BARRY CONRAD

What can I say about this man?  In this case, I think it’s best to just let the music speak for itself.

Here is the very first offering – a song called Bones – from another one of my insanely talented friends, Mr Seth Haapu.  Check it out & if you love the song, please support great music + buy it ;)…

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Well, I’m back in Sydney after a successful tour with Darlene Zschech & team in Indonesia/Philippines.  What an amazing time…

There’s really something to be said about the generosity of spirit & just the kindness of the people in that part of the world aye.  It’s so humbling & kinda really takes you aback when you meet them.  Definitely one of the first things that grabbed me (apart from the sky-high temperatures – it was hot!!)…

Though I get to do this a bit, it’s still a huge privilege & a real treat every single time.  I know that could come across like a typical thing to say, but it’s true.  Pretty cool being able to travel the world doing what I love, but even cooler getting to be part of peoples’ lives being impacted too.  This time was no exception either…  Constantly pinch myself, “Huh?  How the heck did I get here, how did this happen?”.  Definitely counting my blessings…

Tiberius in Jakarta was our first stop.  That was a lot of fun.  The whole team there were just outstanding human beings, which only highlights the experience even more.  And there was definitely no shortage of nasi goreng (haha…).  The food was a huge thumbs up for me.  Especially remember this chocolate cigar dessert I annihilated, definitely a first but hopefully not a last :)…

We then headed to the Philippines, our first stop: Araneta Coliseum in Manila.  We were told only an hour before due being onstage, that we were given the green light from the government officials to even go ahead with the night  How crazy is that?  Talk about stepping out & hoping for the best, right!  More than 12 000 people came out, it sure was some kind of spectacular.  God is awesome…

Lastly, we headed to Naga City to APPEND Conference, only an hour’s flight away.  It was funny, because as we got off the plane, there was this dance group welcoming us with a routine (haha…).  Cool but hilarious!

Where we stayed was one of my faves to date, out on this water-park/reserve type property, each having our own cobana bungalow.  Had a very Survivor feel to it, just the whole vibe (some Survivor training is actually done/filmed there funnily enough).

Before making the final journey home, we flew back to Manila for a day,  where I possibly had the most amazing feast of my life.  Wow…  Even if you’re not a foodie, you would have felt like you were in Food Heaven!  Haha…  All in all, a pretty incredible time to say the least.  Definitely gets a big, resounding ✓…  Oh yeah, I probably drank more Coke this tour than I have the past 10 years.  Yikes..!

Gearing up for USA next week.  Huge thanks to everyone for all the support & big love from me…

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For a couple of years now, I’ve been mega blessed to be a part of a movement founded by Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Israel Houghton.

More than just a typical band or group though, New Breed is really a family.  One that spans the globe too – I’m actually not the only South African, yesss (haha…).  The one common thread that unites us is taking the message of Jesus to the world.   Not in a whacky, spooky way, but in a way that’s relevant, relatable & just real to young people.

We recently released the very first New Breed album (usually it’s Israel & New Breed) titled Generation Love & I highly recommend it ☺!  Seriously though, if you’re looking for something positive & soul-lifting, be sure to pick it up on iTunes.   Here’s a pic of the gang in Houston last year:

And below is a fly-on-the-wall insight put together just for you guys.  Hope you’re really blessed by it…

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Wow, I’m on a roll – two days of blogging in a row (haha…).

Welcome to the first installment of The BCS Plug.   I wanted to turn your attention to an amazing artist & good friend of mine, Ginny Blackmore.

Haha…

We wrote/recorded this tune a few years back in the UK:

For those who don’t know, we were in the NZ group, Jireh, together way back in the day.   She’s now signed to Sony as a songwriter in London & doing big things aye.   She’s worked with some of the music industry’s finest, both in the UK & beyond.  Simon Cowell sure knows her name, let’s put it that way…

Definitely keep an eye out ;).

http://www.myspace.com/virginiamcgrail

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What’s up everyone?

This update comes at you from the family home in Auckland (New Zealand) & on just my second day of being a 27 year-old.   I like that combination (haha…).   Huge thanks for all the thoughtful bday messages aye.   Wherever in the world you were writing from, I sure felt the love…

Here are my performances/interview from Good Morning last December. Enjoy ;)…

Christmas Time Again:

The Christmas Song + Interview:

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Hey everyone, how’s it going?

A kind fan sent me this: “…out of all the singers/actors/artists I follow on Twitter, you are the only one who responds to my tweets.”

Now I’m not blowing any trumpets, because – to be honest – I hardly get back to everyone.  But it really stirred the question: “When was it ok to be exclusive?”

We are people & we are all the same aye. Don’t ever think “status” justifies a right to pick & choose who’s “worth” responding to.  Like, what the..?

Yes – it’s unrealistic to get back to every single person. I totally get that. But it’s so important to treat people consistently aye.

And if you’re wondering why I titled this note Public Perception VS Personal Selection, it’s ’cause too often people choose who to associate with, based on how it would be perceived publicly.  I unapologetically post this as a wake-up call for anyone needing to be reminded that…

…People matter.

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Hope you all have a swell day with that special somebody ;)…

And, hey, if you don’t have one, it’s all good.  Just make sure you’re loving your family, friends & yourself.   That’s the cool thing about love: it isn’t exclusive, it’s inclusive.

Peace!

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Hey people, how’s it going? Well, it’s a Wednesday morning here in Sydney, currently 26.7°C & rising. Getting stuck into my day…

During the interim, till the EP’s done & ready, I’ve been in writing mode. Doing a bit of songwriting for a publishing company, as well as some freelancing. Today I’m excited to be working on a demo for an upcoming artist you should all be aware of: Tarryn Stokes.

She’s an incredible talent & has the kind of voice that knocks the wind out of you. Crazy, because you would never expect it, she’s a real powerhouse! And if you’re a Guy Sebastian fan, you might recognize the name & voice from a song called Magic, off of his new Like It Like That album.

Guy told me he originally called Tarryn in to record the demo of the song, but she was that good he ended up keeping those vocals for the final version. So there you go aye! To learn more about Tarryn Stokes, you can find her on MySpace & Twitter.

Anyways, better get to it. Will keep you guys posted on more happenings. Have the best day ;)…

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