We recently had the chance to connect with Juliana Frangella and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Juliana, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Writing! I write all the time. Literally, all the time. I had a bit of a creative freeze for a while, and I am fully out of it. It’s like when I was in high school and I’d write for hours when I got home, except that I am in college, working on my thesis, and commuting back and forth to class. So, I really shouldn’t be producing so much in so little time. It’s like magic! I’m just inspired. I jot everything down in my notebooks during classes and finish the songs later. I do not sleep enough. So there is that. I would not have it any other way, though! I feel like me in this kind of chaotic songwriting state-of-mind.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am twenty years old, an English major/creative writing minor at Rutgers, and a singer/songwriter! I love all things gothic and horrific. I am actually writing a two-part-two-year thesis which will track the beginning of vampiric literature in the nineteenth century, to the vampire in pop culture today. I’m currently working on my second album, Fantastic Funeral. It’s all about how I’m terrified of people and comforted by monsters.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest memory of feeling powerful is on Halloween! Dressing up as someone else somehow made me feel more like me. I think it still does. Maybe because I am able to express parts of myself that I usually can’t. I know it’s hard to imagine that I feel like a blood-thirsty zombie on the inside, but sometimes it feels good to look as scary as you feel — to be the thing that you should be afraid of, however that manifests.
When did you last change your mind about something important?
Even though I have been pursuing music for a while, I started to develop a lot of ideas of what my success should look like in the recent years that I’ve changed my tune on. I think I had this idea that if I aimed low, it wouldn’t be so catastrophic if it doesn’t all pan-out. Or that there would be so many people and things I’d be leaving behind if I really put all of my effort into getting my music out there, maybe it would be better not to dream about fame on any large scale. I still don’t believe that fame=happiness, but I do believe that my music needs to be shared with as many people as possible. Writing songs is what I do, of course I should try and find some way to live by that. I have been so motivated to put myself out there and just play as many shows as I can. I’m not really afraid of being “too much” for anyone anymore. I want to give myself the best chance at happiness and success, and I really feel that those things are tied to my creative spirit and output.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
I think, yes. I think this is part of why it felt really scary to admit that I want to be a “real” artist. There is really no character that I am playing, I just showcase different facets of my personality through my music. I make a point of letting people know I am an English major, and so language and storytelling are deeply important to me. I think that my love of Romantic literature is just as influential for me as Taylor Swift, or my love of horror has been. That might be a little bit of a weird combination, but its what I got. Of course, not every song is a confessional, line-for-line declaration of who I am and what I think– but they are very personal snapshots of where I am in a particular moment. I have always been outspoken in pretty much every area of life. Being truthful is really important to me, and you can tell because I do it even when it’s not so convenient. Just ask my best friends!
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I think it’s always hard to claim you get something that everyone else doesn’t. My generation seems to think this is some kind of individuality complex, and so we’ve all pretty much shied away from claims of how we aren’t like the others. Even so, I must admit I seem to have a really solid grasp on my own emotions. I know how I feel and I know what I want. Sometimes, I will try to put this knowledge on the back-burner for one reason or another, but it always bites me in the ass when I do. I think that this self-awareness is key to my songwriting. It tortures me, and so I have to find a way to channel that self-knowledge into something productive. It just makes sense for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://julianafrangella.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianafrangellamusic/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHatxDxiN7sEF56VeJ8x4FA
Image Credits
Gianna Mancuso
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