Bahari: Bandmates and Best Friends
Our Bahari interview was in our June 2022 print issue.
Natalia Panzarella and Ruby Carr first met at age 15, and thus began their beautiful bond over their shared love of pop music.
“It’s kind of crazy because we really didn’t grow up together,” Carr said. “It’s kind of like we’re sisters by choice.”
She feels they constantly inspire each other with life experiences and stories, and root for each whether on or off the stage. The crossing of their paths at 15 is the reason we are blessed today with Bahari.Before blossoming into the friends and bandmates they are today, the two experienced their separate musical childhoods. Panzarella was raised in Nashville, surrounded by music, especially by her own mother who was a country artist. She would watch her mom during sessions and while playing live and think to herself, “Oh my gosh, I want to do this so badly.”
Before blossoming into the friends and bandmates they are today, the two experienced their separate musical childhoods. Panzarella was raised in Nashville, surrounded by music, especially by her own mother who was a country artist. She would watch her mom during sessions and while playing live and think to herself, “Oh my gosh, I want to do this so badly.”
Carr describes being “obsessed with music” when she was a kid as well. She would constantly listen to artists such as Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles and Tupac. She would often listen to unknown artists from Europe as well and began playing the piano once she started school.
“The rest was history,” Carr said.
After years of making music in their usual recording studio, the two moved in together during COVID due to the studio shutting down. This was a pivotal time given the duo began making music from their own home. They would “write music every day, record coverage for TikTok and have a lot of fun” all from their own living room home studio, Panzarella said.
Bahari’s latest single “Hot Mess” involved a fun and spontaneous process that the two enjoyed, working alongside singer/ songwriter Yoshi Flower. They began with a solid bassline and took turns freestyling over the track. This differed from their usual writing style which made the process that much more exciting. Panzarella came up with the verse and Carr followed with the chorus creation. To find a mutual lyrical topic, they turned to Flower and tried relating events in one another’s lives. This conversation resulted in the overarching theme of “glamifying a hot mess.”
The duo works with Flower quite often and find themselves comfortable doing so. They always end up satisfied when writing with him and Carr revealed that “Hot Mess” was “one of our favorite songs in a long time and one of the fastest songs we’ve written.”
A music video was released for the single with Carr and Panzarella being the masterminds behind it.
“Normally, we come up with an elaborate storyline or an ‘action-type’ music video because that’s just what she and I love to do,” Panzarella said. “And this one, we wanted to do something that really fit and empowered the song.”
They came up with a color concept, displaying Flower in green, Panzarella in blue and Carr in red, all inside an abandoned home with each star having their own moment. Panzarella revealed they pulled inspiration from the early 2000s.
“Hot Mess” follows the band’s 2021 EP, Forget You. Carr shared that most of the writing for the EP was done during quarantine, reflecting a difficult time in their lives. The EP was more emotional but with “Hot Mess,” we experience more fun.
Bahari has collaborated with quite a few notable artists including BIA and ILLENIUM. When asked about their dream collaborations, they told us they would love to work with Tove Lo or James Blake. Carr said they are huge fans of Blake’s music.
The band has also been seen touring with artists like Selena Gomez and Birdy. Panzarella explained they’ve never had time to put together their own show, however, they look to headline their own tour soon. They are working with their high school friend, Nate Mohler, on the visuals and lighting to create the perfect show.
“The visual aspects are so important for the songs,” Carr said. “Not only, like, the different live rendition of it, but the lighting and the visuals and everything. Just how we look at music videos, we want to represent the story of the song.”
While fans idolize Bahari, the two idolize artists of their own. Currently, Panzarella has Lennon Stella and BENEE on repeat, and Carr explained she is loving Afrobeat artist Omah Lay.
“We’ve been listening to this one song that he has with Justin Bieber called ‘Attention’ over and over again,” Carr said. “It’s so good!”
Something Bahari wants to share with fans and listeners is to always speak your truth.
“Ruby and I have gone through a lot together and that’s the one thing we’ve stuck to, and I think that’s why we’re still here together, doing it today,” Panzarella said. “Because people gravitate toward other people’s truths — and you can’t reject somebody’s truth.”
The duo is very excited to keep making and releasing new music. They are currently working on a new project and can’t wait for the world to hear it. There is no denying big things are ahead for killer duo Bahari, as they continue to make their 15-year-old selves proud.
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