Juleah: Walking Barefoot in the Scorching Desert of Psychedelic Rock!
Armin Enayat- Feb 11
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 20
Torn out and unchained, conveying a great sense of freedom, Julia Hummer opened the magic window of inspiration on a November day in 2011 and watched herself recording her first demo song, which became the start of a solo journey as Juleah, barefoot in the scorching desert of psychedelic rock.
In her early teenage years, listening to bands like Kula Shaker, The Verve, The Stone Roses, Radiohead, and in particular Oasis—as the key influence of her songwriting—helped Julia to expand her horizons through such a life-changing musical experience. Later on in 2003, discovering bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and subsequently The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Black Angels, and Spacemen 3 whet her appetite for going along the path towards the flourishing neo-psychedelic rock scene.
By borrowing from Lenny Kravitz’ do-it-your-own school, she formed Juleah as a one-woman band from Austria, integrating elements of blues, surf-rock, and dream-pop. This blend is genuinely demonstrated in her layered sonic texture with warm hypnotic reverbs, jangly guitar lines, and trippy music flow.
With 3 albums and 2 EPs in her bag, her latest 2019 LP Desert Skies is a mesmerizing dance of a feather in the air, blowing away smoothly and urging you to leave your entwined mind, hit the road, and cruise away from the muds of city life to take a dip and quench your thirst in the oasis of Juleah.
Q: Julia! It’s been quite a long time since we last talked, and I’m so happy that we’re finally sitting around this table today! You released your 3rd album a few months ago. I can truly say it’s one of your best works. What are your thoughts about “Desert Skies” as your latest release, and what has Juleah been doing since then?
Julia Hummer: Thanks, Armin. There has been a long time in which I didn’t listen to it anymore, due to all the insecurities and self-criticism I felt for some things that I thought should be better. But after that pause now, sometimes I listen to it again, and I find that I’m actually quite satisfied with it.
We played some shows since the release, and it’s fun to play the new songs live since most of them are quite energetic.
Q: You play multiple instruments. What do you play, and what was the first instrument you ever picked to learn? I’m also curious to know what brought the idea of becoming a musician.
Julia: Well, I’m like a child in a room full of instruments, trying everything. The thing that drives me the most is bringing all of them into harmony. When all the elements just click, that does it for me. The song is in the center, and everything serves the song.
I play the guitar and the bass, and I sing. Everything else I acquire on the fly while I work on a song. That’s why I wouldn’t really say that I “play” these other instruments. For the drums, I haven’t been able to find a better solution until now as to program them. And okay, I’m a little prone to the “never change a running system” view, and I've programmed them since the beginning, and I really like to do it. Not ideal, but especially in the beginning I had the choice between doing it like this or making no songs at all, and there was no question about that.
The first instrument I picked up was the violin when I was 5 years old, but I didn’t stick with it. When I was around 8, I developed a strong fascination for the electric guitar. The idea to become a musician was born out of being a devoted music fan who one day discovered that it’s not that difficult to make a song. I just had to turn off thinking and judging.
Q: That’s impressive! What are your influences, whether in the music world or other areas?
Julia: You already described it pretty well in the introduction. My cup of tea is modern psych (not stoner) rock, bluesy, slightly distorted, and with a happy mood. Of course I also listen to lots of darker and sad stuff, and I also would describe myself as rather quiet and melancholic, but out of some reason the light-hearted tunes resonate more with me.
Apart from music, I’m inspired by any kind of extraterrestrial scenery (the desert or atmospheres of other planets), the ocean, and the sky.
Q: To me, Juleah sounds so compelling that it makes me forget about my surroundings in the always busy and noisy city lifestyle. It carries chock-a-block of nostalgia and an absolute sense of freedom. What inspires you to create such music?
Julia: I’m trying to create something that comforts you and makes you feel chilled and at peace. If you will, it should have an effect like a healthy drug. It should ease pain. I suppose the main motivation comes from my own desire to feel this way. Making music is my own personal refuge.
Q: You’ve been playing gigs in Europe lately. How do you describe your experience performing in different countries? Do you have any plans for touring, whether in Europe or other places far from home?
Julia: Playing abroad is great for many reasons. Firstly, it gives you the chance to reach and meet new people. And then you’re always a little more welcome when you travel far. People give you more honest attention. In the local scene, you’re not that special anymore when everyone has already seen you 3 times. My last reason: I have trouble speaking on stage normally, and it’s easier for me in English!
Yes, I want to play more gigs in the whole of Europe, and maybe I can announce some great news very soon. If everything goes as planned, we can play in France soon.
Q: Which one of your gigs do you like the most?
Julia: I liked our gig at Zaragoza Psych Fest very much. Also, the one in Vienna we played last month was great. We had an awesome rock n roll weekend there. We recorded a live session and played as the support of The Kundalini Genie in front of a great audience. Plenty of Jägermeister was involved, too!
Q: Where would you like the most to perform? Any dream festivals?
Julia: Yes, of course, Levitation, Desert Daze, and all the other psych-themed festivals. Besides playing there, I love meeting and seeing other bands!
Q: Are there any musicians that you would recommend we check out?
Julia: Send Medicine from California; You Said Strange from France, Ryvers from Austria
Q: What are your plans for the immediate future?
Julia: We plan to play some gigs in the beginning of 2020. Apart from that, I’m working on new songs.
Q: Thank you for this interview, Julia! It was great sitting with you here. Any last words?
Julia: Thanks to all of you who sent me messages throughout the years. It was really encouraging and kept me going.
Comments