With Out of Obscurity, Bill Barlow drops his fourth album and biggest project yet, a massive 23-track experience that shows real artistic growth and personal discovery. This record marks an exciting moment of arrival, fueled by pure inspiration and driven by emotion over everything else.
Bill flows effortlessly between Pop, R&B, rock, and blues, letting each song find its own voice instead of sticking to one sound. The album gets its name from something meaningful: the moment people started coming to him about his music on their own.
Throughout these tracks, he mixes raw honesty with bold confidence, using sharp sarcasm to flip personal moments into something powerful. Handling both songwriting and production, Bill has sharpened his writing, recording, and mixing talents to bring his vision to life.
Out of Obscurity is a fearless, genuine statement from an artist who’s ready to be heard and truly felt.
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“Out of Obscurity is your fourth album and your largest body of work so far. What made this the right moment to release such a big, defining project?
I have been growing as an artist. I have been blessed with a lot of muse lately that has transitioned into songs. I had trouble deciding which tracks to include and which ones to hold. So, I ended up just picking the ones that fit together musically.
The album moves freely between Pop, R&B, rock, and blues. How do you decide which genre best serves a song, and do you ever feel limited by genre labels?
I personally don’t subscribe to genre labels. That is just a way for people to find what they are in the mood for. I have always written material that conveys emotions. The music has to emotionally reflect the lyrics and the listener has to be able to feel what I am trying to say. That can’t always happen if I am pinned to a specific genre.
The title Out of Obscurity suggests emergence and visibility. What does stepping “out of obscurity” mean to you on a personal and artistic level?
I suspect most artists go through a phase, like I did, where you can’t pay your friends to listen to what you are doing. But then as you grow as an artist you recognize that you are seen differently. When people started to approach me to talk about my music, without my nudging, I knew things had changed. The title was based on that revelation.
Many of the songs balance vulnerability with confidence. How do you approach being emotionally open in your writing while still keeping that sense of swagger?
There is a line in the song Frustration that sums that up, “Sarcasm sets me free.” In any emotional circumstance there is a time of reflection and vulnerability. Then hopefully you emerge with a sense of confidence. That journey is what I frequently capture.
As both a songwriter and producer, how did your creative process evolve on this album compared to your earlier projects?
I have always been a decent writer. I am learning new recording and mixing techniques that help me realize my musical vision. As one improves so does the other. In an odd way that development as helped me improve as a writer as well.
With 23 tracks, each song still feels like it has its own pulse. How did you shape the album to feel cohesive while letting each track stand on its own?
Initially, each track was on its own. I didn’t attempt to unified create a body of work. I let each track evolve as an independent creation. Then I spent a lot of time with them on a playlist moving them around, adding some and eliminating others. I play the list for my family, friends and close fans. Eventually, we were all happy with the flow. I seriously obsess about the way the track feel next to each other.
Your vocals move easily from smooth R&B tones to gritty rock energy. How do you prepare your voice to handle such a wide emotional and sonic range?
First, it’s my mood. I can’t record certain tracks if my mood is opposite to the material. Then through the magic of the tools in my multitrack equipment I can do the rest. Obviously the raw vocal and emotion has to be there first, then I can mix it to sound more or less “gritty”.
The album feels made for late-night drives, quiet reflection, and loud moments alike. When you were creating it, how much did mood and setting influence your songwriting?
Almost 100%. While everything I write about isn’t a personal experience of mine, it is usually something I witnessed. I take in that situation like a sponge, process it like it’s mine and then out flows the material. While my friends would tell you that I am sarcastic by nature, my wife would tell you that I am a closet empath who sees the pain, joy and love in the world.
Looking back at your previous releases, what do you think Out of Obscurity says about your growth as an artist and as a person?
I feel that this release is on par with any accomplished artist. That is hard for me to say about myself. I have dialed in the skills to convey stories and emotions that flow right along with the other mainstream material that’s out there. Some of it, I dare say, even stands out.
This project feels like a clear statement of arrival. What do you hope new listeners understand about who Bill Barlow is after hearing this album for the first time?
I am a guy that has a unique view of the world. Sometimes that’s sad, other times it’s funny and often loaded with sarcasm. I would like people to read my lyrics and figure out the messages I bury in them. I have loads of stuff to discover that can easily get by you if you aren’t paying close attention.
Were there any moments during the making of the album where you surprised yourself creatively?
There were a few. Gonna Fly is a track that structurally shouldn’t work. It doesn’t follow the lyrical convention that many writers follow. It seems to have forced itself into creation against the odds. There are a couple of spots where it’s raw and rough. Some have said that I should have fixed that.
But I left it that way because I was afraid to damage its character. The other was Another Million Miles. I wrote this for my wife and hated the melody, she loves the lyrics but was being polite. Late on evening I was playing with a new melody that needed some lyrics. I tried those and it just felt right. Now we both love the song.
Now that Out of Obscurity is out in the world, how do you see this album shaping the next chapter of your career?
I hope that Out of Obscurity put me on the radar as a serious songwriter. I’d love to write for and or collaborate with other name artists that are in the same lane as me.
