Daily Inspiration: Meet Julia Kate

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Kate

Julia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Since third grade, I have been taking singing lessons and acting classes in elementary school. I would do singing recitals until 6th grade, and then in middle school up until my senior year of high school, I did theater. I was in a choir and the advanced pop music band in middle and high school. I started writing songs in middle school but never took them seriously then, when COVID came around my freshman year of high school, I started to take them seriously, and I would practically write every day. We all had a lot of downtime, and I became addicted to writing songs. Then, I was introduced by a family friend to producer Johnny What (JuiceWRLD, Pentatonix). Johnny took me under his wing, along with musical director Nick Rosen and co-writer Jacob Wick, formerly with the band Dreamers. We created my first EP, “just a kid” that we released when I was 17 (2022). Before going into my freshman year of college at Berklee College of Music, I went back into the studio with Nick Rosen and recorded my second EP, “yearbook,” released in September 2023. I am now a student at Berklee studying songwriting and music business, but I am still working with a vocal coach and have been performing in various ensembles. When home from school, I am gigging around Los Angeles at venues like The Hotel Cafe, The Mint, and have an upcoming show scheduled for The Whisky a Go-Go this summer opening for Missing Persons.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think there is such a thing as a smooth road when you are trying to make it in the music industry. I feel independent artists put in so much work that so many people don’t have the chance to discover because there is so much clutter out there. I read recently that over 100,000 new songs are uploaded to Spotify daily. If you’re not an established artist, how do you find new fans with so much new music out there? Social media provides an opportunity to brand yourself and market your music, but building a fan base on social media is equally difficult because everyone else is also using it to market their music. Plus, you are also competing with people who are trying to become influencers. So the problem, once again, is how do you break through the social media clutter as well? Showing my personality on social media is not my strong suit, but I feel I am improving. I am very proud and passionate about the music I create, and I feel people understand that when they listen to my music, but I just have to keep on being persistent and passionate. The key is never to give up and have the belief that, eventually, you’ll connect with a larger audience who also appreciates your music.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, and I have released two EPs and many singles. While I am happy with all the music I have released thus far, I am most proud of the two latest single releases, “beverly hills” and “fake friends.” The key is to keep making music and putting it out in the world. Every time I go back into the studio, I feel I am getting better as a songwriter and artist, and thus, I think the songs are getting better as well. I started recording music professionally when I was 16, but initially, I felt I had this filter on my writing. By filter, I mean I kept second-guessing myself and my creative choices, but last summer, when I returned to the studio, I felt that filter had finally lifted. I no longer felt the pressure to obey the rules. I just wanted to write about what I wanted to write about. I still have two more songs from that session that have not been released yet, and I am also very proud of these songs as well. The next release, “i wish i knew (one more kiss)” drops on March 14th.
What sets me apart from other artists I believe is my love for all different kinds of music. In grammar school and high school, I participated in the annual Gospel Choir every year. It was a genre of music I wasn’t familiar with in 5th grade, but by 12th grade, I had such a huge appreciation for that wonderful music. My senior year, I sang “Believe for It” by CeCe Winans, and it is still one of my favorite performances. While all my music thus far is pop, you’ll hear different influences in many of the songs. For instance, “fake friends” has a very 80’s new wave vibe, like Deborah Harry or The Go-Go’s, but lyrically, it is much closer to Chappell Roan and Olivia Rodrigo. I look forward to experimenting more when I head back into the studio next time.

What were you like growing up?
I was born and raised in LA, and living in Los Angeles definitely influenced me because the music scene is so prominent in that city. I grew up doing acting shows in elementary school and singing recitals. I was also an athlete in grammar school and middle school. My primary sport was volleyball. Because LA is filled with so many celebrities, I had the opportunity to perform in front of many famous artists, including some of my idols, including Lady Gaga, one year at the annual Gospel Choir. Talk about nervousness, but those experiences helped me grow as a performer. But even more nerve-wracking was when I performed in front of my friends. Because it is the world’s entertainment capital, LA can be very judgmental. To this day, I am still nervous about what my friends will think whenever I release a new song or EP. When I was in 8th grade, I sang solo for the first time in front of the entire middle school. My friends had heard me sing in choir and theater shows before, but they had never heard me playing the piano and singing a song by myself. I sang “Sunflower” from the movie “Sierra Burgess is a Loser.” I don’t know why I picked that song, but I think it really spoke to the 8th-grade Julia. When I finished the song, I got a standing ovation, and I remember that it was the best feeling I had ever had in the world. That was when I became addicted to music and performing, so I quit participating in sports and all my other non-music activities and fully committed to making music my life from that moment on.

While music is my life, I have other interests that are really important as a songwriter. One needs to experience life to write about it. I love movies and still enjoy acting. I love Scuba diving, and I’m so thankful for my father, who helped me get certified when I was 13. I love the ocean and feel so at peace underwater. I remain close to many of my high school friends, and when we are home for the holidays or on summer break, we like to go out for sushi and Italian food and compare our different college experiences.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.juliakatemusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliakatexo/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JuliaKateMusic
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@juliakatexo https://open.spotify.com/artist/1fIGYGeXGTQXAo1CuW7FaQ

Image Credits
the professional photos are by Lissyelle Laricchia