Hello Rockstars! Today I’m going to be telling you about our Artist of the Week:
Singer-Songwriter JULIA! Here’s her story in her own words, Enjoy!
—VMS 🙂
VMS:
“When did you start writing and performing your music? What’s your backstory.”
JULIA:
“I’ve always wanted to be a singer but was way too shy to even try. Last year, I was kicked off by Elvis and my fellow Vegas artists. (THANK YOU!) I really wanted to collaborate with them and needed to get off my butt! So I did! Released two songs last year, then five more this year!
I’m just trying to see where life takes me! I’ve been a SFX makeup artist, wedding coordinator, cage cashier, and pizza delivery driver… twice. All before even attempting to write a song. I just thought I had to live a specific way or that my music didn’t matter. I decided last year that I did have something to give the world. ME! So HELLO!”
VMS:
“What artist or bands inspire you and your sound.”
JULIA:
“ELVIS AARON PRESLEY He’s my main inspiration, and I am thankful every day he was on this earth. I know a lot of people have their opinions on him, and that’s their own. For me personally, he inspired me to dig a little deeper and learn who I am. He’s my go-to artist for karaoke. Suffice it to say I’m an Elvis fan. I’d be wrong not to add Gorillaz and Marianas Trench to the list. Gorillaz has a way of sounding just right on the brain; the whole idea was so creative, and the messages in their songs are amazing. Marianas Trench has the most gut-wrenching lyrics I’ve ever heard, and you can’t help but feel them. If just a drop of the hearts and souls of these artists got into my songs, I would be eternally grateful.
I would also like to add my father to this list. He has been performing and singing since I was a kid. I’ve been able to see him, and it was awesome. I don’t think if I didn’t see him perform, I would want to do the same thing. He is currently trying to get more people together again here in Vegas to do shows. I am very thankful to have been able to ask for his advice and to have his help. He has actually been my engineer on all my releases. You can hear him as the background vocalist in “The Fool’s Leap” as well. Thank you, Dad!”
VMS:
“What’s your writing process and inspiration for your lyrics.”
JULIA:
“I start by writing down a general idea of where I would like a song to go. Such as a specific message or vibe. Most of the time, the ones I end up writing down have no relation to each other and then get combined later on. Some lines or verses come to me, and I put them down. I make all my songs in GarageBand right now and like to set them up with a good beat first. I start to hum or fill in the spots with some random words in a way that I want it to go, and I jot it down. Then it’s just a matter of adding words, changing them, and connecting the dots to the next line to see if I should be more creative with it or not. I really enjoy having references to songs, movies, shows, and even video games in my songs. I’m a complete nerd and am an avid connoisseur of “Youtuber” music. So if I can fit something into my song and make it make sense, I will. In “Julia in the Bathroom,” I got to put a few from The Office and Bridgerton. I like to be able to have fun and be serious at the same time, so incorporating weird sfx and all that is not uncommon. It’s just an all-out blast when a nerdy reference can become a deeper message from a new perspective. I can pull inspiration from anything.”
VMS:
“I love your songs “Lonely Rivers”, “The Fool’s Leap” and “Too Much.” What is the inspiration or story behind these songs.”
JULIA:
“Thank you!!!!! “Lonely Rivers” was actually the first song I wrote. I had done little beats and lines here and there for other songs, but this was my first completed song ever. “Lonely Rivers” is sung from the perspective of Elvis reviewing his life. It’s actually a companion song to my first released song, “All a Kid Needs is Hope.” He’s explaining that he had to live that way for him to inspire. The lonely rivers in the song refer to death, depression, and hard times. Even though it might not be okay right now, you are here to experience life, and that is magical. It’s not meant to be okay all the time, nor is it meant to be perfect.”
” “The Fool’s Leap” was very, very fun to make. If I were to pick a song that best describes my soul, it would be this one. It is very spiritually heavy. Tarot was definitely an inspiration for this one, as was David Bowie. “Starman” was actually where I started. I liked the idea of a signal being found and that two people were the only ones to see it. I thought, What if one of the two denied the signal? What if one continued to pick up communication and the other refused to see it because it could shatter their world? It’s a metaphor for unrequited love, I think. I like to think of it as the Limerence song. In tandem, it can also be sung to the one in rhyme and stuck in the cycle. “
” “Too Much” is the anthem for all the people who’ve been told they’re too much. For those of us who try to turn ourselves down only to be called weird for being quiet, Especially for those of us who are socially awkward. I had an experience early this year that made me feel like I was back in high school. It led me to make “Too Much.” I wanted to write what I would want my younger self to know.”
VMS:
“Tell me about your new EP “Honey I Love Me Too Much…”
What was the writing process and inspiration behind this.”
JULIA:
” “Honey, I Love Me Too Much” is completely inspired by Elvis and everything he inspired me to believe! It’s a thank-you to him! I was able to explore a lot of different sides of myself that I haven’t really done before. It was really fun! All with the inspiration of Elvis Presley. “Some Kind of Animal” was a fun one that was inspired directly by Jailhouse Rock and Teddy Bear! The title itself reads, “Honey, I love me too much to put myself through that.” The piece as a whole is completely about loving and accepting all sides of oneself, regardless of how others see you.”
Listen to her EP: “Honey, I Love Me Too Much” on Spotify:
VMS:
“Which local artist would you like to work with and why.”
JULIA:
“I would love to collaborate with any and all local artists! They’re all freaking amazing, and I love their passion!!!!!!!”
VMS:
“What’s your overall theme or message of your music.”
JULIA:
“LOVE YOURSELF!!!!!!!! BE YOURSELF!!!!!!! Not everything is going to be said or done correctly, but as long as you can learn, there’s always hope!”
VMS:
“Do you have a favorite song that you like to perform.”
JULIA:
“I have yet to perform any of my own (I am looking for some band members!), but I just know I would enjoy doing “Party at the Spook House”!”
VMS:
“Do you have any crazy or interesting stories from working in the music scene.”
JULIA:
“I’ll just say that you need to make sure you know who you are! Once you do that, you’ll know who’s got your back.”
VMS:
“What do you want your audience to feel and experience at one of your live shows.”
JULIA:
“I would love for my future show to be a full-on SHOW! Right down to a theme! I love theatrics and want the audience to really feel like they took part in something. I have so many ideas!”
VMS:
“What does the future hold for Julia.”
JULIA:
“EVERYTHING! Haha, but no, really, I have huge dreams, and I’ll shoot for the stars. I really want to be able to help people. Not just through my music. I have a song out called “All a Kid Needs is Hope” and am donating 100% of my streaming royalties to Lahaina, HI. I plan on making sure it’s going straight to the people who need it, along with anything else I can help with. I plan on making more songs dedicated specifically to donations to more places in the future. I know it will take a while to get there. I wanted to try something where all people had to give was their time. I know that I couldn’t donate due to my circumstances, and I thought maybe other people could agree. I have so much more I want to make, so much more I want to say, and so much more to show everyone!
Thank you so much for interviewing me and letting me speak about my music! It’s everything to me!”
Stream “All a Kid Needs is Hope” on Spotify:
Vegas Music Scene Thoughts:
It is safe to say that Julia is truly a force to be reckoned with. Between her powerhouse vocals, amazing experimentation in her music and sound, she is definitely one to watch! If Elvis, David Bowie and Lady Gaga had a musical baby I could definitely see it in Julia. She is not afraid to push the boundaries of her music in songs like “Lonely Rivers,” “Too Much”, “Julia in the Bathroom”, and with lyrics that also talk about love, spirituality, self-reflection and staying true to yourself, It’s an incredibly solid EP that makes my only true complaint that I need a whole fucking Album! lol. She’s not afraid to play and also has managed to stay true to herself, which is hard to do, but she manages it with a rock star bite to her songs that has a maturity that is well beyond her years and I’m so incredibly excited to see what the future looks like for Julia! If this EP is any indication of what we can expect from her, she is definitely coming out swinging and It’s best if we just hang on for the crazy ride.
—–Vegas Music Scene
For more information on JULIA, follow her on her Social Media Platforms.