Today singer-songwriter Juliana Simone releases her debut single “California.” It’s a thrill to dream of what could be, to hop out of your own head and into a new world. Though sometimes, daydreaming simply means running from what you know and need to confront. In her debut single, 20-year-old Juliana Simone offers twangy rock and roll chords juxtaposed with soaring, theatric vocals to share her story of self-discovery and growth. After all, she had to navigate a new school, a pandemic robbing her of traditional high school events, the grief that comes with losing loved ones, and more. With her guitar in hand, Juliana invites you to see reality through her lens.
“‘California’ is a song about dreamers and escapers. The day-dreamers who never find themselves satisfied, always yearning for more. The constant-escapers who suddenly realize that happiness and healing cannot depend on the next opportunity, relationship, or location..” - Juliana Simone
Juliana Simone is a 20-year-old Colombian/Brazilian singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and activist from Miami, Florida. Inspired by her Latin heritage and the words and music of Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, Taylor Swift, and Birdy (among others), Juliana’s soulful, airy vocals and poetic approach to her lyrics bring a new perspective to the indie folk and rock genres. She currently lives in Los Angeles, studying at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Theater, Film, and Television.
Juliana discovered music through theater. At the age of six years old she began combining her emotive singing abilities with charismatic characters on the theater stage and performed in large-scale productions including the 25th Anniversary National Tour of Les Miserables age the age of nine. Since then, she branched out into her own identity as a breath of fresh air and artistry in the indie scene. Her solo project is born out of a dark period flooded with pain from the loss of loved ones, the isolation during the pandemic, and jarring changes as she packed her bags to move across the country to California. She turned her grief and sadness into inspiration, began playing her guitar and piano again, and music flowed through her veins to create her first true collection of emotive, soulful indie-rock tracks.
Her breezy track “California” marks the first single in her journey and promises a collection of new music on the way in 2022. More stories certainly lie ahead, so stay tuned for more music from West Coast transplant Juliana Simone.
