Juliana Madrid, also known as "Jules," is a 21-year-old singer/songwriter from Dallas, Texas, who is quickly becoming a rising star in the indie pop scene. She combines elements of folk, alt, and pop to create sardonic, coming-of-age tales that are both relatable and uniquely her own. Her music has been described as Bedroom / Lo-fi Pop, Indie Rock, and Alt Pop, with moods that are happy, energetic, and romantic.
Juliana started her music journey at the young age of 9, when she learned to play the guitar at the encouragement of her parents. She soon enrolled in a local program called School of Rock, where she found her voice and discovered her talent for songwriting. She has been working tirelessly to refine her craft ever since, and her hard work has paid off.
In August 2022, Juliana released her self-titled EP, which was written by her and produced by GRAMMY-nominated artist Benjamin Ruttner of The Knocks. The EP explores themes of relationships, religion, and the existentialist feeling associated with growing up. With additional instrumentation from the likes of Griffin Goldsmith [Dawes] and Matt Chamberlain [David Bowie, Pearl Jam], the EP received critical praise from the likes of UPROXX, V Magazine, and The Line of Best Fit. Gorilla vs. Bear listed it as one of the best EP’s of 2022. The lead single, “Pretend,” was featured in the hit Netflix movie “Do Revenge,” resulting in more than 20k Shazams in one week.
Now, Juliana is set to release her sophomore EP later this year on Neon Gold Records, and she has just released her first single, "Afterlife." The song showcases a more expansive, deeper sound from Juliana, with lyrics that reflect her thoughts about getting more time from the universe. She explains, "I’m often living in my own head, so I tend to get into these ruts where it feels like I’ve been putting my energy towards the wrong thing or not working hard enough or not using my time to my best advantage. Throughout the song, I attempt to understand these thoughts and try my best to find a middle ground with my own fears."
Juliana has already started making waves in the music industry, having toured North America supporting The Knocks and indie band Cannons. She has also graced the stage with Anna Shoemaker and Matt Maeson, and she is now set to make even bigger waves with her upcoming EP. Juliana Madrid is definitely one to watch in the indie pop scene, and we can't wait to see where her music takes her next.