A Chat with Sometimes Julie (30.01.24)
With an enigmatic charisma and powerful flair, US-based rock band Sometimes Julie captivate audiences with their intriguing music. The brainchild of singer-songwriter duo Monica Sorenson and Rick Walker, Sometimes Julie redefines modern rock music with a unique style. We speak with vocalist Sorenson about their new album Seven Wishes, most hated foods, future plans and more.
OSR: We had a chat with Sometimes Julie a few years back after you released Where Are You? It’s been about three years but what has happened since then?
Sorenson: We celebrated that release with a nomination for Best Rock Album from SDMA and some amazing live performances. Lately, we have been so busy writing, organizing, preparing and recording Seven Wishes, our latest release. This is album number 5! We are getting great feedback from fans and new listeners. On February 22nd, we will be broadcasting a live stream of Seven Wishes, all seven songs in order, from WildCat Studios in Escondido, California. After that, we have several local gigs booked and will begin working on our next album!
OSR: What can you tell us about the new album Seven Wishes?
Sorenson: Seven Wishes is a collection of songs that came together in a very organic way to reflect the theme of desire, deep yearning for love, freedom, and to be restored. The genres of the songs vary from straight-up rock to pop to alt-blues to a folksy ballad. The best thing about Seven Wishes is the stellar heartfelt performances from every contributing musician. They helped us realize the full potential of these powerful songs.
OSR: Do you feel Seven Wishes is a true representation of Sometimes Julie at the moment?
Sorenson: Absolutely! These songs showcase our versatility, our ability to grow and contribute our unique sound in the Southern California music scene. The emotions in these songs are pretty raw and the energy behind the guitars, sax, and vocals, all reveal what is at the heart of Sometimes Julie.
OSR: What have you learned about yourselves and the music industry since releasing Where Are You?
Sorenson: We know the importance of collaborating with the best people to realize our vision. We have also developed a good instinct for when a song is truly ready to share with the world. The nuances in mixing and mastering in production are something we always work on with the support of experts like Andy Machin of Bigrock Studios, and Alan Sanderson of Pacific Beat Recording.
OSR: If you could change anything about Seven Wishes, what would it be and why?
Sorenson: Right now, not a thing! I know we are currently in that honeymoon phase of being in love with the release. Of course, the songs are sure to evolve further as we continue playing them live and we discover new ways to add energy or vary the rhythms in ways that please us and our listeners.
OSR: What is the most challenging and most exciting thing about being a musician?
Sorenson: The most challenging thing is finding time to fit everything in! We are working on a few new projects, collaborating with other artists, and supporting live music by getting out there to see our friends and colleagues play. Promoting Seven Wishes and the band can be a full-time job as well. We have recently gotten wise and engaged the amazing Roxanne and Scott Blinn of BMIII Media Management to support PR with this release and our upcoming music videos. All of this is exciting, of course, but for me, the most excitement comes from sitting back down at the piano, or with my guitar, and working out another new song. I love composing, sharing, collaborating, and imagining the next new thing.
OSR: Random questions: What recent experience has made you feel old?
Sorenson: My hair stylist had not heard of the television show Friends. I made a reference to the show and she said, “I think maybe my parents used to watch that.” I think I died inside just a little that day!
At about the same time, though, a young kid, she was maybe 10 or 11, came up to me and said, “I listened to you! You’re Sometimes Julie, right? You guys rock!” That brought me so much joy.
OSR: What were you most afraid of when you were younger, and do you still have that fear?
Sorenson: Rats. Yes, still. I don’t even want to think about it.
OSR: What food do you absolutely hate?
Sorenson: I love food so this is a hard one, but to me, black liquorice is a horrible flavour. Also, I am not too keen on liver. I am a pescatarian these days, so thankfully it doesn’t really come up much. But liver really is gross. It’s a texture thing.
The food I love the most is chocolate, especially really good dark chocolate. I pretty much can’t live without it. I know you didn’t ask about my favorites but I can’t leave this interview knowing that I made people think about liver. So, think about chocolate – any kind, really. You’re welcome.
OSR: What can we expect from Sometimes Julie in the future?
Sorenson: More rock and roll, more collaboration in writing, playing and recording, and more of me as an instrumentalist. Expect another album release in 2024, and possibly I will try to master wardrobe changes during shows. I’ve never tried! And we want to reach 10,000 monthly listeners on Spotify! I really want to reach more people. When people hear our music, they say things like “wow, I love your sound”, or “your voice”, or “that song”, or “your energy”. The responses are almost always positive (one guy told me to wear higher heels, but you can’t please everyone). It is really just so much fun to make those connections with people. So, in summary, more connections.
Many thanks to Monica Sorenson for speaking with us! Find out more about Sometimes Julie on their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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