Julia D’Angelo of Brooklyn on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Julia D’Angelo. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Julia, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Who are you learning from right now?
My niece – she’s a year and a half. Any time you’re feeling uninspired or a bit dull from life, just watch a baby move through the world, they have the answers and don’t even know it.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Sure – hi! My name is Julia D’Angelo, I’m a multidisciplinary artist with a focus in music and film, with a strong background in dance, movement and performance, which sort of infuses itself into my work organically. I think having this multitude of mediums to pull from is what makes my work quite singular, along with a voice that is eager to tell the truth of whatever time we are living through.

Right now I’m working on a new EP, have some acting projects in the works, and am co-writing my first feature.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
That because I worked hard and was a good kid, I would be rewarded. The older I got, the more I became aware that the world owes you nothing, and most of what happens in life is luck, circumstance, or fate (if you believe in that).

I don’t say this in a pessimistic way, nor am I discounting hard work, I still do think it’s important to strive for things and believe you can accomplish whatever you desire, but so much of life is unfair and out of our control. This has genuinely freed me from feeling like I’m never doing enough. Especially as artists or freelancers, we get so caught up in the things we haven’t done yet instead of enjoying the ride and feeling proud of where we’ve gotten.

I promise I’m not bitter, I’m actually a very optimistic person!! I just think I’ve begun to understand that the randomness of life is not necessarily personal – do with that what you will!

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
Definitely the fear of never accomplishing my goals, aka fear of failure! Which sort of contradicts my last answer but whatever, humans are complex and life is confusing – and I’m working on it.

I’ve had such a specific vision for myself for so long that at some point, it became crippling. Facing any setbacks, or frustrations, or imagining anything else was like succumbing to defeat, and would (and sometimes still does) send me into a rut. But I really am trying to change that, as per the last question. I am trying to think of every day as an opportunity to learn – because I really do love what I do – and focusing on the joy of the thing, rather than checking boxes, which is inevitably relentless. If things are a constant opportunity to learn, then failure is nonexistent.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
I like to think our belief system is made up primarily by the people we surround ourselves with; the people we listen to, the people we read and whose ideas we consume.

I almost want to rephrase this question as, whose ideas do you rely on that you didn’t previously know of or understand? I believe most of the ideas we believe and live on in this world have been regurgitated and re-conceptualized throughout history. Luckily, we have unique lives and are able to understand concepts based on our personal experiences, and then word those concepts in ways that will get through to different people in different ways.

My friends, favourite musicians, poets, authors and artists have helped me see and understand the imperfections and beauties of society. I owe 50% of my brain to my community!!!

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
“The root of all suffering is desire”

– So yes, I’ve often found myself landing a role or a gig and then almost immediately craving something more, something “better”. I clock myself though. I find myself on stage sometimes thinking in my head, “I wish more people were here” or “I don’t sound very good” etc, and then think – what am I doing!? Months ago, this is all I wanted! And then I shut down all the voices that tell me I should want more and become overwhelmed with gratitude. Or sometimes I just start smiling and trick myself into feeling that dopamine rush until its real.

This question also begs the notion, “Is it what you actually want, or what you were told to want?” Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference.

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Image Credits
Heins Evander, Pat Ryder, Owen Kibby, Gabrielle Bones, Cece Chan, Derek Matar, Julia Stancati, Andrew Liu

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