Juliette Goglia – Sweet

By starrymag | November 4, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I would describe my sound as alternative indie pop/rock with psych/dream pop vibes. To be honest, I kind of laugh when I put all those terms together. My sound is definitely experimental in many sonic aspects, but sticks to good old-fashioned singer-songwriter vibes. I like including live instruments, which is something of a dying art in a lot of pop music. A lot of my songs have a 90s vibe, but with updated flares.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) My influences are kind of random. It’s mostly artists I grew up listening to – Joni Mitchell, Alanis Morissette, Ani DiFranco, Linda Ronstadt. I also listened to a lot of Alkaline Trio and, while I definitely don’t write alternative emo rock, I think I’m inspired by random vocal flares or melodies. And, more recently, I’ve been inspired by bands like Snail Mail and Soccer Mommy.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Sweet.”

 

A) I wrote “Sweet” when I was freshly out of a long-term relationship. I randomly got set up with someone with whom I had mutual friends. He was seemingly extremely interested in pursuing me – he was just super enthusiastic and eager. All of my friends described him as the sweetest guy they knew. And it all felt wrong to me. I realized the first word someone would use to describe me would never be “sweet” – and I was kind of proud of that. So, I took that as a jumping off point and kind of wrote about feeling guilty about leading this guy on, but knowing deep down that I couldn’t fit into whatever box he wanted me in.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I think dating is so weird, especially in your 20s. No one talks about their expectations up front. I think a lot of people my age are scared of committing and don’t want to limit themselves to being one thing. It’s okay to be kind of reckless. It’s okay to be kind of selfish – as long as you’re not hurting other people. I think people can relate to having a kind of wandering spirit…and not confining themselves to what other people want them to be. Particularly women in their early 20s, we’re sick of being quiet. We’re sick of being agreeable.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) I had so much fun making this video. We really wanted to present the many aspects and many moods that I encompass. We played with kind of low-fi, 90s imagery to get a sort of nostalgic feel. From there, we wanted to color block. I wanted loud colors — not muted pinks and grays. We wanted to progressively get messier, both literally and figuratively as the song goes on. We played with cupcakes, funky wardrobe and colored powder to kind of create an experimental and fun atmosphere.

 

Q) What is your songwriting process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) My songwriting process is kind of always evolving. I’ve found the best way for me to write a song is to start by journaling. I journal everything I’m feeling and try to be somewhat poetic with my language. From there, I see which sentences stand out as possible lyrics. Then, I get my guitar and try to write the music and lyrics simultaneously. I’ve found this works better than writing one or the other first, for me personally.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) For my EP, I have the credit of Executive Producer. I work with an amazing producer I met in college who goes by the name of Kurana. I brought him examples of different bands with sounds that attracted me. From then, we discussed what ear candy we wanted to include. He’s so brilliant at coming up with interesting sounds to compliment the lyrics. He would try a bunch of random stuff and I would decide what felt best and most authentic. It’s been an amazing collaboration. He’s extremely hardworking and has no ego attached, which has made the process super smooth.

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Juliette Goglia performance?

 

A) I like trying out new songs at my live shows. I’ve been in a mood of writing more folky-singer/songwriter tunes as of late. So, I love including those in my live shows. It may not be the version of the song that will end up on the album one day, but there’s something special about premiering a song with an audience. I’m also very into banter. So, you can expect a good amount of talking about the songs and interacting with the audience.

 

Q) Will there be a full EP or album coming soon?

 

A) Yes! The entire EP will be out in December, with one song a month being released leading up to then.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) Any place in LA with easy parking is a favorite place of mine to perform. I actually just did my release show for “Sweet” at this amazing venue attached to Sweet! Hollywood – it’s a candy shop in the heart of Hollywood with an amazing private venue attached. It was super special to me because it was serendipitous — I was releasing a song called “Sweet” at a venue called Sweet. I’d love to perform there again.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I would die to collaborate with The 1975.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

 

A) For the last month I have not been able to stop listening to “Saves the World” by MUNA. I feel like they perfectly capture the thoughts of a 20-something person. I especially think they write songs for musicians or at least for people who date musicians. They have songs that have lyrics I would want to frame. And somehow you can also dance to pretty much every song. I saw them live and it exceeded my expectations.

 

Q) Fans loved you on “That’s So Raven!” What did you personally take away from your time on the show?

 

A) Filming “That’s So Raven” was such a surreal experience. Prior to that, I had mostly been cast on grown-up television shows I wasn’t allowed to watch. I was a huge fan of “TSR,” so it was like walking into a family that I already knew. I knew how to get around their house from watching it basically every day at home. It was really cool to be on a show that all my friends loved as well. I would never have guessed that I’d still be recognized from that show all these years later.

 

Q) Have you kept in touch with any of your former costars?

 

A) When I was a kid, I mostly worked with adults so I’ve only kept in loose contact. Some of my best friends are actors, but none that I’ve worked with. However, I’ve kept in great contact with Betsy Brandt, who played my mom on “The Michael J. Fox Show.” She was front and center at my single release show. She was in charge of the lights. She’s the best.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) Social media is great because it gives you such an easy opportunity to connect with people. I love getting messages from people in different countries, etc. It’s nice to create a rapport with people you otherwise never would have been in contact with. I like sharing my music on my Instagram and posting clips from shows. It’s a nice memento and a nice way to get input from lots of people.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) I mostly just want to express gratitude! It means the world to me to have people listening to the songs I write and enjoying my music. I have a lot more coming and it’s really exciting seeing how this journey unfolds. And I hope they stick with me across platforms, whether it be music or acting. And feel free to say hi. I read literally every single comment. Even though I shouldn’t.