Meet, Australian singer-songwriter Ren Barlow who recently launched her stunning album, ‘The Songbook of My Heart’, at the iconic Memo Music Hall in Melbourne’s, St Kilda. This album celebrates the timeless melodies of Linda Ronstadt!
Ren is not only a performer but a powerhouse of change behind the scenes, in the arts. She’s making waves with initiatives like ‘The Song Room’, ‘Frocktober’, and ‘The Literacy Gift’, championing the causes of women and children. Plus, she’s representing Australia at this year’s UN Congress in New York! Ren is truly a force to be reckoned with, an artist with a heart of gold!
Up Close and Personal with Ren Barlow
What inspired you to create ‘A Songbook of My Heart?’ Can you share the story behind the album?
I created ‘The Songbook of My Heart’ because I felt I had a story to tell, one woven through love, heartbreak, resilience, and the deep lessons that come with life’s many chapters. After going through my own share of trials and tribulations, moments that tested my strength, faith, and sense of self, music became the way I could make sense of it all.
This album isn’t just a collection of songs; it’s a journey through the heart. Each track reflects a stage of healing, from the ache of loss to the rediscovery of joy, freedom, and self-worth. I wanted to honour the beauty and the pain equally, because both have shaped who I am today.
In many ways, ‘The Songbook of My Heart’ is about finding light after darkness, about standing tall again after everything falls apart. It’s my way of saying: no matter what we go through, our hearts have the power to heal, to sing again, and to love, even more deeply than before.
Linda Ronstadt has such a rich and diverse catalogue. What specifically drew you to her songs, and how did they resonate with you personally?
Linda Ronstadt has such a diverse catalogue, she’s sung everything from rock and country, to ballads, jazz, and Latin. That diversity is one of the reasons I’ve always connected with her. Like Linda, I’ve never wanted to be defined by just one genre or one chapter of my life.
Each song on ‘The Songbook of My Heart’ was carefully chosen to represent a moment, a lesson, or a person who has shaped me. Together, they tell my story, of love, loss, growth, and finding my voice again. These songs aren’t just covers; they’re emotional touchstones that mirror my own journey and honour the resilience that comes from living fully, even when it hurts.
Can you tell us about your process for selecting which songs to include on the album? Did you have any favourites that you were particularly excited to record?
The process of choosing the songs for ‘The Songbook of My Heart’ really came from living life , years of love, heartbreak, lessons, and growth. Each song represents a moment or emotion I’ve experienced, so the selection was personal.
‘Long, Long Time’ has always touched me deeply because it’s about loving someone who doesn’t love you back, that quiet ache so many of us know. ‘You’re No Good’ came from those moments when you realise someone’s values and behaviours just don’t align with yours, it’s that moment of self-respect and strength when you finally walk away.
‘Blue Bayou’ is special to me because it was one of the first songs I ever sang in public when I was still at school. Singing it again now feels like coming full circle, honouring that young girl who just loved to sing.
And ‘Keep Me From Blowing Away’ brings it all home for me, it’s a gentle song about peace and acceptance after the storms of life. It feels like where I’m at now, grounded, calm, and ready for what’s next.
You have a unique style. How did you put your own spin on Linda Ronstadt’s classics while still honouring her original sound?
I’ve always felt I have my own unique style, it’s a mix of strength and softness, emotion, and storytelling. When it came to recording ‘The Songbook of My Heart,’ I wanted to really honour Linda’s incredible artistry while still letting my own voice and experiences come through.
So, I approached each song with a lot of respect for the original, the melodies, the phrasing, the emotion, but I also wanted to interpret them through my lens. The way I sing them today comes from a life that’s been lived, the heartbreaks, the healing, the resilience.
It wasn’t about reinventing her songs, but about re-inhabiting them. I wanted listeners to feel something familiar, but also something real and new, like they were hearing the story from a different woman, in a different chapter of life.
How do you hope listeners will connect with your interpretations of these songs? What emotions do you want to evoke?
I really hope that when people listen to ‘The Songbook of My Heart,’ they don’t just hear the songs, they feel them. These songs are full of emotion, love, heartbreak, hope, strength, and I wanted to bring all of that to life in a way that feels honest and human.
My wish is that listeners find a part of their own story in mine, that they feel comforted, understood, maybe even inspired. Some songs might make you reflect, some might bring a tear, and others might make you feel free or empowered again.
More than anything, I want people to walk away with a sense of connection, that reminder that we’ve all been through things, and yet our hearts still have the power to heal, to love, and to sing again.
Interview by Melinda Sullivan, words by REN BARLOW.
FOR MORE PLEASE VISIT https://www.renbarlow.com/
