Hold up honey poppers! We got your newest favorite artist right here for you! Julia Bhatt is here to feed all your Gen-Z and indie-pop needs. Luckily, our new favorite Miami-based singer just dropped her latest single ‘Hair Salon Vibes,’ and the synth-led electro-pop jam has us dancing in our seats while we are getting a much-needed post-lockdown blow-out!
Make sure to stream ‘Hair Salon Vibes’ here.
Julia Bhatt made her debut in October 2019 with ‘Tall’ and has brought to us seven more singles including ‘Hair Salon Vibes’ and her debut EP 2 steps back. With each new song Julia has explored and tackled a new genre and each song is better than the other. Honestly, we are obsessed and can’t wait to see what Julia has in store for us next.
[apple_music_ad artist=”Julia Bhatt”]But that’s not all we are here to tell you about today. THP had the opportunity to sit down and talk to this star in the making about all things music, growing up with social media, touring, and her new single! Stick with us and scroll down to read our chat below.
You were born in Boston but have spent most of your life in Miami. What’s the biggest difference between the two cities and what do you miss the most from life in Boston?
I mean, as you said, I spent most of my time in Miami. I moved a few days after my first birthday, so I honestly don’t remember much. I definitely miss having seasons though. Miami is just hot, hotter, really hot, and then somewhat nice. Those are our seasons.
How do you think the vibe of both cities may have played a part in your sound or musical journey?
Miami is just a huge mix of different cultures and people, so growing up here influenced pretty much every part of my life. I’ve experienced tons of different kinds of music that I probably wouldn’t have come across as early if I was growing up in Boston.
You are just 19 and are at the start of your career, how did you know you wanted to take the music career path?
It’s always been a dream of mine like it is for so many people. I’m just trying to figure out if it’s gonna stay a dream or not. Music is hard, and regardless of talent and songs, exposure is a huge barrier, so I might not be able to make a career out of it. For right now, I know that I love making music, and I love when people enjoy my music. Hopefully, something comes of that so that I can make a living off of it, you know? But that’s not always how it works out.
You’ve mentioned that your musical idols are what has helped you become the artist you are today. Who were some of those artists for you growing up and what aspects of their music do you think have inspired your sound the most?
I grew up with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, for sure. My dad knows tons of little facts about The Beatles that he instilled in me, so they were always more than music. Other than that, I grew up around a lot of jazz, like the Dave Brubeck Quartet and Stan Getz and stuff, so that opened my mind up to more than lyrics and words. It showed me the value of just listening to sounds and instruments. You can get just as much across with a piano as you can with a sentence.
You are known to break genres and make music that transcends all the ordinary rules, which we dig. Is there any element of a specific genre you want to try to use in your upcoming music? Which was your favorite genre crossover you have done so far?
I really enjoyed making my newest song, ‘Hair Salon Vibes.’ I love dance music, even if that’s not my apparent vibe, so I wanted to try to make something like that. I was surprised at how well it turned out. I’m usually used to singing with an acoustic guitar, which gives off a very different feeling.
‘Hair Salon Vibes’ has just been released and we were wondering what you can tell us about the single? What was the inspiration behind it and why did you choose to explore the indie genre with this song?
I would say that a lot of my music is “indie,” but in the sense that it’s unique and somewhat “alternative.” I don’t mean that in an emo kind of vibe, but more as something you don’t always see. An alternative to the mainstream of current music, which is why “indie” is a thing. There’s indie rock and indie pop and indie folk, etc. It’s all about being independent and different. I definitely went for indie pop, but I would say it’s more electric and clubby than a lot of my songs. I listen to so much different music and sometimes I just want to recreate a feeling I get when I listen. I wanted to listen to my song and not be able to stay still.
You get super personal in your song ‘1:30’ about social media and mental health. We appreciate it so much when artists get real with their fans through their music. If there was advice you could go back and tell your past self, what would it be when it comes to social media?
I’m honestly still struggling with it, but if I had to, I’d probably say to not put so much weight and value on social media. Sometimes we don’t have a choice in this industry, but if you wanna stay sane, take it easy. Harder said than done, though.
As you are going to be touring soon, what are you looking forward to the most for the future dates? Any new cities you’ve been able to explore on tour?
All of them, to be honest. I’ve never been on tour, so I’m excited to see new venues I’ve never been to. Excited to go to Decatur and pronounce the name wrong in front of the native folk.
So we have some fun questions. We have been obsessed with your Instagram and we’ve noticed the pictures and videos with your guitar and were wondering if your guitar has a name?
His name is Oliver! He, unfortunately, got into an accident, and I had to get a new one. Oliver is still around, but he’s a pricy project right now. As for my new one, I’m not sure yet. We haven’t been friends for long enough.
Do you have a favorite genre of music you listen to at the moment? What are five songs you’ve had on repeat?
I’m not sure about my favorite genre but I’ll list out 5 songs for sure!
‘Take 3’ – Inner Wave
‘Romeo’ – Jungle, Bas
‘Motions’ – Hot Flash Heat Wave
‘No Waves’ – FIDLAR
‘Blue Hoodie Baby’ – Brotherkenzie
Wow, great picks Julia! These songs are going onto our playlist right this moment! Make sure you to check out the songs down below in the playlist we made for you, recommended by the one and only Julia Bhatt!
What about you, are you ready to be a fan of Julia Bhatt as much as we are? What do you think about ‘Hair Salon Vibes?’ Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!
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TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JULIA BHATT:
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Featured Image Source: Shervin Lainez & edited Afnan Acharki for THP Graphics Team
