Julia Gargano
City of Women Denizen: Julia Gargano
Bona Fides: Songwriter, musician and chanteuse. Finalist on American Idol (season 18). Graduate of LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts. Regular performer at NYC’s The Bitter End.
City of Women Induction: Songwriters are powerful people: they are storytellers who get to share their narrative, their way. Julia Gargano is a songwriter who is also blessed with a moving, powerful voice, confidence and depth beyond her years. Both of us are Staten Islanders, a bond that runs deep, and I had the pleasure of speaking to her about her talents, thoughts, and journey on American Idol.
RPO: In my opinion, you are one of the strongest talents ever to be showcased on American Idol because you have it all: powerful vocals that have such range, songwriting skills, and the ability to play instruments. Tell me about your development as a musician: which skills were honed first? How old were you when you began writing songs?
JG: Well first off, thank you! That is so sweet to hear. At 6 years old I was convinced I'd be the next great lady drummer. About two years in, my true passion was evident: I had notebooks filled with songs, lyrics, and rhymes. I had an INCREDIBLE teacher (shout-out to Laine) who had me in the studio recording my songs and performing at local coffee shops by age 9. To be honest, my vocal ability was always my biggest insecurity when it came to music. I went to college for composition and was convinced I’d be a songwriter. For a big chunk of it, Idol was a real mental challenge for me because it was a vocal competition, and I kind of felt like a lost puppy.
.RPO: Describe your running inner dialogue during your AI journey. Did you keep telling yourself you were good enough to win? Was your mantra simply to be and do your very best? What was the voice inside your head telling you?
JG: If my inner dialogue during Idol was played for someone, I’d either have a heart attack or laugh a bit because it's probably hilarious. No, I never was able to tell myself I was quite good enough to win. But you put it perfectly! I just had to tell myself I was doing the best I could possibly do. There were many times where that voice in my head said “Julia, get the hell out of here.” I’m so glad I stayed and proved to myself, and maybe showed others who experience anxiety, that these things are possible and are so rewarding.
RPO: On a stage as big as Idol's, how did you tame pre-performance butterflies? Any tips for the rest of us on dealing with anxiety or jangly nerves before making a presentation, delivering a speech, or sitting for a job interview?
JG: The first few rounds were, umm, INTENSE. I would often be standing to the side of the stage, about to go on, and think “Julia, you literally have forgotten all of the words.” NOT a fun thing to think before singing on national television. BUT my good friend and fellow contestant, Sophia James, told me to try turning my nervous energy into excited energy. I didn’t really believe in this magical advice until I really tried. Right before I took the stage in Hawaii, I closed my eyes and thought about what a cool experience it was.
It’s easy to focus on the scary parts in life, but as soon as I remind myself of something positive, I feel so much more grounded and present.
RPO: I'm including a link here to a stripped back performance of "The Other Side," which may be my favorite performance of yours. You open the song by saying, "I'm an artist, I feel like I'm deep. I'm like that girl on a first date that says, 'So, how do you think the universe is created?' " You strike me as an old soul; I'm amazed at the complexity of your inner world and that, at such a young age, mortality is on your mind. Tell me about growing up and the influences that formed you into this deeply-feeling person.
JG: Actually, The Other Side was written by a friend of mine named Jorim Motley (Pink Nois). He wrote it for a class we were both in and another artist actually sang it first. I had never performed another writer's song before but for some reason, this tune really stuck with me. A couple of months later, I was trying to write and release my own single but decided to beg Jorim to let me sing The Other Side. He’s the best. The song completely reflected the inner workings of my cray-cray brain. Growing up, certain circumstances forced me to grow up quickly. I became emotionally independent, usually relying on art to center me (sounds corny but it's true). Nothing calms me like using the creative part of my noggin whether that be songwriting, learning about new things that fascinate me, painting, poetry, having thought provoking conversations—I love it. Also, being a songwriter, I would spend a lot of my time observing. My eyes were always peeled for inspiration of any kind, so I could run to my song journal and write about it.
RPO: What I love most about you, your voice, your music and your persona is your strength and natural talent. You are far from a precious, pop princess who relies on auto-tune! Talk a bit about your formative years as an artist and the choices you've made. Which artists and genres have inspired and influenced you most?
CL: Thank you again! I was always surrounded by such great music growing up. My dad would always have us singing along to songs by artists ranging from Eric Clapton to Jimi Hendrix and of course, The Beatles. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my Jonas Brothers and One Direction growing up, but I always found myself falling in love with the storytellers. Taylor Swift was a huge reason I started to write. I was a big believer that “Four Chords and the Truth” was all you needed.
Once I got to LaGuardia High School in NYC and was surrounded by such incredible talent of all sorts, I started to fall in love with music theory and started to dive into the piano accompaniment of my songs: I wanted the instrumentation to tell just as much of a story as my lyrics could. I went through a very experimental period at this time, but was still lost about who I was as an artist. I went to the College of Saint Rose and that’s where I really melded all of my past styles into what is now “me.”
I really admire Brandi Carlile at the moment. She makes me weep when she sings. I hear her songs and I feel them. I used to find myself thinking too much (a very me thing to do) about the things that came easiest to me. Once I stopped, I found my current sound.
RPO: In the entertainment world, image goes hand-in-hand with talent, for better or for worse. We're in a moment (a decade?!) where some people equate beauty with lots of makeup, injections, body dysmorphia, high heels... you know the type. Your talent and your aesthetic are both so naturally beautiful -- Katy Perry referred to you as Julia "Gar-gorgeous." Talk about your personal style and what it means to you to show up as authentic.
CL: It is so true. If you wear too much makeup, you’ll get hate for it. If you wear no makeup, you'll get hate for it. The world of social media has its pros, but it's overall, it’s an ugly place for young women.
For me, having a platform with more followers than I thought I’d ever have was terrifying at first; I never was one to share my thoughts, beliefs, or personal life on social media and that's what people wanted. I got used to it when I saw there were plenty of awesome people who cared about what I had to say and were so encouraging. Now personally, I'm all about being my goofy self, ready to talk about what’s on my mind. People don't normally expect me to be such a nut job but…here i am!
RPO: There are certain songs that are so overplayed throughout our lifetimes, yet we can't turn them off. My achilles heel is "Don't Stop Believing." What's yours?
JG: AMAZING QUESTION. The band Boston will forever have my heart. “More Than a Feeling” is that song for me. Bradley Delp is a singer whom I will forever admire.
RPO: Favorite guilty pleasure?
JG: Guilty pleasure… hmm. Probably binge watching true crime documentaries.
RPO: Last thing you watched on Netflix?
JG: Inside the World's Toughest Prisons (lol.)
RPO: What comes next for Julia?
JG: Whatever it is, I hope it's me singin’ my truth and doin’ what I love.