If we owe him several big singles of US pop, we had trouble putting a name and a head on his work: Julia Michaels releases her first personal EP on July 28, enough to give us the opportunity to meet her.
Whether for the girlband Fifth Harmony, Selena Gomez or Justin Bieber, Julia Michaels has proven herself in the co-writing of a lot of big singles in recent years. However, we had never been able to appreciate the personality of his own pieces, but also and especially his talents as a performer. And what a voice! A little gem still raw and sincere that we never get tired of from the first listening.
Beginnings in the shadows of the industry
Her first songs, she wrote them for the huge Disney industry, hence her participation in the writing of a piece of Demi Lovato or that of Fifth Harmony from the age of 16. But if her first big performance was only in 2016, we were not shocked to see her alongside the well-known Kygo, with whom she used to work. A collaboration that earned him the prestigious closing ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games.
A performance that serves as the foundation for the singer's first solo project . The announcement of his EP Nervous System, which will be released on July 28, quickly gave way to the release of the first single : Issues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ke4480MicU
Not so long ago she confided to Melty: "Ididn't see anyone else singing a song that was so personal to me", and it makes sense. Song written for and by her, Issues is intimate and it is felt in the voice but also in a melody slower and controlled than what we had been used to with her previous collaborations.
A controlled launch since the artist simultaneously published on his YouTube channel the audio of the song, the clip, but also an inclusive video featuring other couples with varied sexualities. A message of openness and respect for others that always does a little good.
"Uh Huh": the definition of a clean style
We were waiting to see the snippets of a style specific to the singer, since writing for others was not really a way to assert her artistic identity. Uh Huh did not disappoint. Even more imbued with the personal touch of the singer, the song completely detonates from the electro sounds of Issues or her collaboration with Kygo. And it's raw, quite pop, and the inspirations she cites, like Paramore or The Fray, are found in the use of voice and guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjQIodZlgeA
If the clip features the singer in an intimate situation (as in Issues), at Just Focus we prefer the stripped version of the performance of the song. We dream of seeing her evolve in a more rock and brutal universe, and to see the energy of the rest of the band, we have the impression that the wish is shared.
While waiting for the release of the EP, we invite you to check out his YouTube channel and familiarize yourself with the character, because we hope we will hear about it for a long time!
