Meet Chandler Juliet

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chandler Juliet.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Chandler. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley of two driven studio musicians, Bob McChesney, and Calabria Foti. They moved to LA in their twenties to pursue careers in their respective instruments – trombone for my Dad, and violin and voice, for my Mom.

They have done so well for themselves, been a part of hundreds of timeless records and television shows like the Simpsons, Family Guy, and so many more. Over the years they discovered their joy, ability, and talent of producing their own records of jazz and the Great American Songbook over the years, and even a Grammy Nomination! I come from good stock. 

They love music, and raised my older sister and I within that passion, requiring that we choose instruments to study from a very early age. My sister stuck to flute, but I bounced around from piano, violin, clarinet, and cello, which I stuck with for nine years. Somewhere along the way, I taught myself how to play guitar and sing, and write songs.

I started writing songs when I was nine years old, just to process things that were happening in my life, and that became incredibly cathartic for me. I typically wrote songs to figure out how I felt about certain situations, or to resolve or discover something within myself. When I graduated high school, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in music and entertainment, and be a performer.

My parents wanted me to finish college before giving me their blessing to do whatever I wanted afterwards, so I decided to do both. While I was enrolled at CSUN, I wrote and released songs independently, produced and filmed my own music videos, won a couple Indie Music Awards, and performed regularly in Hollywood, even at the Troubadour!

Even though I was working towards a degree, I never cared about anything more than music, and was always super focused on what came next with my music career. I soon started working with Dean Dinning (Toad the Wet Sprocket) and Mikal Blue (Colbie Callait, Jason Mraz, OneRepublic) at their amazing studio Revolver Recordings in Thousand Oaks, CA, where they helped me hone my writing and studio recording craft.

I just graduated last December, and now have a college degree in Media Management from CSUN’s Film and Television Department. This year I’ve really learned so much about myself and feel like I’ve truly felt what adulthood is for the first time. And that’s definitely reflected in my songwriting. I’m working with and a handful of different producers, still finding and perfecting my sound, and learning how to produce myself, too.

It feels like I’ve only just realized that I’ve grown up in Los Angeles, a town where everyone wants to be, where everyone moves to. When things get tough out here, I don’t get to leave or run away; I have nowhere else to go. My music has developed into a really emotionally intelligent conversation with myself, drawing conclusions and patterns of human behavior, questioning life and my millennial perspective, and my experience growing up in Los Angeles.

All in all, I’m really REALLY grateful that I have been blessed with the opportunity to chase a career in music, and the future is looking bright.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
A struggle I’ve been facing as an artist is figuring out the delicate balance of the starving artist lifestyle. I often push myself past my limits and forget about taking care of myself, and that has resulted in some health problems.

But overall, I’ve had a pretty smooth road, and I’m very blessed. Every artist has to figure these things out, and figure out who they are, and find their way. I think it makes the art better, we have to embrace our stories, especially the ugly parts. I try to stay pretty positive, most of my complaints are in my songs. 

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I am a Recording Artist, a singer-songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist, an amateur producer. I’m known for my musical works and my live performance skillz.

I am most proud of my honesty and ability to “keep it real” in a town where people can be very superficial and fake. I’m also really grateful/proud of my sense of humor, and it’s a huge part of who I am, and as an artist.

I have this honestly and rawness, and this “flow” when I sing. I have kind of a sing-rap thing going on in some songs, and I think my realness and my innate jazzy vibe (thanks mom and dad) is what’s unique about me.

I think my story is also pretty weird, not a lot of people grow up in LA.

What were you like growing up?
I’m a Leo and love the spotlight, and have always loved performing. I love acting, improv, singing, arts and crafts, all kinds of art, really. I was always in the choir, or acting class, or orchestra. I’ve definitely always been outgoing and friendly, with a side of sass.

Thanks so much for reading about my story. Please check out my music online or swing by my instagram and say hi 🙂