The Long Journey Through Artistry: Dillon Barrie’s Story is Just Getting Started

The music industry is daunting, especially as an up-and-coming artist. It’s a constant cycle of making music that you’re really proud of, until you aren’t, and end up scrapping every bit of progress you’ve made. No one is a better example of this process than Dillon Barrie, 2024's Sound of Young Scotland Award winner.  

Dillon Barrie holding Sound of Young Scotland award

Barrie is a Christian singer, songwriter and producer from the Highlands, specialising in pop music with a lot of jazz and hip-hop influences. He grew up in Pitlochry, but the bulk of his music-making career was built off his time spent at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS).

Barrie could never be the artist he dreams of becoming without what the conservatoire provided him.

He explains: “Obviously being in a space like that is really good, because you're around other people that are so much better than you and have a good mindset and ambition.  

“But I think the main benefit was just being around people of all different disciplines and styles, who are also connected to people who are doing quite well in the industry.” 

This, however, was just the first step in his journey towards artistry.  

Last summer, Barrie sent an application to SAY’s Sound of Young Scotland award, with varying levels of confidence in if he could win. Admitting that he could see himself winning prior to submitting, but once the finalists were announced he had lost all hope.

Barrie went on to win the award, an experience he thought he could only dream about.

He says: “I've never had a surreal moment like that, where something that was not even slightly on your radar happens and then it has big repercussions.  

“Having some concrete validation is not something that is very common in music, but that’s what is going to give me a boost when I feel like I suck.”  

This achievement was huge for the beginning of his promising career as an artist, but that’s exactly what it is, just the beginning.

After gaining such national recognition, it can sometimes be hard to kickstart the next chapter of your journey. Especially in the age of social media, you have to be consistent with posting your work, whether it is or isn't finished.

“I'm going to make the music as good as it possibly can be and then just put it out there and whatever happens, happens. I'm sure I'd get so sick of music if part of it was having to post it on social media every day.” 

Mental clarity is one of the most important aspects of being an artist. Sometimes it can result in some fantastic work, such as when Thundercat created his 2020 album 'It Is What It Is' off the back of his close friend Mac Miller's passing, but for the most part it leads to burnouts and subpar art.

This is something Barrie recognises for himself.

He admits: “I'm sometimes at the mercy of my emotions and that can have a good and a bad effect on music.  

“Your mental space is so insanely important, and I still feel sometimes not that in control of that. But I know that if I'm going into the studio or if I'm going into a rehearsal, not feeling that good or just not that confident, then that really effects the music and how everything goes.” 

It’s hard not to almost isolate your expectations for yourself from reality. Artists always place themselves on their own pedestal mentally, trying to be as good as they can as quickly as possible.

Barrie knows this, and is constantly trying to work around these thoughts.

“When I'm feeling lame, I can take a bit of comfort from knowing that most of my heroes, for example Thundercat, are all almost 40, and they were not doing well in their 20s at all.  

“Obviously I do want to do well in my 20s, but all I really need to do is make music and enjoy the moment I’m in because I’ll probably miss it at some point down the line.” 

Dillon Barrie on Instagram in September

All of this is part of a long journey towards ‘making it’ in the industry. This term is very misleading however, as every artist has their own individual goals and levels they want to achieve. Some long for a grammy, whereas some would love to simply inspire others. Barrie has set his own standards for himself.

“I think making it to me is being able to work with people that I really admire, but for them to also want to work with me.  

“Obviously, I have goals I’d like to achieve, certain venues I’d like to play, but if one of my heroes is like, ‘I would like to work with this person,’ then that would be 100% number one on the bucket list.” 

As you grow as a solo artist, collaborations aren’t just expected, they should be a priority. Being able to work harmoniously with your contemporaries is as much of a skill as being a talented vocalist or drummer. Barrie feels this pressure immensely, stating that he himself feels like a "control freak”.  

But there’s a lot more nuance to this than simply ‘I don’t get along with others.’ It’s common for the artistic visions of musicians to clash when trying to make music, especially if it’s with someone outside of your specialist genre.

This happens much more commonly with producers, Barrie explaining this in better detail, saying: “I've started producing for artists as well, which is fun.  

“But I feel it's always slightly more stressful when I'm trying to facilitate other people's work, because it's hard to fully understand their vision and not put too much of myself into it.” 

Although, this whole journey doesn’t just culminate with collaborations or retirement. Every artist leaves behind a legacy, their mark on the industry, whether it be monumental or miniscule.

Barrie has aspirations for himself, carving his way into a sector of the industry not filled with many Christians, at least not many open about their faith, saying: “I feel like my faith is very important in that aspect because being in these music industry circles, there's not many Christians in that space. So, it's very important for me to represent that and for it to be a big part of my identity.” 

Being a proud Christian is a massive part of Barrie’s identity. But being in a secular space, making secular music, can cause a lot of troubles amongst his faith. Not that he is losing faith, there just arises a consistency issue.

He says: “It's very easy to get carried away with thinking that this is in my hands. I'll get into times where I feel like I'm in control and so I need to be doing this and this, then I neglect spending time with God which I don’t think is good.  

“I think it is completely possible to be consistent with God and consistent with music, but it definitely takes work to get there and it’s something I still have to work on.” 

Dillon Barrie’s journey so far is a vivid reminder that the path to success in music is rarely straightforward or easy. It’s marked by moments of doubt, the constant push to create something meaningful, all while trying to stay his faithful self. His story shows that even in an industry filled with pressure and uncertainty, patience, passion, and trust are just as important as talent.

For Barrie, and for any artist carving out their place, the key lies in embracing the process, celebrating small victories, and trusting that success will find its way in time, God’s time.