Julia Raye Gives College Advice And Shares Details About Creating New Single ‘Give You Up’

New York has done it again!

Julia Raye has joined the list of incredible music artists from NY. She recently released a single called ‘Give You Up’, and it’s already one of our top picks for the song of the summer.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Julia about performing live, her musical roots, and more!

When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

J: “It was when COVID hit during my freshman & sophomore year of college. It tremendously impacted my musical journey. The music school I was attending was shut down and we weren’t allowed to perform live, take in-person lessons, or participate in choir. Since I didn’t have those outlets, I started recording the songs I’d been writing for a long time. I recorded my first ever single, “Like You Used To,” in the annex of my sorority house, and then my friend who was a production major mixed and mastered it. Once I began creating my own music I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

Tell us more about your amazing new single ‘Give You Up’.

J: “I started working on this song while I was at my waitressing job. I was thinking about the relationship I was in and I just kept thinking to myself, “I don’t want to give him up,” which led to the chorus of “Give You Up”: “I don’t want to give you up, I ain’t never been a fighter.” I began recording the melody while I was behind the bar at work and within a week it has blossomed into a full blown chorus. I then sat down with my producers Bret Mazur and Dalton Cyr and we changed the melody a bit, added a different beat, and started to create something a bit more uptempo. It turned into a really fun dance song. It was so fun to record too — we lowered the lights in the studio and had this vibe-y mood lighting. I just kept stacking on more harmonies and ad libs until the song became what it is now.”

If you had to choose, what has been your favorite song you have released so far and why?

J: “Give You Up” is definitely my favorite song I’ve ever released. I’ve been sitting on this one for a while and I am beyond excited to finally be able to share it! It’s such a fun, scream-in-the-car kinda song!”

What do you enjoy the most when performing live?

J: “I love feeling the energy from the crowd, it’s contagious! It’s such an addictive feeling to be able to bring joy to people in such an intimate way.”

You have a background in musical theatre! Do you see yourself pursuing that more in the future?

J: “I would absolutely love to pursue more musical theatre in the future! I’m not sure what that path will look like just yet, but I’m definitely open to returning to my musical theatre roots!”

Would you recommend college to aspiring young music artists?

J: “I absolutely recommend college to aspiring artists! I am someone who really values experiences and the college experience is something you only get to go through once in your life. I am so thankful for my college journey and all of the life lessons I learned and the connections I was able to learn and make along the way.”

How would you personally describe the music scene in New York?

J: “New York is so amazing in the way that there’s so many different types of music that are so easily accessible. You can go to Madison Square Garden to see a massive concert, hear performers on the subway, watch a street performance, see a Broadway show, or attend an opera at The Met. There’s so many different ways to get involved in the music scene. However, this also makes it much more competitive because we have the best of the best in every genre and field. The thing about New York though is that everyone has that fire in their bellies that pushes them to pursue their passion for music. That’s why I love it here so much. You’re always inspired and you’re always hustling.”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

J: “You can follow my journey on all social media platforms!” Instagram | TikTok | X 

Make sure to stream ‘Give You Up’, available now on all music platforms!

Photo Credit: Bailey Ann (@baileyannphotography)

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene. When not helping her team and working on the monthly issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral Tasty recipe.