Vidura Barrios: “Even without humans, you will find music everywhere. Nature is full of music—the birds singing, the rumble of the ocean”
"Chanting has always fascinated me because it makes me feel alive, and it's a way of sharing that aliveness with others." These are the words of Vidura Barrios, a composer, artist, and the founder of Inner Splendor Media.
Having recently discovered and fallen in love with Vidura's album Chant!, I took a bit of a punt and reached out to ask whether the musician would be up for an interview. As luck would have it, Vidura was only too happy to oblige!
Sharing how his early experiences with yoga and meditation shaped him, what having millions of streams to his name actually means to him, and why he will always be fascinated by how a melody can have infinite possibilities, please welcome the ridiculously talented Vidura Barrios!
Hey Vidura, thank you so much for making the time to chat with us!
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, please tell us a little bit about your musical journey so far.
What sparked your passion for it, and how has that led you to where you are today?
I have been practicing yoga and meditation since I was 16 years old, and I always loved chanting and mantras from the Indian tradition. My dream was to one day share those beautiful mantras with the world, and this came true when I founded Inner Splendor Media in 2006, a label that produces yoga and meditation music. The intention from the beginning was to share music that maintained the purity of the tradition, regarding things like pronunciation and respect for the tradition.
I recently came across your album Chant!, and while I can't say it was similar to anything I've encountered in a while, I absolutely loved it!
You've mentioned that the record is devoted to the transformative power of Sanskrit mantra, sacred sound, and meditation. Please tell us more 😊
We had mostly been producing meditation music, very serene recordings that you can play in the background, and with Chant!, we started to do a mix of meditation mantras and kirtan. Kirtan is a form of devotional chant that includes drums and other percussion, and it is quite lively and fun. Chant! is a mix of the soothing, slow mantras we are known for combined with the aliveness of kirtan music.
Some of your earlier work has received millions of plays on Spotify.
How on earth does it feel to know that so many people have listened to and, perhaps more importantly, resonated with your music?
The recording of mantras has always been a bit of a labor of love, so it has been really sweet to have built a following of people all over the world who have appreciated our music.
Having some success is, of course, amazing, but the intention has always been to share the beauty of chanting with a wider audience. So yes, I feel very grateful.
I think it’s fair to say you’re a rather prolific musician. Do you feel like the entire “song-making process” comes very naturally to you?
There has definitely been a learning curve. At the beginning, we recorded mainly traditional melodies, and later on I started composing the melodies for the music. For me, I like to just be spontaneous and play with the piano and record various ideas, and often we record something on the same day.
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, “Without music, life would be a mistake."
What would your life look like without music, and what fills your days when you’re not busy creating?
Even without humans, you will find music everywhere. Nature is full of music—the birds singing, the rumble of the ocean. I have also often recorded nature sounds, and it always amazes me what nature produces. Nature has always inspired me. I love gardening, and I also love photography. I used to do photography professionally before starting Inner Splendor Media.
With so much happening in the world right now, do you think artists should feel compelled to address it through their music, or is there just as much value in creating something personal and timeless?
Music has always had an element of addressing things like social justice. We have not done that yet, but I would love to work on something that addresses important issues like environmental justice and human rights. So both are valuable. There is something so inspiring and uplifting when a song is about something personal that addresses a timeless theme.
When a new piece of music starts to form, what’s your usual approach?
Can you talk us through how you develop that initial spark into a fully realised piece of music?
For me, it always starts with the melody, and then everything else comes into place. It is fascinating to me how a melody can have infinite possibilities. And then I work on the harmonies and instrumental arrangements. I like the creative process to be fun and spontaneous.
Vidura, thank you again for taking the time to chat! It's been great having you here and getting to know you better!
Before we sign off, what’s next on your creative radar, and do you have any words of wisdom you'd like to leave us with?
Besides yoga and meditation music, we also produce some world music and holiday music. You might be surprised to learn that I love anything spooky and Halloween-related, so we have released Halloween music under our artist Monster’s Halloween Party. In the past, we have done mostly dance music covers of well-known horror themes, but this year we are working on a couple of original songs.
In regard to advice, my main advice to fellow musicians would be to have fun while creating, have consistency with the output, and most importantly, learn the basics of the business. Financial literacy and business know-how are paramount for a successful music career. It is worth investing time and gaining knowledge by learning the business side.
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