cloud collecting #16: Bárbara Salazar (Barbarelle)
where every detail matters, connecting with dream state + solo dates as inspiration
cloud collecting features three-question interviews with women and gender-expansive artists, exploring their creative processes. I recently connected with Buenos Aires-based sound explorer, artist, music curator and creative director, Bárbara Salazar (Barbarelle). I had the pleasure of spending time with her in LA during her visit a few years ago, and it was beautiful to see how much passion she pours into her work! I hope you enjoy our short conversation.
Bárbara Salazar (Barbarelle) is an Argentinian sound explorer, artist, selector music curator and creative director from Buenos Aires.
Her work is focused on creating transcendental and memorable sound experiences and building storytelling through music. She creates soundscapes and an almost archaeological work with songs.
She is the founder and creative director of Atlas, a multidisciplinary platform that focuses on listening and contemplation through events and experiences. Atlas is also her monthly radio show at Dublab (Los Angeles) where she takes the listeners through a deep and evolving sonic landscape from ambient, folk, experimental to jazz and beyond.
She also co-curated ‘Viento Sur’ a compilation of late '80s to early '90s leftfield synth pop, experimental folk and ambient from the vaults of Argentina’s label Melopea Discos, owned by the legendary artist Litto Nebbia. This compilation released by Spanish label Vampi Soul in 2022 is available worldwide and was recognized by The Wire, Rolling Stone and other media.
1. The passion and attention you pour into your mixes, events, and curation are evident to everyone who experiences them. Can you share how your journey into this creative expression began? Have you always been a music collector, and who were the key influences that encouraged you to explore this side of yourself?
This creativity is really a mixture of a lot of passions and my love for music. It’s about how I like to experience music and sound, and how that experience gets even better when influenced by other stimuli like other artforms, the space that surrounds us, and many other things I’m into. These elements form and inspire the way I approach not only my mixes but also my events. From the start, everything is composed in a way where every detail matters—it’s about creating a whole, immersive experience.
It’s not only about loving music, but also the curiosity to explore, learn more, and connect music to create stories and evoke feelings when I share it as an experience or a mix. I’ve always been curious about music, ever since I was a child. My parents used to buy little instruments for my sister and me. They aren’t musicians, but they always brought us these instruments, and I was naturally drawn to playing with them.
As I grew up, this attraction to music only deepened. In my teenage years, I started to connect more with my identity through music, and that love kept building over time. Eventually, I began collecting music and doing the work I do now, which continues to grow and evolve. It’s hard to describe in words—it’s just this deep connection with music, and it feels like something I was meant to do, something that it's still revealing for me as part of my purpose/mission here.
There are also a couple of artists who really influenced me and deepened my connection with music. Artists like Björk and Air were groundbreaking for me. They touched something inside that made me realize how music can connect you to something so much deeper, and that’s what made me want to use music in the same way—to connect people with those deeper things.
2. What three physical items are most essential to your creative process, and why do they hold such significance for you?
One item would definitely be my headphones, as they allow me to listen deeply and carefully to music. Whether I’m discovering new sounds or connecting with familiar tracks, my headphones are essential for focusing on the details, even when I’m listening to my own music.
The second item would be my computer. It’s an amazing tool that I use to connect, explore, research, and build everything I need to work on—whether it’s music, projects, or events. It really helps me bring everything together.
The third item is a little notebook I always have with me. It’s where I jot down ideas for new projects, music, events, concepts—anything that comes to me and feels like it’s meant to be brought into the physical world.
3. How do you cloud collect (connect to childlike wonder) in your creativity?
Oh wowwww ! I feel like I’ve been connecting with childlike wonder non-stop throughout my life. It’s something that has always allowed me to tap into something really beautiful, even during challenging times. For me, daydreaming and connecting with a dream state and that sense of wonder is completely natural. When I discovered that music could help me embark on those inner journeys, it became clear why music is so important to me—and that’s what I want to offer to others.
One way I connect to that sense of wonder is through solo dates, where I just walk, listen to music, and explore. I love feeling like a tourist, even in my own city. There’s something magical about walking with music in my ears, discovering new spots, maybe stopping at a little old café for something delicious, and just allowing inspiration to flow. It really reminds me of the awe and curiosity of a child discovering something new.
One of my favorite activities is going to museums with my headphones on, listening to music, and letting myself be inspired by the art, the space, and the whole atmosphere. Those moments fuel my creativity deeply.
Traveling, though, holds a special place for me. It's one of the most meaningful experiences that enhances everything I love about connecting with music, art, and new places. Discovering new cities, landscapes, and cultures, while having the soundtrack of music accompanying me, really amplifies that sense of wonder and childlike excitement!
I also love connecting with nature, though I haven’t done it as often lately because I’ve been in the city. But even here, those little solo days or paseos through the city are really beautiful. And spontaneity is a big part of this—like maybe I’m walking and suddenly decide to pop into a cinema or try something new. Those spontaneous moments bring me so much joy and wonder, and they’re a big part of what keeps that childlike awe alive in my creative process.
Best online places to find + support Bárbara:
Had to mention….
I’ve been a regular reader of Shawn Reynaldo’s writing + First Floor newsletter for quite some time. This week, I’m happy he asked me to share a song of my choice (here) and couldn’t help but shout about Isabel Pine again. Her Where The Flowers Grow collection from earlier this year is just that good.
THANK YOU FOR READING CLOUD COLLECTING! MAKE A ONE-TIME DONATION HERE OR BECOME A PAID MONTHLY SUBSCRIBER FOR ‘WOMEN OF AMBIENT’ DOWNLOADABLE MIXES + ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU HERE!