By Keandre Williams-Chambers

Staff Writer
Carly Skeletoyer, known as “Carlz Barkley,” is a local San Marcos musician with a ukulele and admirable musical talent. Growing up with music was an integral part of her life, with her childhood-spent being involved in choir as well as taking vocal and piano lessons. Eventually moving up to perform in musicals and singing for special events. Skeletoyer taught herself the ukulele, what could be described as one of her instruments of choice, during her stay in New York as part of an AmeriCorps program where she ran choir and hip-hop clubs in an elementary school in the Queensbridge projects. Since then, Skeletoyer has had the opportunity to play with a full band at venues around San Diego and even tour the West Coast to Seattle and back. She has even begun working on a full-length album of original songs. The talented musician describes her style as one that carries a basic pop/folk structure. “But then when the band plays ‘em they end up sounding surf-y. Beach-y. Warm,” Skeletoyersaid, while going over past performances with a full band alongside her. “There are some R&B and country numbers in there, too, though. I like to mix it up.” Her lyrics could only be described as “a diary,” a personification of internal thoughts. “I’d also like to think that it wouldn’t necessarily be my diary,” Skeletoyer said, noting that she herself is her own life narrator. Skeletoyer cites her friends and the things they say as primary influences to her songs. A student of feminism, she also cites great feminist leaders, particularly Gloria Steinem, as inspirations to her music. “Gloria reallyknows what she’s doing when it comes to beautiful words,” Skeletoyer said. Among the list of her musical inspirations, she lists Kimya Dawson, The Mountain Goats, Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley), and Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco). “I want my music to continue to allow for a space where I can let myself be very honest and vulnerable,” Skeletoyersaid. “If I become able to share that part of myself with larger and larger audiences, that will be a real blessing.” Skeletoyer is now a private music teacher with sights set on moving to Seattle in the near future. For samples of her music and more information about her work, visit www.carlzbarkley.com.