptly named “The Songbird of New Orleans.” Her repertoire spans the soft and soulful to the powerful and electrifying. A commanding stage presence, she can be heard singing R&B, funk, soul, and jazz, to mention a few. Her high-energy soul funk band, the Fiya Birds, regularly appears with her at festivals. 

 Born into a New Orleans musical family, Barnes grew up singing in the church choir. At a young age, she sang and played the tambourine with her father and brother in the family’s jazz band, “The Soul Heirs.” And her cousin Dave Bartholomew was also a major influence. 

 From age eight to 16, she took private music lessons from Dr. Nelson Francis, the Xavier Preparatory School choir director. She studied violin as well as operatic voice. Barnes is blessed with a voice that ranges from soprano 1 to alto 2. 

 In school, she sang in the choir and began entering – and winning – singing competitions, notably the Louisiana Music Educators Association state-wide competitions from 2003 to 2005.

 While in high school, Barnes decided to pursue a career in music, but her parents had other ideas. They encouraged her to be more practical, so she studied marketing and business administration at the University of New Orleans. 

 Once she completed that degree with honors and was ready to pursue her dream, her parents urged her to go into a master’s program. So back she went to UNO, completing a two-year MBA in a year and a half. In addition to business, she double majored in hotel, restaurant, and tourism management.

 After earning her MBA, her parents were convinced she should go on for a Ph.D., but this time it was Barnes who had other ideas. “I was ready to strike out on my own and pursue a career in music!” she says.

 She became an in-demand singer and was featured in a lot of shows, but Barnes was still seeking the best path for herself. “I really didn’t want to get locked into being hired for just one place, because I would have had to sign a binding contract,” she says. Barnes was wary of signing anything that could be disadvantageous.

                        Photo by Justen Williams             

 She began performing regularly at the Cocktails With a Twist bar. This happily led to becoming the featured headliner at both the Hotel Monteleone and the Windsor Court Hotel. Barnes also became a Billboard artist, and she did not want to waste her career potential.

 She came to the Ella Project after she was asked to license a song for television. It was her friend Bethany Paulsen who pointed her in the right direction. “And I never looked back!” Barnes says. “I cannot imagine what my life would be like if I didn’t have the Ella Project.”

 Despite considerable success as a musician, Barnes is very clear that she could not afford the type of legal advice she gets from the Ella Project.

 “In fact, the idea of a record contract has been so daunting that until now I have only put out EPs and singles,” she says, “because I did not want to make any mistakes that would jeopardize my future music business.”

 But thanks to the Ella Project, she is now getting ready to release her debut album.

 Over the years, the Ella Project has also helped her with trademarks, contracts, music licensing, and copywriting. “Ella is such a valuable resource for me — I need them,”  Barnes says. 

 In fact, the Ella Project team helps maintain her trademark on the “Songbird of New Orleans” title. As Barnes was starting to market herself, she took inspiration from New Orleans music icons who had titles, such as Irma Thomas, known as the “Soul Queen of New Orleans.” So she adopted the “Songbird” title.

 Another valuable Ella Project resource that Barnes has recently taken advantage of is the 2024 Crescendo program. This seven-week free workshop series covers topics such as copyright, music licensing, keeping up with changing technologies and more. It is presented in a conversational format with legal and music business experts.

 “Although I feel that I am well-versed in the music business, I learned a lot by attending the Crescendo program,” Barnes adds.

 These days, in addition to returning from a week performing in Vienna, Robin Barnes can be found on Thursday evenings performing in the Peacock Room at the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot. She and her husband, bassist Pat Casey, play there as Da Lovebirds. And music lovers can enjoy her upcoming performance in the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra’s Holiday Spectacular concert on December 19th.

 Beyond her music, Barnes contributes to the community as a celebrity food judge and has created a local fitness movement called Move Ya Brass.

More information about Robin Barnes, including local performances and record releases, can be found on her website robinbarnesmusic.com as well as on Facebook @RobinBarnesMusic and Instagram @neworleanssongbird.

Notes From Ella is presented with support from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation.