Julia
“Womanhood means life to me. We keep communities together, we bring life, we are builders.”
Julia is a producer, a singer/songwriter and a survivor. She is someone on a journey - determined to deepen her relationship with her music by becoming one with her guitar. But Julia’s journey hasn’t always been easy. She is constantly met with obstacles, which she continues to navigate with her head held high. She is always working toward the future, but taking care to look inwards and enjoy the now. Julia is a remarkably passionate, talented and resilient artist. This is her story.
P: Please introduce yourself!
J: Hi! I'm Julia Cannon. I'm a songwriter and producer from Wasilla, Alaska. I made my way down to Nashville by way of Boston and Philadelphia. I have a cat named Pudding and a lot of plants I don't know how to take proper care of!
P: Describe or define yourself in your own words.
J: I am a survivor. I'm adaptable. Sometimes it's hard to stop surviving and just be present, but I try my best. I'm a creative vessel. I'm trying to become the woman that I want to be while making art along the way.
P: What is your favourite thing about yourself?
J: I think that my ability not to take myself too seriously is my favorite thing about myself, but sometimes it get in the way of me investing in myself properly. I've learned to roll with the punches, but I need to learn how to punch back without breaking my wrist. If that makes sense?
P: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that’s defined you or made you stronger?
J: I feel like I've had too many of these. Sometimes it feels like my existence is one big incline after another. What makes me stronger is continuing to climb.
P: What is one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
J: I would say "Prioritize your health now. You're so focused on achieving external goals but you need to take advantage of your college health insurance and the resources available to you for this small window, and take care of your body and your mind. It will save you so much time later in life."
P: What does being a woman mean to you?
J: Womanhood means life to me. We keep communities together, we bring life, we are builders. I'm grateful to be a part of that. I think that gender roles are melting because of evolution and I'm seeing non female identifying people embrace these values as well.
We as people are getting in touch with our nurturing instincts and are more empathetic for it.
P: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say if they were here now?
J: My biggest inspiration as an artist is Ella Fitzgerald. I used to spend hours watching live videos of her performing. She was tapped into the music. She was in control while being so fluid. She was able to enjoy herself and her craft while perfecting it. And she always carried herself so gracefully. I have always strived for that level of connection in my music. It seems unattainable most of the time.
I would like to ask her how she did that and how she got to know herself so well that her whole being was transformed into an instrument when she performed.