Julie Belle

Detroit-born Americana/indie rock songstress Julie Belle has had music running through her veins since she was a toddler, learning to play piano from her mother, who taught the instrument in her day job. As she grew up, music became more than a hobby and instead a comfort, an outlet, a driving creative force that pulled her through a young divorce. Songwriting can be therapy of the most honest kind, and Julie’s emotions flooded out through her debut EP ‘Run’ in 2011, inspired by her failed marriage and her mental exhaustion. Now, four years later, her music is still lonesome, dark and melancholic, as well as being overwhelmingly personal, but it’s stronger – as she is.

Julie’s latest EP (out today) is titled ‘You Were Younger’, a self-aware reflection on her raising in Detroit that is led by the powerful ache of ‘Burning’. Deeply set in the south of the city as smoke rose into the air and houses lay empty, she compares the setting to her love for someone who is forever tied to that time in her life, wrapping up the haunting and passionate tale with distorted guitars and pedal steel. Julie’s vocals rise like smoke wafting into the air, pure and fluttering but piercing and strong. Meanwhile, amidst the swirling drama of the A Fine Frenzy-esque ‘Pacific’, she appropriately semi-drowns in the production, an ethereal voice on the wind that finds poetry in internal conflict and a desperate plea not to be forgotten.

The atmospheric lament of ‘Prodigal’ follows, drawing subtly from country pop alongside folk rock for a track that perfectly defines her interpretation of Americana. Her musicality is truly fascinating, layering soundscapes in a way that feels minimalist and abstract but heavily textured at the same time. As with the previous two tracks, ‘Prodigal’ is a very reflective offering, self-analysing as she reaches out to an unnamed person in a perhaps futile attempt. ‘Long Road’ looks to immortalize her emotional journey in a very literal sense of traveling, as she moves on from heartbreak and wonders in doubt if the one she loves will take her in and heal those wounds.

As the EP comes to a close with ‘Listen Low’, a bluesy guitar stands stark and rhythmic against the stripped-back production, slowly evolving into a multi-layered kick in the musical teeth that builds drama and supports the impassioned rock delivery. On each of the five tracks on display here, Julie proves that she is a capable vocalist and musician (she played guitars and piano on the record), with a songwriting gift that makes her lyrics deep, poetic and interesting, providing them much scope for interpretation. She’s on the edge of multiple genres, with indie rock being the most prominent, but she never abandons Americana and she seems most at home hovering above the fence, refusing to be pinned down.

Most of all this EP is honest, at times vulnerable, often sad and lonely, occasionally angry, with doubt and resentment and emptiness perpetuating her struggles and victories. For something different but emotionally powerful and great to blast at high volume, Julie Belle’s ‘We Were Younger’ EP is worth the listen. - For the Country Record

Raised in Detroit, Mich. and currently residing in Los Angeles, singer-songwriter Julie Belle is giving The Boot’s readers an exclusive opportunity to stream her brand-new EP, You Were Younger, a day before its official release.
Belle’s EP is set to drop on Sept. 18, but this advance first listen features all of the record’s five tracks. Belle’s ethereal vocals float effortlessly through the songs, tinged with moody blues.
“I couldn’t be happier with how You Were Younger turned out,” Belle tells The Boot. “Is that super cliche to say? Because it’s true.
“I holed up in the studio for five days in the outskirts of Houston, Texas, with my producer to record this EP and emerged, somewhat delirious, with a collection of songs that I am truly proud of,” she continues. “Those five days were probably the hardest I’ve ever worked on anything; it’s physical labor, and it’s soul work, and I can’t wait to do it again.”
The fringes of Houston are a far cry from the traffic and palm trees of Los Angeles, and for Belle, that’s just what she needed to create You Were Younger.
“Taking myself out of my day-to-day context in LA to work on it really turned the tables: no luxuries of coming back next week to try that vocal part again, no going home early to get a good night of sleep, no time. Just enough time to be intuitive and capture what was happening,” she explains. “As it turns out, I love recording in Texas. It’s starting to feel like a second home. My EP release show may not be in Texas, but you better believe there’s a Texan flying in to play guitar.”
Belle was practically destined for a career in music, as her mother, a piano teacher, taught Belle how to read music by the time she was four years old. Her debut EP, 2014’s Run, is a personal reflection on divorcing at a young age and uncertainty in how to move forward.
“I should have called that first EP Songs From a Tired Heart. I listen to those songs now and can’t believe how vulnerable they are,” Belle recalls. “I was too tired to be anything but honest.”
You Were Younger, is the followup to Run and is available for pre-order on Amazon. Information on Belle’s upcoming shows can be found on JulieBelle.com.


Read More: Julie Belle, 'You Were Younger' [Exclusive EP Stream] | http://theboot.com/julie-belle-you-were-younger-exclusive-ep-stream/?trackback=tsmclip - The Boot

When Julie Belle was just four years old, her musical mother taught her to read music, launching a passionate career for the Detroit-born, LA-based singer-songwriter. In 2011, she released her debut EP, a reflection on the perils of her young marriage and subsequent divorce. In the same vein as her first melancholy, but beautiful, earlier release, Julie Belle’s upcoming EP, You Were Younger, is releasing next month.

“Burning”, a track off the new EP, is a stripped-raw, honest account of Julie’s childhood in Detroit. Opening with a low-and-slow rhythm then leading into her steady vocals, “Burning” is a platform to highlight the signature simplicity in her music along with her delicate voice. Realizing that the track was not actually the love song she intended it to be, Julie says “That’s what I love about music–it grows with you. If you’re in love, you can find yourself in it. And if you’re heartbroken, you can find yourself in it, too,” which is the perfect description for listening to her music, because while its monotonous, melodic instrumentals can break your heart, her sweet voice, pained but practiced songwriting, and uncomplicated compositions are at once comforting, hopeful, and lush with effortless talent.

Listen to Julie Belle’s “Burning” below and get ready for her next release by pre-ordering her upcoming EP: - Elmore Magazine

She’s a storyteller, her tale affectionately-described, its blood flowing with humanity and a sense of place deeply understood and unselfishly conveyed. There’s so much more, though, because she’s a musician and singer as well, her vision exceptional and her voice clear, emotionally deep and gloriously heartbreaking. “Burning” is the brilliant new song from Detroit, Michigan’s Julie Belle, the very first she’s revealed from her You Were Younger EP. It will be released on September 18th, and you can buy her previous releases from her Bandcamp page. - The Autumn Roses

Los Angeles-based indie Americana singer-songwriter Julie Belle has released a new track called “Burning,” which will appear on her new EP, You Were Younger, dropping on September 18th.

Growing up in a home with a mother who doubled as a piano teacher made music an easy path for Julie Belle. By the time she was four years old she was learning to read music—even before she learned to read English. In 2011, Julie released her long-awaited debut EP, Run, in which she reflects on her young divorce and her uncertainty in how to move forward. “I should have called that first EP ‘Songs from a Tired Heart.’ I listen to those songs now and can’t believe how vulnerable they are. I was too tired to be anything but honest.” - Indie Minded

“I was raised around hymnbooks, sheet music, and cassette tapes. My dad was raised on a farm and didn’t have luxuries like vinyl, and my mom was raised conservatively enough that she grew up around hymnbooks, too. Vinyl just wasn’t part of how we listened to music. I used to think that was a musical disadvantage, but getting to do my homework and explore a massive world of music as an adult has been a blast.”

“I didn’t discover vinyl until I moved to Los Angeles in 2008. There I was, almost predictably, a new resident of Los Angeles, digging through the vinyl fortress of Amoeba Music on Sunset Boulevard. I didn’t have a record player, but my roommate did, so shopping for vinyl seemed like the right thing to do.

As I was flipping through row after row of records, a stranger standing a couple of feet away held a record out to me, and with no introduction, said, “You should buy this one. It’s my favorite.” It was Bruce Springsteen’s The Wild, The Innocent, & the E Street Shuffle. I said a simple, “Ok,” and I bought it.


Thus began the journey. I literally got to discover everything about vinyl on my own—every detail of it: how gorgeous album artwork could be, the magic of holding a record in my hands, figuring out how a record player even worked (I’m not kidding, I had never used one), and understanding what makes vinyl sound so good.

My follow-up purchases were all over the board: Elton John, Robert Johnson, The Great Pavarotti. I don’t know anyone whose vinyl collection isn’t at least moderately schizophrenic. There’s something so playful about vinyl—digging through piles of records in a music shop feels like a treasure hunt. Music that I wouldn’t otherwise purchase ends up finding a home on the shelf simply because I’m curious. Why yes, I would like to take home this copy of the Philadelphia Orchestra performing selections from 2001: A Space Odyssey. I definitely own that. But I would have never bought it if it were on CD. A CD wouldn’t have piqued my curiosity in the same way.

Understanding what vinyl sounds like has guided my recording process, too. Sometimes in this age of digital recording, we can lose the elements and delicacies of sound that vinyl is so good at showcasing. I want to make sure the sounds we’re capturing in the studio are worthy of living on vinyl.”
—Julie Belle

Julie Belle’s new EP, “You Were Younger” arrives in stores on September 18. - The Vinyl District

Julie Belle has released her new single, “Burning,” off her upcoming EP, You Were Younger, set for release on September 18th. The Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter’s angelic voice is a perfect mixture with the indie rock and country-influenced song. Stream it below. - The Permanent Rain Press

“Long Road” is the second affecting and warmly-inviting single from You Were Younger, the forthcoming EP from Detroit-born, Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter Julie Belle. Her voice beams, powerful like a beacon, and you feel supernaturally compelled to follow it towards a safe and longed-for destination. You’ll be able to hear the entire EP from September 18th, but in the meantime you can download both the Run EP and her cover of “Shout At The Devil” from her Bandcamp page. - The Autumn Roses

Growing up in a home with a mother who doubled as a piano teacher made music an easy path for Julie Belle. By the time she was four years old she was learning to read music—even before she learned to read English.

In 2011, Julie released her long-awaited debut EP, Run, in which she reflects on her young divorce and her uncertainty in how to move forward. “I should have called that first EP ‘Songs from a Tired Heart.’ I listen to those songs now and can’t believe how vulnerable they are. I was too tired to be anything but honest.” - Nerdy Frames

Growing up in a home with a mother who doubled as a piano teacher made music an easy path for Julie Belle. By the time she was four years old she was learning to read music—even before she learned to read English. In 2011, Julie released her long-awaited debut EP, Run, in which she reflects on her young divorce and her uncertainty in how to move forward. “I should have called that first EP ‘Songs from a Tired Heart.’ I listen to those songs now and can’t believe how vulnerable they are. I was too tired to be anything but honest.”

Julie Belle will be releasing her new EP, You Were Younger, on September 18th. - Americana Daily

Los Angeles, CA – August 28, 2015 – Singer-songwriter Julie Belle has released her country-tinged new single “Burning.” The track is the first release off of her upcoming EP You Were Younger, slated for a September 18th release. “Burning” is available to stream on Elmore and on Julie’s official Soundcloud.
Burning reflects on Julie Belle’s childhood and growing up near Detroit, which has undoubtedly deeply informed her music, both in lyric and in sound. Just like Detroit, Julie’s music is sad but sweet, broken-hearted but hopeful, with no frills and no gimmicks-fueled by honest reflections of struggle, stories of survival, and unrelenting resilience.
“I thought Burning was a love song when I wrote it,” Belle explained. “I was halfway right. Sometimes I think I know what a song is about, but later after some time has passed, it changes. In this case, the song seems to have evolved from a love song into a breakup song. That’s what I love about music–it grows with you. If you’re in love, you can find yourself in it. And if you’re heartbroken, you can find yourself in it, too.”
Growing up in a home with a mother who doubled as a piano teacher made music an easy path for Julie Belle. By the time she was four years old she was learning to read music-even before she learned to read English. In 2011, Julie released her long-awaited debut EP, Run, in which she reflects on her young divorce and her uncertainty in how to move forward. “I should have called that first EP ‘Songs from a Tired Heart.’ I listen to those songs now and can’t believe how vulnerable they are. I was too tired to be anything but honest.”
Julie Belle will be releasing her new EP, You Were Younger, on September 18th. - Don 411

“This is my favorite song on the EP,” said Americana singer-songwriter Julie Belle of this track on her new EP, You Were Younger. “It was my favorite to record, and it’s my favorite to listen to now.

“Sort of ironically, it was the hardest to write,” said Belle, whose debut EP, Run, appeared in 2011. “I started writing it in my brother’s basement in Michigan during a Christmas family gathering. It was the middle of the night and everyone else was asleep upstairs. The verses locked in quickly that night, but I had to wait for the rest of the song.

“Sometimes a song shows up practically finished before I have a chance to write it down, and sometimes it’s a fight for the song,” continued the Detroit-based artist. “This one was neither. It was like I had to sit and wait patiently while it marinated for a few years. And when it was time, the parts that were missing showed up all at once a couple weeks before I went into the studio to record it. The band really locked in on this one in the studio; everyone seemed to understand this song on a visceral level.

“It was worth the wait.” We agree! - The Big Takeover

Julie Belle AMERICANA SINGER-SONGWRITER JULIE BELLE RELEASES NEW SINGLE “BURNING” YOU WERE YOUNGER EP TO BE RELEASED SEPTEMBER 18TH! - Hear Media Group

Los Angeles, CA - September 11, 2015 - Singer-songwriter Julie Belle has released her melodic new single "Long Road." The track is the second release off of her upcoming EP You Were Younger, slated for a September 18th release. "Long Road" is available to stream on The Big Takeover and on Julie's official Soundcloud.

"This is my favorite song on the EP," Julie explained. "It was my favorite to record, and it's my favorite to listen to now. Ironically, it was the hardest to write. I started writing it in my brother's basement in Michigan during a Christmas family gathering. It was the middle of the night and everyone else was asleep upstairs. The verses locked in quickly that night, but I had to wait for the rest of the song. Sometimes a song shows up practically finished before I have a chance to write it down, and sometimes it's a fight for the song. This one was neither. It was like I had to sit and wait patiently while it marinated for a few years. And when it was time, the parts that were missing showed up all at once a couple weeks before I went into the studio to record it. The band really locked in on this one in the studio; everyone seemed to understand this song on a visceral level. It was worth the wait."

Growing up in a home with a mother who doubled as a piano teacher made music an easy path for Julie Belle. By the time she was four years old she was learning to read music-even before she learned to read English. In 2011, Julie released her long-awaited debut EP, Run, in which she reflects on her young divorce and her uncertainty in how to move forward. "I should have called that first EP 'Songs from a Tired Heart.' I listen to those songs now and can't believe how vulnerable they are. I was too tired to be anything but honest."

Julie Belle will be releasing her new EP, You Were Younger, on September 18th. - It's Just What We Do

Americana singer-songwriter Julie Belle has a new song out called “Burning“, an honest country-laced tune that was written from the heart.

Born in Detroit but now based in Los Angeles, Julie got into music quite early. She grew up under the listening ears of a musical mother who gave piano lessons. Naturally, music became a growing interest for her and by the time she was four years, she was slowly grasping the basics of reading music, English followed a little later.

In 2011, the budding singer shared her first studio project, a debut extended play entitled Run, whose mood revolved around her young divorce and the uncertainty of life that ensued. Due to its deep and sincere lyrics, she reckons she should have called it “Songs from a Tired Heart.” Fast forward to 2015 and she’s getting ready to release another EP, this time entitled You Were Younger, which is slated for a September 18th release.

“Burning” is the first taste of what to expect from the new project by Julie Belle. No doubt an interesting piece whose simple but melodious production and her solid vocals work hand in hand not only to entertain the listener, but also give her story, and compellingly at that.

Have a listen below: - BeatCog

Julie Belle has released her new single “Burning” which you can check out below. - Listen Here Reviews