Backstage with Bryant Barnes on his SOLACE Tour

New Wave Magazine caught up with alt-R&B artist Bryant Barnes while on tour for his debut album, SOLACE, to discuss everything from finding his unique sound to how he stays grounded while navigating tour life. Since being named one of New Wave’s 10 Artists To Watch in 2025, Barnes has continued to make his presence known with a steadily growing force — appearing on Vevo DSCVR, A COLORS SHOW, Genius Verified, and On The Radar, all within the space of under a year.

SOLACE is a 17-track album featuring standout singles such as ‘Two Sides of Goodbye’, ‘End of Time’ and ‘Don’t Say’. Each track takes listeners through a series of emotions, blending moody R&B textures with altleaning production and diaristic songwriting.

We met Barnes at The Lower Third, London, the second stop of his SOLACE tour, following its opening night in Paris, France. The evening began with opening act Orlando, whose heartfelt piano-led performance filled the room, dimly lit in soft blue hues. As the set came to a close, anticipation grew.

Barnes bounced onto the stage wearing a fur-hooded jacket and black denim jeans, immediately drawing the large crowd toward him in unison. The room remained dimly lit, this time illuminated by yellow lights flickering in time with the drums of ‘Greed’. Phone flashes swayed side to side as fans eagerly captured the moment, feet tapping and voices chanting the chorus.

Throughout the night, Barnes moved effortlessly between piano and guitar, showcasing his range as a musician. “I’m really involved [in the production],” he shared. “I grew up playing piano, guitar — I play a little bit of the cello too — so I like to add my own little creative ear candies into the music.”

Image Credit: Dante Richardson

When asked whether he ever imagined performing to crowds of this size during his early days posting piano covers on TikTok, Barnes admitted, “No, I had no idea about any of that. I was just playing piano in public and trying to get videos to blow up. I thought I was going to be a content creator… what really took a turn was people enjoying my voice.” He added, “That’s when I realised, okay, this could be something. I want to learn more about my voice, and I feel like I’m doing that through creating and curating these shows — I’m unlocking more and more of it.”

Barnes went on to explain how touring has allowed him to reimagine his music live. “When I’m rehearsing, I’ll hear certain things and be like, oh my God, it’s so sick to add,” he said. “I added two intros to some songs in this show that really set up the next track.” As a result, each song engaged the crowd differently, offering a new emotional entry point into Barnes’ world.

Singles like ‘Aspartame’ prompted jumping throughout the chorus, while ‘Is This Love to You’ saw a fan gift Barnes a bouquet of flowers. During ‘Priceless’, chants urging him to take off his hoodie filled the room. Barnes gave in to the crowd’s demands, closing the song with a guitar solo — his instrument hanging over his bare chest, as his hair hangs over his face. Describing his approach to performing, Barnes explained, “I’m just trying to visualise what reaction I want to get, and what I want it to look like.”

Image Credit: Dante Richardson

Now seated across from one another, Barnes reflected on the journey SOLACE has taken since its release in October 2025. He shared his surprise at the album’s reach, recalling, “People come up to me in the gym — swole as f*ck, like bodybuilders — and they’re like, ‘yo bro, you helped me through my relationship.’ That’s the biggest shock.”

Barnes also treated fans to an unreleased track, orchestrating the crowd to sing along to the chorus — “I don’t believe in love” — as he layered harmonies over their voices. Explaining his choice to share unfinished material, he said, “Usually when I play unreleased music, it’s not the final version. It could be something entirely new, so it’s a new experience every time.”

Image Credit: Dante Richardson

The set also featured Barnes’ cover of ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’, which he revealed he is “doing for this GOAT movie — a basketball film.” When asked how he spends his time outside of music, and whether he hopes to merge these interests, Barnes shared, “I love basketball. I play a lot of video games. I love fashion — I went to Paris Fashion Week for the first time and it was f*cking amazing. I’m trying to walk in some shows for sure. I like to blend it all. My songs are very cinematic, so it makes sense for them to exist in film or video games.”

The intimate show saw the crowd hanging onto every word, absorbing the vulnerability that defines Barnes’ performances. The connection between artist and audience was immediate and undeniable, turning the set into a shared emotional release rather than a one-sided performance. With love standing at the core of his songwriting, Barnes explained, “It’s what makes me feel the most when I listen to music — that’s literally all I listen to. Everything in life comes down to love. There are different ways to talk about it, and I’ll explore that more in the future, but love is what makes people feel the most.”

Reflecting on his growth since supporting 070 Shake last year, Barnes noted, “Last year was more of a learning experience, of just how to deal with someone else’s crowd, and how to be more comfortable on stage. Now I know what gets people excited, so I can make the show much better with that knowledge and experience…it also helps people understand you more as an artist, they see you for the first time and it’s very raw and if you can attract people that way, very authentically, then once they come to the actual shows… it becomes very special.”

The night ended with Barnes stepping into the crowd for a mosh pit as ‘FIEN!’ blasted through the speakers. When asked why standing side by side with his fans and sharing unreleased music mattered to him, he explained, “Since they came, I wanted to give them something extra — like a gift for showing up and supporting.”

To join Bryant Barnes on his SOLACE tour across North America, from March to April, tickets can be found at https://www.bryantbarnesmusic.com/tour/#/