Julia Kahn: "I want my songs to be a companion to anyone on their own journey to finding self-love"

A modern feminine pilgrimage of growth narrative - Indianapolis singer and producer talks prioritising self-love and personal transformation

By Tom Adams July 2022

"I've been singing as long as I can remember! I was fourteen when I decided to really go for it"

If being in a soul band with her three childhood friends during high school wasn't enough of a manifestation of making it in the music scene, then her positive outlook on life fused with a deep connection with spirituality has certainly given her a helping hand. Born in Indianapolis, and now based in Nashville, Julia Kahn is a singer and self taught producer who spreads lessons of self-care and growth into her unique indie-electronic sound. It's difficult to pin down a genre she fits into but that's partly the beauty of it - that and Julia herself not being entirely sure either.

"My roots were definitely in soul music – that’s where I learnt to sing" she explained. "My sound evolved as I dipped into my writing and explored different genres which made me realise there was a lot more I wanted to say and go in a slightly different direction when I started my journey to become a solo artist. I’ve always just been so inspired by such a range of genres… it could literally change every day! Frank Ocean is a big one, but also: Stevie Nicks, Lana Del Rey, Maggie Rogers, James Blake, and then the whole electronic and dance scene too because of Flume and ODESZA".

It becomes even more impressive to learn her passion for producing is entirely self-taught. Learning via production software Ableton and observing producers for years, Julia wanted to express herself further and turned to producing to allow her meditative electronic ambience to create a completely new layer to her storytelling. "Sometimes I might start creating a job with the production elements first, then become inspired to write lyrics based on what I've already made. Other times I'll start with lyrics I've often come up with when driving around Nashville or by my bedroom window and work from there. My favourite lyrics will often be thought up when I'm driving because of the few moments of peace it brings me. A lot of my lyrics for the EP were thought up in my car or sat in a parking lot" she admitted.

The EP she mentions is Heroine's Journey, her debut released just half a year ago and one that Julia actually co-producers. The mini-album is an ethereal voyage into spirituality and appears a modern feminine story of transformation of one leaving the darkness and guiding listeners into the light. Themes of embracing vulnerabilities and mental wellness are plenty across the EP, and have been present in Kahn's life since her teenage years.

"Subconsciously I’ve been drawn to writing about those kinds of things to gain a more introspective take on my music, especially mental health, wellness and spirituality because it was always something I felt connected to." She went on, "I studied psychology at school because I was passionate about mental health, but that’s definitely something which is more of a subconscious entrance into my song writing. I want my songs to be a companion to anyone on their own journey towards finding self-love or that inner transformation. Over time I’ve realised how much the psychology and spirituality has become so intertwined but that’s always been something that has been there for sure".

It's enlightening to see how much she believes in helping people, and in order to understand the Indianapolis-born musician on a soul level, I wanted to ask her why she has been so driven to prioritise the mental health of others. From offering anyone who may need a chat to reach out to her through Instagram direct messages, to linking the Mental Health Fund at the top of her official Spotify page, she has always made herself available to any stranger in need. And it began obvious that was exactly the message Heroine's Journey preaches.

"I’ve always been big on meditation and obviously a huge advocate for therapy, but honestly writing has been one of the best tools! Both music-based and general freeform writing every morning I’ll write pages and pages so that has been a major healing tool for me and my mental state. The actual term heroine’s journey is a feminine take on the classic hero’s story we might hear in movies and books; however it’s more inward, soulful and all about transforming the dark to light. That whole theme just struck a chord with me."

Whether in the form of her own writing or the caring messages she regularly promotes online, Julia touched upon the importance of treading carefully around social media when it comes down to self-care methods and forming a valued community space online.

"I view social media as this double-edged sword where on one side it’s a blessing and such a positive opportunity for connection and personal expression, but on the flip side it can be tricky because there’s so much comparison and overstimulation. But I do really enjoy it when I can express myself on social media and see how other people respond to it. Showing your vulnerabilities really can breed connection so I do think social media has been a wonderful tool to build a small community. Linking back to music, whenever you’re feeling something, there’s always gonna be a song for it which helps you to feel like you’re not alone because someone else has always felt this too so you know you’ll be okay - it’s like a therapy in itself."

As our conversation nears the end, Julia is soon preparing to travel across the pond to visit the UK to play a series of intimate radio performances and acoustic sessions before getting a taste of the British festival scene shortly after. "I’m so excited to visit, I’ve been wanting to come back to the UK for so long! We’re going all over the place from London up to Scotland, Wales and in-between so we’re kind of doing a big loop. I’ve been so influenced by the UK music scene my whole life and the people there too like a lot of my listeners are UK-based so I can’t wait to go and connect with them. It’s been years... I was probably around fourteen or fifteen when I last visited so it’s been a long time coming."

Playing a combination of sessions solely independently with an acoustic guitar, and others with her usual band and electronic set-up, Kahn will finally get the chance to showcase her vocal and producing talent to a number of radio stations including Black Diamond FM and 242 Radio. "It's gonna be mostly acoustic sessions this time, but they’ll be times when I’ll also be doing a lot of electronic stuff where I’ll alter my voice and play it live over my singing and the instruments at the same time so it should be a really fun blend."

When reflecting upon Julia's discography to date, it feels like an open letter to herself and anyone else that feels like they need to overcome an element of darkness in their life. As she takes us song by song through her impressive debut Heroine's Journey like a map directing us into the light, it's impossible not to feel a shift in self-empowerment by the time we reach the album's triumphant conclusion.

Heroine's Journey is available to stream on Spotify now.