What is your name?
Julius Cowdrey
What is your genre of music?
Singer/Songwriter – Pop
Give us a little bio about you.
I was born in Kent, England and now reside in London, but I spend a lot of my time in LA, definitely my happy place! I have always loved singing, I ended up in singing groups & choirs and it quickly became my passion. No one every told me to be quiet, so I just kept on singing. My first single ‘7 Roads (I See You)’ went straight to No1 in the Singer/Songwriter charts and now amasses over 1.2M streams and the other two singles amass over 1M streams together. I am overwhelmed by the love. I have just released my most recent two singles ‘If This Is Love Then I Must Hate You’ & ‘Better Day’ and the reaction has been great!
What made you go in to music?
My musical interest came from my Mum’s side, she was always singing around the house and used to sing Jazz back in the day. I remember the first song she sang to me wasn’t jazz though, it was ‘Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word’ by Elton John and since then I haven’t stopped loving music.
Are you a signed?
I am not.
You have a double release now out, tell us more about ‘If This Is Love Then I Must Hate You’ and ‘Better Day’. What is the meaning behind the singles..
I wrote ‘If This Is Love Then I Must Hate You’ with Benjamin Totten & Jack Hawitt, I went into the studio not wanting to write another song about a girl. It’s actually written about the music industry and disguised as heartbreak. I’ve had a rough ride with past managers and sharks that roam in these muddy music waters and it was on my mind that day, so we wrote this song.
‘Better Day’ is a song written about betrayal. I was hugely let down and betrayed by my ex and I wrote this with a great producer Aaron Ferucci. I was in a dark place at the time and this session was real therapy for me. Sadly we all get let down in life and I hope this song can be related to and can help others.
Both of these songs are about being let down in the past by those close to you, but they both have positive implications. So I guess my one piece of advice is even though you go through struggle, just remember there’s always a brighter day and to always keep smiling!
Describe the tracks in two words.
‘If This Is Love Then I Must Hate You’ – emotive, positive
‘Better Day’ – heartbreak, anthemic
What was the writing process like?
‘If This Is Love Then I Must Hate You’ – I went into the studio with Benjamin Totten (Producer, co-writer) and Jack Hawitt (songwriter). Benji started playing around with some rhythmic drum ideas, I started playing on the piano and singing some ideas and Jack did the same. We all came together throwing ideas out there. We knew what we sound we were going for as we spoke about what we wanted to write about. It was a very relaxed space and we gelled perfectly! When we had an idea of melody and Benji had some drums, some keys recorded for reference, we started writing lyrics, they flowed easily as we could all relate this love/hate feeling towards the music industry.
‘Better Day’ – This was the first time I had met Aaron Ferucci, he’s a serious talent. It really was therapy for me that day and writing this song helped me get a lot of stuff out onto paper and into the music. I loved this session. We both played around on the keyboard and came up with simple but emotive chords that gelled perfectly with the mood of the song. The lyrics took longer than we wanted, I guess it wasn’t easy getting some of the words out, but we are both extremely happy with how the song turned out, melodically, lyrically and production-wise.
What was the recording process like?
Both of the singles were written in a single day and the vocal take are the vocals that you hear on the track.
Who did you work with on the singles.
‘If This Is Love Then I Must Hate You’ – Benjamin Totten & Jack Hawitt
‘Better Day’ – Aaron Ferucci
Listen to ‘If This Is Love Then I Must Hate You’
Listen to Better Day
Will we see a Music Video for either or both of the tracks.
This Friday I release the Lyric Video for ‘If This Is Love Then I Must Hate You’.
Will we see an EP or Album this year and if so what can we expect?
TBC..
Do you have any shows coming up or a tour in planning?
I have my single release show on 11th May at Notting Hill Arts Club. Tickets are on my website juliuscowdreyofficial.com/shows I have no tour planned just yet.
What else can we expect in 2019?
More releases! I am hoping to release new music again in July!! Fingers crossed..
Do you have any collaborations coming up with any up coming artists?
No but this is something I am looking into.
Would you be up for collaborations if other musicians wanted one with you? and who would they have to contact?
Yes, they should contact via my website or just DM me.
Do you play any instruments?
Yes I play the piano & guitar very badly! haha
Who are your influences?
Coldplay, Elton John, John Mayer
How do you get inspiration to write songs?
I get inspiration from my own personal experiences. I’m not sure if this is a weird thing to say, but when I’m happy I find it hard to write music. Pain aids creativity.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
I see myself performing at arenas and big festivals and writing for the biggest artists in the world. You’ve got to aim high right?
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
I am super into fitness and I love to travel. I want to travel the world!
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
Oh god, I don’t actually know! But it was probably a big Coldplay song.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
Follow your dreams and don’t have a plan B.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
Be true to yourself and create music that you will be proud of. Follow your gut and don’t sign anything unless you are 100% certain it is a good deal for you!
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
‘If Not Now, When?’ I have it tattooed on me. It’s my Dad’s saying. It helps me to be inpuslive in my decision making and follow my gut.
Where in your hometown is a must go to visit?
I was quite young when I lived there, Canterbury Cathedral is pretty epic!
Your coming off tour;
1/ Where do you go first? To my bed
2/ Who do you see first? My Mum (I’m a Mummy’s boy!)
3/What do you eat first? Scrambled eggs and avo on toast. I could eat this any time of the day.
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
My keyboard? That’s only one, but that’s it..
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Yes. on Instagram. JuliusCowdrey on everything else.
