Rising indie artist Julia Bhatt may be new to the game, but the ease with which she can conjure a catchy tune could have anyone fooled. Influenced by the sweltering heat and menagerie of culture that is Miami, Julia’s music is reminiscent of familiar sounds, from jazzy bossa beats to classic rock, but her refreshing, unapologetically youthful sound occupies a novel space of its own.

As a result of growing up constantly surrounded by vivid, rich soundscapes, musicality is effortless for her. It is ingrained in her very being. Taking inspiration from her everyday life, her lyrics are uncannily relatable, yet still pensive and multilayered. As a young artist, her ability to navigate the music industry while also navigating personal life and the emotions that come along with that, is quite impressive.

It seems like Julia’s got it all figured out, so PhotoBook sat down with her to learn about this impeccable display of balance and raw talent. Read for our interview with her.

Your upcoming project will be your album debut. What sounds or creative inspiration informed the album? How do you want listeners to feel when they hear it?
I just want them to like at least one of the songs, honestly. Each song has its own set of influences. Some you’ll be able to hear clearly and some you won’t. The songs range from the Magnetic Fields to Marina and the Diamonds to Washed Out. Lots of stuff for lots of different people.

Since you were raised on different sounds, from bossa nova rhythms to classic rock, how did you reconcile all of the music from your upbringing with creating your own sound? I'm not really sure what to call my sound, so I don’t fully know how to answer the question, but I can reiterate that there are influences in every song. I'm not 100% sure what they are, maybe my voice, but there’s something that unites all of the tracks, despite the variation of sounds. Artists have their own style, whether it’s intentional or not.

Living in Miami seems to influence your music significantly as well — I definitely hear that influence in ‘Hair Salon Vibes’ and ‘1:30.’ In what ways does the culture in Miami find its way into your music?
Just like Miami is a huge mix of people and cultures, so is my music. Once again, lots of influences! Some came from my parents but some came from friends while growing up and local radio stations.

What is the meaning behind your latest single, “Cotton Candy”?
It’s a feel-good song about putting your trust in the unknown. If we want to find a deep meaning, it was inspired by my boyfriend, who taught me to rely on people more. Now my family calls him ‘The Julia Whisperer.’

What is your songwriting process like?
It changes per song, but the simplest way is I pick up the guitar, usually feeling some kind of way: sometimes sad, sometimes happy, sometimes bitter. That sets the tone of the song. I find some chords and sing, then write down the good stuff that comes out.

Since you are such a young artist, you have so much time to experiment with your sound and persona. Do you have any plans to expand past the indie category you currently occupy?
Probably…!

Putting out an album is an important moment and goal for many artists, especially the first one because you finally get to share a full project and a piece of who you are with the world. What are some other goals you have for yourself as an artist?
I want to tour, I think. After the pandemic, I struggled incredibly when I tried to pick back up on performing. I had a really bad panic attack in front of a small crowd. I couldn’t perform for a little while. I managed to get back out there, and even though it scares me, the goal is to get more comfortable with performing. And I have a lot of international listeners, so it would be cool to play for them to thank them for their support.

Julia has an upcoming single, “On My Shoulder,” being released ahead of her album, it is what it is, on April 20th. You can pre-save the track here.

Article by Kayla Curtis-Evans, Contributing Sustainable Editor PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine