 She gave violin lessons to children in her neighborhood, and said that her middle school and high school classmates had referred to her as the "violin girl" based on her performances in talent shows.While attending Red Bank Catholic High School, Barba participated in choir for four years, was part of the school's doo-wop group, and took a music theory course as a senior.She went to Catholic University of America to study architecture; while attending university, she often sang with a friend from the musical theatre department.