Artist of the month is a title that is given out to underground artists who we feel are making career strides for themselves, consistently raise the bar for themselves, and released the best project of the month. For January 2022 our last artist of the month was the talented Baton Rouge-based artist Lango. This month we focus on a talented artist who is brand new to us but already has a solid buzz around her, Athens Georgia-based artist Convict Julie. Following the release of her new project, “Exquisite Pain” Convict Julie has quickly elevated to one of our favorite underground artists and is a force to be reckoned with. Releasing her debut project back in 2019 “Let's Swim”. Featuring 8 songs and a guest feature from MMC Gue$$, Let's Swim first song opens up on a high note with each song the project gets better and better. From the production to the lyrics, and even the choice of topics Convict chooses to tackle on this project you can hear the authenticity in each song. That authenticity culminates into a solid project that can go to toe with some mainstream artists. Following up on "Let's Swim" she also released a small EP titled "Wynter" similar to "Let's Swim", "Wynter" was another showcase of her talent. Half the length of "Let's Swim", "Wynter" was a small project to hold fans over while she gathered all her resources and put together what is going down as a stand-out underground project for 2022 her new album "Exquisite Pain".
If "Let's Swim", and "Wynter" was Convicts Julie's warm-up "Exquisite Pain" is her showing up to the game and blowing past whatever expectations were expected from her. From beginning to end this new project is not only a great listen, but the project also is a listening experience and is a perfect example of the quality of work underground artists can pump out with a little time, consistent solid effort, and maximizing whatever resources that are available to them. Similar to her debut "Exquisite Pain" may only be eight songs in length which may be short but this project is the perfect example of quality work over quantity content. What is even more amazing about this new project is that not only was Convict Julie able to put this solid body of work together. She is also able to hold her on with no guest features. From beginning to end this project is nothing but her and her authenticity over some of the best production coming from an underground artist's team. She also put together a visual project with the help of black22productions that fits so well visually with the sounds of this album.
"Exquisite Pain" stands out to us because on this project Convict Julie takes a lot of risks with not only the sounds but also the subject matter. On this album, you'll hear similar sounds to the current vibe The Weeknd was going for when he was first getting started, but she adds her own style and somehow reclaims it for herself. In addition, making a solid breakthrough with the sounds she also tackles uncomfortable subject matters like experiencing mental health crises, the loss of one's self-identity, the double-edged sword of community activism, and rising up from a low point to be the best person she can be. With this new project, Convict opens up herself up to her fans and has not only given them what is arguably her best project she has also raised the bar for herself musically and we are more than excited to see what she has in store for future releases.
Convict Julie, welcome to Nefarious Supply, and thank you for interviewing with us to get this interview started, tell us about your self who is Convict Julie, and what has driven you to choose a music career?
I started making music when I was six to cope with the environment around me. Originally from Bankhead, I witnessed and experienced things that impacted the way I currently view and exist in the world. Where I’m from, tears weren’t safe, so where couldn’t cry, I made music to heal. Convict Julie is a little fish in a big pond. Music is what I know. It chose me and I chose it back. It’s the ultimate love story. A career in music isn’t secure or stable, but this is what I love so I’ll keep doing it, carving out my own doors when there aren’t any doors open for me.
Where are you based out of and how has this area influenced you, your music, and what is the area like for underground and emerging artists?
I grew up in Atlanta on the west and east sides of Atlanta. The streets and my experiences in the city formed a lot of my views. I wasn’t doing any gangster shit, but a lot of my friends did and passed away too young, sadly. Those experiences never left me and they never will. Currently based in Athens, I’m in an interesting position where there isn’t an Alternative R&B/Neo Soul scene so I have a lot of room to do me, but I love coming back to my city and giving Atlanta my most authentic self. Atlanta made me.
What artists would you say have been your biggest source of inspiration since your start, and who are you currently listening to in your day-to-day?
I was heavily influenced by Jazz music, Lauryn Hill, Red Hot Chili Peppers, OutKast and Tracy Chapman. Future and Young Thug shaped my adolescence. Those artists introduced me to a vulnerability that I struggled to give myself and share with others, which is why music has been so impactful for me. I’m behind on listening to newer music at the moment because I’ve been writing so much of my own music. I listen to a lot of classical music for inspiration.
Let’s talk music recently you released your new project Exquisite Pain, tell us about this project including the meaning behind the title, what inspired the overall project and what was it like putting it together?
The meaning behind the project is experiencing the beauty behind the sadness. What inspired my project were my real life experiences in suffering a decline in my mental health after my time in activism. To put this project together gave me a sense of closure and helped me heal. Therapy couldn’t do what making this album did for me.
The production on this project is AMAZING from the hard-hitting synths, the drums, and your voice everything fits so well together! What was it like producing this masterpiece of a project?
Thank you so much. Making this project felt like answering my soul’s cry for resolve. I wanted to share my feelings through lyrics, performance, and lyrics. I have to thank my co-producers who helped complete my vision. To make a project like this required intention and my intention was to be vulnerable with my story. I had to open myself up to be embraced, rejected, judged, and accepted. This project flowed. I wrote the song lyrics in 10-20 minutes each. I knew exactly what I wanted to say and said it. It was simple.
Walk us through each song on the project including the meaning behind the title, what inspired them, and what are some of your favorite songs on this project?
The whole album is a story of experiencing a mental health crisis after I organized and led 4 months of peaceful protest against police brutality and racial inequity in Athens, Georgia. Nobody talks about the mental/emotional sacrifice and loss of self in becoming an activist. Despite the success I and my community experienced as a result of the activism, I completely fell apart. That was the price I was willing to pay to fight for my rights and the rights of those who would not fight for themselves. Each song speaks on the process of losing myself, the old me dying, grieving, coping, and becoming new. “Surrender” is about letting go of who I used to be to make room for my evolution as a person. I had to surrender the idea of who I was to simply be as I am. “Convict” is the inner conflict between who people think I am “convict” (a criminal) versus who I really am, “Convict Julie ” a little fish in a big pond.
Most people don’t know that Convict Julie is a type of fish. “X” speaks on coping with my inner turmoil through vices: love, drugs, parties, and isolation. “Battle Cry” is about the old me dying and facing my demons boldly. This is also my favorite song on the project. “Light It Up” is about the phases of grief I experienced in dying inside. “Dark Matter” is the conversation I have with myself about choosing myself and embracing my shadow as one with my light. “Ashes” tells the story about my resilience and rising from the ashes of my past to become new. “Legend” is a victory song that captures my survival of the triumph I experienced. I’ll be remembered for overcoming what I almost didn’t survive. It’s is exquisitely expressed visually and sonically, but it’s painful to witness and to have experienced.
In addition to producing one of our favorite albums this year, you also put out an amazing visual album for your project. What is it like putting this project together, who was the production team, and what was your favorite part about putting it together?
To put that project together required about a year of planning. I’ve seen this vision since 2020. As an independent artist, it’s not feasible to do a visual album without a big budget or label support, but I come from a family of hustlers and I learned how to make something incredible out of nothing. That’s what I did. I reached out to local cinematographers with this ambitious plan of creating a visual album and everyone rejected me. Then, through an obscure relationship, I met Tim Hardiman, an incredible director and senior producer for CMT. He heard my album and wanted to help make a music video for the project. I told him my vision of a visual album and he was skeptical. For months I drafted treatments and storyboards. I knew my vision and stuck to it. A week before shooting, he told me it wasn’t possible to accomplish the visual album in one day and I asked him to trust me. He did. We shot the entire visual album in one 10-hour day with a zero dollar production budget. James Corn executive produced the project, Ben Sherrill did the cinematography, Tim directed/edited/produced, and I wrote and co-produced the project. I owe those guys so much gratitude. The best part of doing this project was the execution. I never doubted we could do it. We had a solid plan and made it work. The visual album turned out beautifully and exquisitely. It is exquisite pain.
What is your favorite thing about being an artist, and for new artists that are getting started what is some advice you would give them?
I like that I can express myself authentically. I’m not the best singer or the best producer or writer, but nobody can express me and my experiences better than me. For any artist starting out, I’d tell them to make a formula tailored specifically to them and stick to it. Don’t adjust your formula based on what other people are doing. Asses YOUR skills, weaknesses, goals, resources, accomplishments, and opportunities. Then create your formula. Stick to it. Upon facing setbacks or reaching new goals, adjust. Adapt. Do you consistently. Forever.
With you 2022 already at a high note, what are some goals you hope to accomplish by the end of this year and where would you like your career too by the end of this decade?
My new standard is visual albums. I’m already working on my next visual album. I don’t know where I’ll be by the end of the year or decade. If I’m still on this earth, I want to continue evolving as a human and as an artist, making timeless art. I have big ideas and I will continue trusting my vision and executing until those ideas manifest into tangible form. My generation doesn’t have a Purple Rain. That’s my goal.
What artists do you think we should interview on Nefarious Supply next?
Any last words?
Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” is the greatest visual album of all time. From narrative to vision, her excellence is unmatched. That is something I admire deeply and chose to channel. I’ve accomplished an incredible feat as an independent artist in making this visual album. I didn’t have a budget of over a million dollars, months to film, or an expansive production team. What I had was a belief in my work when everyone around me thought I was aiming too high and a damn good team. I did my project in one day with a non-existent budget and a production team of four people, myself included. There was no fundraiser, sponsor, label, or investor. This project is a direct result of passion, vision, teamwork, and focus. I hope Beyoncé sees my project one day. I want people to experience my album and for it to reach the masses. I also want other artists to know that it is possible to make high caliber art independently.