Julia Dray
Gig Seeker Pro

Julia Dray

Band Blues Singer/Songwriter

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Still working on that hot first release.

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Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

For years I worked as a technical and marketing writer during the week and as a professional pianist at night, performing solo in "listening" venues and at private events. I wrote lots of instrumental piano pieces, but seldom tried to marry words and music. That changed when I got a job working at a drive-through espresso stand; for five hours of my eight hour shift, I had very little to do and lots of privacy. I bought a cheap keyboard with a built-in bass and pre-recorded drum tracks and just started playing around. Once I started thinking outside the "solo piano" box I'd put myself in, the songs just started coming.

Some of them sucked. Quite a lot, at first. But as I began to try them out in public, I learned a lot about what worked and what didn't. To this day, I don't ever regard a song as "finished"; there's always room for exploration.

My songs tend to be about everyday life, for the most part. Constantly surrounded by the conundrums of popular culture and media spin, I look for the things that ground me, that bewilder me, that amuse me.

In terms of style, mine is a fusion that I find difficult to describe. My classical piano roots are evident - and my songs are definitely written for piano, with other instruments playing distinctly subsidiary roles. I utilize the piano as both a percussive and a lyrical instrument; my years as a solo player lead me to add a strong bass line as well.