We are chatting with Juliet Hawkins today.Thank you for your time. Let’s jump right in. Tell us more about your story. Where you are from how you got to where you are now!
I grew up in a little town north of Boston. I was the youngest of 3 girls and arguably the “black sheep”, until I began to see in my later years, that’s just usually the one who does things differently or goes against the grain, and I definitely did. Though I loved music, sang in the church choir, participated in the school musical theaters, took piano lessons as a kid, unlike my sisters, I really struggled with traditional schooling and barely graduated high school. I was always drawn to the arts but I really wanted to explore and adventure and pursue things that resonated with my soul. I didn’t like to be told what to learn. That need to escape, or to dive deep that so many of us artists share, coupled with the constant churn of my mind can turn dark for anyone, and ultimately lead me to an opiate addiction I battled with in my 20s that nearly killed me. I managed to get clean and drove out to Wyoming after a couple years of being out of treatment centers and sober houses and ended up falling in love with the mountains. To this day I’m pretty sure it was those mountains that saved my life. My passion for music was reignited there, and I began to find my voice, a and a new found sense of belonging on the planet again. I stayed in Wyoming for 3 years, and then moved out to San Diego, where I joined a Clapton/Cream tribute. It was with that band that I learned how to let go on stage, how to belt, how to work a crowd, how to sing 3 part harmonies, and was introduced to a whole era of incredible music that would later shape the way I sang and wrote in my own band. I knew after a few years that it was time to “go for it”, so I put together an EP and moved out to Nashville. It was there, actually in Printers Alley, where I began meeting my players that I went on to play with for the last 3 years. I wrote and released another EP during quarantine and went on to release multiple singles and music videos. Recently I took some time off to get back in touch with my soul and drove out to Mexico. I played a couple acoustic gigs there and then decided it was time for a new release, so I went up to Costa Mesa to record a new single. I played an original show last night at The Tuning Fork in LA with Jimmy Vivino, and am excited to be coming back to Nashville in August, with plans for a show at the end of September, and beginning to work on my 3rd EP, hopefully to be out this fall.
How would you say where you grew up and where you are from has influenced your music?
Rockport, Massachusetts is a pretty small town in the northeast so culturally, it wasn’t exactly a hot spot for original music but my parents had a heavy influence on my music upbringing and introduced me to a lot of things at a young age. Jazz festivals, the symphony, all of it played a profound role in my pursuit of music as a career later in life.
Do you play any instruments? If so, tell us more. If not – any you would like to learn?
I played piano for 10 years as a kid but I’m self taught on guitar and bass. I always thought it would be cool to learn the cello. Something in the sound a bow makes across the strings sends a warmth vibrating through me.
You have a new single out, “Hot Damn” , such a great song! What can fans that haven’t heard it expect to hear?
Thank you! I had a ball writing this. It’s a fun, flirty, summer jam. What to expect? Hopefully the urge to make out with someone.
What is the best career advice you have been given? Would you share it with us?
Cliche, but never give up. No matter what anyone says, you keep pushing, you keep creating, you keep dreaming. Other people might dig it or not, and it truly doesn’t matter, just do what feeds your soul.
Where can fans find you online and follow along?
You can find all my music under Juliet Hawkins on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and wherever else the kids are listening these days. Follow me on Instagram at JulietHawkinsOfficial!
End of Interview