Alex Julia: taking the sadness out of the pandemic
When the artist comes from New Jersey, we automatically know that something good is coming. Well, it’s no different in this case!
The young Alex Julia has sensual vocals that are reminiscent of Courtney Love’s best phase (if ever there was one), along with minimalists compositions that holds our attention from start to finish – something that only artists at the level of Bruce Springsteen and Elliott Smith can do with a few chords.
I think my songwriting style was definitely most inspired by Springsteen. He has a unique way of story telling that was very authentic and powerful.
Alex Julia
Chronic illness and deteriorating mental heath are two of the most common themes on Alex’s new single, “Tunnel Vision”. The beautifully personal lyrics make us feel like Julia’s friends (and, in fact, she’s a kind person).
Inspired by social distancing, the New Jersey singer and songwriter this time leaves aside solar themes like the ones in “Better part of me” to focus on the anxiety caused by the pandemic. “I kept thinking I was cursed, someone put a spell on me’. Ultimately this one-sided view of things, this overly conscious level of ‘Tunnel Vision’, prevents true freedom in life – just as the last line of the song resounds; ‘I just want to be free’, says Julia. So do we, girl!
2 Things about Alex Julia
RC – In your work, you deal in a sensitive way with very intimate human issues such as guilt and self-punishment. What value does music have in your life for you to overcome these obstacles?
AJ – Music has been a way for me to express my emotions in a healthy way. I think putting my words on paper put things into perspective for me. When I was in high school I started writing a lot of poetry because it was my way of coping. And then once I started playing guitar and realizing I could take these words and add more weight to them I began like I had found my voice. It has helped me overcome a lot my fears although I still am very shy but I’m able to share my ideas with the world and that’s a really special thing. It’s opened me up to a whole new world of creativity. I try to dig deep and get lost in the emotion. I guess the themes of my songs could be dark but I feel like being human and honest with our feelings can be refreshing.
RC – New Jersey is the world’s birthplace of rock greats like Springsteen, Bon Jovi and, recently, the idolized Jack Antonoff. Living in this state contributed in what way to your composition process? And, by the way, do you like those three?
AJ – I think living in New Jersey with a great music scene and fantastic talents really inspired me at an early age to make art. My mom took me to like seven Springsteen concerts as a kid. My parents listened to a lot of Bon Jovi growing up I had Living On A Prayer memorized and would belt out the lyrics. Jack Antonoff is a fantastic musician and producer. I love his work with Taylor Swift on Folklore. That album helped me get through a lot during the pandemic. I think my songwriting style was definitely most inspired by Springsteen. He has a unique way of story telling that was very authentic and powerful.
Listen to “Tunnel Vision” by Alex Julia
Adopting a deeply personal, intimate approach to writing and performance, Alex questions the very nature of the self with ‘Tunnel Vision’, relaying awareness of viewing the things that simply happen as happening ‘to’ us.
Following on from the beautifully revealing, emotive and independently
successful EP of 2020, ‘Better Part Of Me, as well as this summer’s stunning new single ‘Like The Sun’, the new release continues to promise the realities of life and musical purity united.
Co-written by Alex and Patrick Wörner, ‘Tunnel Vision’ settles into a more
tender, acoustic mood, and with that softness the artist delves perhaps more fearlessly than ever into the depths of the self and the human psyche.
And now, we really wanna know: what did you think about Alex Julia’s work?