We Sat Down With Julia Pratt To Talk All About Her New Single “Carolina”

March 18th, 2024 | Written by Sierra Madison

Emerging from the heart of Philadelphia with a sound as haunting as it is uplifting, Julia Pratt announces the release of "Carolina," the inaugural single from her much-anticipated EP. This release, now available via RECORDS, marks a poignant chapter in Pratt's journey, weaving her profound personal narratives with the universal quest for identity and belonging.

Through "Carolina," Pratt delves into her deepest sorrows—ranging from familial dissolution to the nuanced struggles of being a woman of color. Her latest work emerges not just as songs, but as a sanctuary for those who have felt the sting of isolation, reminding us that we are never truly alone.

"Carolina" stands out as more than just a song; it's a deeply personal exploration of Pratt's own history, encapsulating the pain and realization that comes with revisiting a place that once felt like home but now seems alien. The single is a narrative of loss, grief, and the ongoing search for a place in the world, told through the lens of a woman grappling with the concept of home.

Pratt's ability to intertwine her personal stories with resonant melodies and R&B-infused indie-folk showcases her unique talent for capturing the complexities of human emotion.

Accompanying the release of "Carolina" is an official video, the first installment of what promises to evolve into a captivating short film directed by Samantha D’Alessio. Filmed against the backdrop of nature's isolated landscapes, the video mirrors the song's vulnerable intensity, offering a visual testament to Pratt's artistry.

In the coming months, Julia Pratt will take her soul-stirring music on the road, joining an impressive lineup of artists including Amos Lee, flipturn, and Angie McMahon. Furthermore, Pratt's inclusion in the Green River Festival alongside acts like Fleet Foxes and Cake signifies her rising prominence in the music scene—a journey that began with a serendipitous collaboration with Mt. Joy and has since flourished through her EP "Two to Tango" and electrifying performances alongside acclaimed artists like Brandi Carlile and The Head And The Heart.

We sat down with Julia Pratt to discuss her artistic journey, the release of "Carolina," and her vision for the upcoming EP.

"Carolina" is described as a haunting song that deals with the complex emotions of returning to a past that feels unfamiliar and unrecognizable. Could you share the personal journey that inspired "Carolina" and how it reflects the broader themes we can expect in your upcoming EP?

I went on a road trip in the summer of 2022 where we passed through North Carolina. We stayed at this adorable goat farm in the mountains of Asheville, and as I was looking out at the hills I realized that this was the first time I’d been back to NC since I’d left when I was 15. I was hit with this pang of sadness, grief, and nostalgia all at once, and it sent me into a really deep state of reflection about my childhood and family. That’s when I wrote 'Carolina', and the EP just naturally came to be as a follow up to that song when I realized that I still had so much more to say on the subject.

Your music is noted for its therapeutic qualities, especially in addressing core anguish and your experiences as a woman of colour. How do you navigate the balance between personal vulnerability and the universality of music in your songwriting process?

I think that the themes I address in my music are universal even if the situations I’m writing about are personal to me. For example, when I write about my experiences with mental illness or abuse or being a woman of color, I’m writing through emotion. So even if a listener has never been through these specific experiences, they have most likely felt lost or trapped or afraid or whatever it is I’m trying to articulate — and this is how we connect. What I love about music and songwriting is that people attach their own experiences to songs, and we can share our feelings together without ever having met or coming from the same background.

The blending of R&B techniques with indie-folk is a distinctive feature of your music. What challenges and opportunities does this fusion present in expressing your artistic vision, especially in the context of your new EP?

I think that the opportunities are endless when blending styles, and when I’m making music I try not to think about songs according to genre at all! My goal is always to manifest the emotion in its most complete form, so it's fun to seek out techniques that realize it most authentically, and this usually results in pulling from different musical styles. My upcoming EP was a really interesting challenge, because my goal was to create a really organic sonic landscape that mirrored the feelings I felt as a child. The main challenge that comes with working this way is being able to describe the music to people who haven’t heard it — I’d say that the EP is kind of a cool folk/jazzy fusion, but others might group it totally differently!

The upcoming EP's short film, starting with the official video for "Carolina," is an ambitious project. How does the visual component of your music, especially the choice of isolated natural landscapes, complement and enhance the narratives in your songs?

I’ve always wanted to make a visual EP! I’m a visual learner and I envision scenes as I write songs, so it was really amazing to be able to actualize that vision in my mind. One of my goals while creating the short film was to use nature to highlight how isolated and lost I felt as a kid, so filming in isolated parts of nature was one budget friendly way to convey that! I think the landscape did so much of the storytelling for us- each setting was just so beautiful, vast, harrowing, and expansive, and it felt like I was just a little ant amongst such grand hills. I think that was really helpful in enhancing the narrative of the EP.

Your collaboration with Mt. Joy on "A Little Love" was a major moment for you last year. How do collaborations with artists like Mt. Joy, and the upcoming tour dates with flipturn, Angie McMahon, and Amos Lee, influence your musical growth and the evolution of your sound?

Working with Mt. Joy was such a privilege and honor, I’ve been a fan of their music for years and Matt is a huge songwriting influence of mine. Working with them, as well as being able to open for such amazing artists has completely changed the way I approach writing and making music. I think watching so many incredible live shows has helped me think of music from a live performance standpoint, and I’m getting more comfortable with and excited about recording songs that feel good to play live. I’m also just so inspired by the songwriting of the artists I’m opening for, and I’ve learned a lot from them about storytelling and communicating emotion through sound, visuals, and performance.

Given the deeply personal and reflective nature of your work, what message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from "Carolina" and the rest of the EP? 

I hope listeners can feel the grief, loss, nostalgia, and hurt that I poured into this project, but I also hope that with those feelings comes a sense of acceptance. This EP really was an emotional journey to write and record. When writing it, everything felt like an open wound, and as I recorded it there were moments I had to stop because it was too painful to relive. But as the project developed I came to understand myself and my family members better, and I grew to accept and forgive some of the events that I wrote about. I hope that that emotional arc is felt by listeners. 

How do you see your music as a bridge between your personal stories and the shared experiences of your audience?

We do not exist in a vacuum, and I really do believe that I haven’t had an original experience or thought in my life lol. When I write about my experiences and share my stories, I know that someone out there (probably a lot of people), have either had the exact same experience or felt something similar, and that is where we connect. Writing music is really therapeutic for me, and it’s so rewarding to see it positively impacting others as well. I’ve felt really alone a lot of my life, so being able to really make that authentic connection and help others feel seen is where the magic is.