By: Staff
We had the chance to get an early listen to julianna joy’s latest recording, “GoldStar,” and we were so impressed that we immediately reached out to her team for an interview.
With “GoldStar,” the dynamic lead single from her debut album, Somebody Call the Firemen, the Chicago-born, Los Angeles-based artist delivers a track that pulses with emotion, energy, and a sound that lingers long after the final note.
A truly accomplished artist, Julianna has built a reputation that speaks for itself, with a long list of industry titans eager to work with her. With “GoldStar,” she pushes boundaries, blending unexpected influences and delivering a performance that demands attention.
But what sparked this creative fire? How did this song come to life?
We wanted to know, so we got the inside story straight from Julianna herself. Dive into our exclusive interview below to find out.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello julianna joy, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more excited to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. Is your stage name your given name? What led you to choose this method of connecting your artistry with fans?
A. Julianna Joy is my first and middle name. I chose this as my artist project name because Jamie Cerreta, who was my connection to my current publishing label told me that it was crazy I wasn't using it because it was such a rockstar name.
Q. "GOLDSTAR" is such an electrifying lead single with a bold, Billie Eilish-style chorus. This song hit us like a rush of adrenaline! The driving beats push the arrangement forward, and the rhythm keeps everything pulsing with energy, perfectly elevating your incredible vocal performance which we loved. We were beyond impressed—this feels like an absolute hit. Was this the vision from the start, or did it take shape as you created it?
A. Thank you! I'm glad that the chorus got across - it's definitely more monotone than most pop songs but I did that on purpose to give it a straightforward edge. The vision at first was to make something a bit more theatrical along the line of Queen but I think as we went, we knew the song was calling for something different.
Q. Can you please tell us about the making of “GoldStar” and your inspiration behind it along with the message you are trying to share with your fans?
A.We started the song back in November of 2022 and worked on it for about two years. We probably only did 3-4 sessions for it in total. The song is a message to a friend that I had a long time ago that reminded me of some of the harder friendships I had with other girls growing up. Writing this song made me realize just how much pent up anger I had about those experiences and it caused me to look really inward on myself. I wanted to figure out why that was. I always view anger as a surface emotion and when I write about it, I end up realizing more intense emotion and uncover what I really felt.
Q. Do you see this song as a natural progression of your musical journey, or were there specific personal or musical experiences that influenced this direction?
A. I definitely see it as a natural progression of my musical journey. I like to believe what I write is pop music which is funny because the elements I choose are often more alternative leaning. I think I really embraced that lean into alternative because it helped create the specific left of center sound this record has.
Q. The title of your upcoming debut album, "SOMEBODY CALL THE FIREMEN," is intriguing! What’s the story behind the name?
A. The title is reference to my song, "Apollo" which references my hometown via the lyric "I light fires in the 630". The record itself is really focused on pulling apart my psyche to move past the trauma I experienced as a child that was still affecting me as an adult.
Q. You’ve worked with producer Dee Lilly on multiple projects now, including "GOLDSTAR" and your third EP, "Unhappy." How did your professional relationship develop? What makes your collaboration with him so special?
A. I'm pretty sure we connected through Daniela Mendez who suggested we do a song together. We wrote the song "Acid Tab" in our first session together and the chemistry was super natural! Dee just really gets me. I think our trust in each other as collaborators is how we have gotten so far into our working relationship.
Q. "GOLDSTAR" features a bassline that stands out from a lot of modern pop music. How intentional was that choice, and what inspired the song’s sonic direction?
A. That choice was super intentional. The past 10 years of music have been influenced heavily by both 80s music and hiphop and both of those genres have iconic hits with iconic basslines. I guess the goal was to give something a classic energy at the same time as creating something modern.
Q. Your music has evolved from your debut EP, "Cherries," to "Garden of Eden," and now this album. How would you say your sound and artistic vision have grown or changed over the years?
A. I think I've just embraced more of myself than ever before. I create what I believe in and I consume more art than ever.
Q. You’ve worked with some incredible songwriters and producers like Dee Lilly, Jenna Shorey, Teddy Geiger, and John Ryan. How do these collaborations shape your creative process?
A. I think even just witnessing the process of another songwriter makes me a strong writer. I love writing with others because how we all create is so different and we leave the sessions with a little bit of who we worked with that day. It's very special.
Q. Breaking out at just 17 with "Nevermind" and landing over 6 million streams on your debut EP is an incredible start to a career. What was that moment like for you and how do you navigate such tremendous success?
A. It was definitely surreal and unexpected. I will never forget how lucky that was. Honestly, even though I have those numbers, they just feel like what they are. I still live so normal and quiet.
Q. As your music career gains momentum, if you could go back and give the version of yourself who created your last release a piece of advice, what would it be?
A. I would tell her to do exactly what she wanted and not listen to anyone but herself.
Q. You toured with Xana in 2023, playing three sold-out shows in the Pacific Northwest. What was that experience like, and how did it shape your approach to live performances?
A. It was insane. To be honest, I hardly remember any of that weekend - it was all a blur. It definitely made me think about set up and how I wanted my show to be remembered. It made me realize how seriously I needed to take it and started focusing a ton of my energy into it. How to be better is something I think about daily.
Q. Between "GOLDSTAR" and your upcoming album, how do you hope listeners connect with this new era of your music?
A. I think the honesty and vulnerability of the record is going to catch a lot of people off guard. I also think the perspective of the record is really unique and something I've been craving for myself that I hadn't been able to find yet.
Q. You've been recognized by major industry voices like Zane Lowe and featured on Spotify’s Fresh Finds Pop playlist. Do those moments still feel surreal, or are you getting used to it?
A. Not used to it all. It's definitely weird to me and I don't often think about how huge those things are because most of the time, it doesn't feel like something that has actually happened.
Q. As a Chicago-born artist now based in Los Angeles, how has the transition influenced your music and songwriting?
A. I think I write city music now. You can hear where music takes place if you pay close attention to it, and I think the vast world of both Los Angeles and Chicago sound has given me such a unique sense of style.
Q. We feel like we can really feel your energy and aura is so positive and exciting and your music exudes this, but what’s one surprising fact about you that fans might not know?
A. Thank you for saying that. I feel like I talk so much online so I don't really know if anything I say could come off as a surprise. Anything someone wants to know about me can 100% be found on my tumblr.
Q. Thank you so much for talking with us, we really appreciate you letting us in on these personal details! So, what’s on the horizon for you? Any exciting projects in the works that fans should be looking forward to? We’d love to help spread the word!
A. Thank you for the questions! They were fun to answer. Horizon as of right now is more music, more writing, more creation. I've got a video coming out for Goldstar in a few weeks!
Thank you julianna joy! We appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared julianna joy’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
Now, click the links below to experience their incredible work firsthand!
Check out this latest release and listen to more on Spotify & YouTube
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