Q&A with RADIANT REBEL | JILL BARBER

What if the best beauty secret has nothing to do with beauty at all?

Not a cream. Not a treatment. Not another impossible standard to chase.

What if it has more to do with how we live?

The women who captivate us most rarely seem obsessed with staying young. Instead, they're curious. Creative. Passionate. Connected. They have things that light them up. They're engaged with their lives. And somehow, that tends to shine brighter than anything money can buy.

That's one of the reasons I was so excited to sit down with Jill Barber.

Over the past two decades, the celebrated Canadian singer-songwriter, author, performer, and mother has built a remarkable creative life. She's toured internationally, explored genres ranging from folk and jazz to chanson and pop, written children's books, and continued to evolve through every chapter without losing the curiosity that seems to fuel it all.

At Radiant Rebel, we're interested in women who navigate the world on their own terms. Women who continue to grow, create, and redefine what's possible for themselves. Jill Barber is one of those women.

In our conversation, we talk about creativity, motherhood, beauty, friendship, songwriting, and what it means to keep evolving. Thoughtful, honest, and deeply human, Barber shares a perspective that feels increasingly rare: that the things that feed our souls don't necessarily compete with one another. Sometimes they make each other stronger.

And perhaps that's part of her secret.

You’ve never seemed afraid to follow your curiosity as an artist, even when it takes you somewhere unexpected - from writing children’s books to exploring new sounds and stories in your songwriting. When you feel pulled in a new creative direction, how do you know it’s worth trusting? And in moments of doubt, what helps you keep going?

JB: I simply ask myself: Is this fun? If I’m having a good time creating something new, then it’s worth doing, in my book. The work may not be very good, but if it’s fun to make, then I’ll be motivated to keep doing it, for the pleasure of it, instead of worrying about the outcome. 

Your songs feel like they create a whole world for the listener. What tends to spark that world for you first - a feeling, a place, visual imagery, a memory, a melody?

JB: Inspiration for a song can come from any of these places, and is available to anyone paying attention. But in order to turn that inspiration into a song, I need to tease out some words, string them together (starting with a lot gibberish) and play around with melodies (usually singing in the air a cappella, without any instruments) until I’m singing a phrase that resonates with me. The essence of songwriting is being able to capture a feeling with the right combination of words and melody. 

I’ve always felt like songwriting is almost less about “writing” and more about tuning into something. Sometimes when I’m creating, it feels like I’m listening to a different language or frequency and trying to translate it into words before it disappears. What is your songwriting process like? Does it feel intuitive, disciplined, emotional, mysterious - or something else entirely?

JB: I like how you put it Shelley. For me it’s definitely a combination of all of the above. I’m not religious, or particularly spiritual, but I do deeply believe in the power of music to move and connect people. A live music show is my communion.

I remember once having a meeting with a record label at a restaurant and arriving early so I could quietly order a non-alcoholic beer because I was pregnant and didn’t want anyone to know yet. Part of me was genuinely afraid it would change how they saw me or whether they’d want to sign me at all. It made me realize how much pressure women can feel to stay endlessly available, youthful, uninterrupted. Have you ever felt that tension in your own career - around motherhood, taking time away, aging, or simply existing as a woman in an industry that doesn’t always leave much room for those realities?

JB: Ha! Yes. I’m all too familiar with this tension. But I was also very determined to make it work, which was only possible with the help of a solid support network. I’m steadfast in my belief that serving my soul by pursuing my music makes me a better mom, and that fulfilling my dreams of having a family ultimately makes me a better artist.

There’s such a strange pressure in music and media for women to somehow freeze time around youth, as though artistry, beauty, or relevance are supposed to peak at 25. But so many women seem to become more grounded, magnetic, and fully themselves with age. Has your relationship with visibility, beauty, or even your own identity shifted over the years as both a woman and an artist?

JB: My greatest beauty secret? Do what you love. But certainly, my relationship to beauty has shifted, in good and bad ways. I’m comfortable with the fact that an artist’s “image” is part of the deal, and I still enjoy photo and video shoots with thoughtful styling, hair, make up and lighting- when it’s considered and artful. Conversely, social media that has required us to make constant visual content that to me, straight up just looks and feels bad. It’s necessarily so performative and artificial. Capturing a moment to share online has a way of sucking beauty out of people and experiences. Vanity is a real beauty killer.

A lot of girls are still learning how to trust their instincts creatively and personally. What advice would you give young women who are trying to find their voice in a world that constantly tells them who they should be.

JB: Authenticity isn’t as simple as just “be yourself”, it’s about having the courage to explore our many “selves” and to never stop exploring. It’s hard to trust your instincts if you aren’t sure what your instincts even are. It takes lots of trial and error to develop any kind of style. So play around, make mistakes, and have fun doing it!

Every artist seems to have someone who quietly changed the trajectory of their life. Who has been one of your biggest mentors, formally or informally, throughout your career?

JB: Sarah Harmer is an artist that I have deeply admired since I was a teenager. She has a way with words and melodies that just speaks to me. 

What does taking care of yourself look like in this season of your life? Are there any rituals, beauty habits, skincare products, quiet moments, or small comforts that help you feel like yourself again when life gets full?

JB: I really love a bath- hot in the winter and cool in summer. And my biggest splurge are luxurious body oils that smell and feel amazing. That is my post-bathing ritual.

What currently makes you feel electric? Not productive or successful - just deeply alive.

JB: Gatherings with my women friends where we eat and drink and dress only for each other/the female gaze- that makes me feel electric. I just admire my friends so much and I love to drink in their beauty and wisdom.

What’s next for Jill Barber? Is there anything you’re currently building, dreaming about, or quietly working on behind the scenes?

JB: My love of theatre has recently been re-ignited. I was a drama nerd in high school, and I actually hold a university degree in drama, but when I left school music took over my life. I’d love to return to the theatrical stage at some point. No plans just yet, but we’ll see!

—

Jill, thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions.

I started this platform because I'm endlessly fascinated by women who build lives that feel authentic, creative, and unapologetically their own. You're one of those women.

Your answers reminded me that we don't have to choose between being mothers and artists, ambitious and grounded, evolving and authentic. We can be all of it.

And to that I say fuck yes.

Thank you for sharing your wisdom, your perspective, and your story with us. I know I'm walking away inspired, and I have a feeling our readers will too.

If you'd like to follow along on Jill Barber's journey, discover her music, or see what she's creating next, visit JillBarber.com & on Instagram at @jillbarber She's worth having on your radar.

And now you know.

xo Shelley

Cover photo by: Rachel Pick