Julia Lostrom is making waves in the local electropop and alternative R&B scene, so we caught up with her to find out more about who this unique singer-songwriter is.
Born in Greece, raised in Zambia and now a proud Melburnian, it’s clear Lostrom’s diverse cultural upbringing has informed her music.
Lostrom’s latest single, ‘City FEAT. REYKO!’ is an ode to Australia’s creative capital in what has been one tough year.
The track came together by coincidence when Lostrom ran into REYKO! and fellow member of creative collective New Wave Infinity Rachael Vowles.
As Lostrom explained, it was when the group began talking about their love for Melbourne that inspiration struck.
“We spoke about an idea to bring Melbourne creatives together and help each other out so we can show the world what this city has to offer,” she said.
She continued: “We just started jamming for fun and after a few hours, ‘City’ was born.”
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“A special night with special people, deep conversations and good vibes all around brought this song to life and we hope its essence will be translated through the airways once it’s out.”
To celebrate the recent release of ‘City FEAT. REYKO!’, we had a chat with Julia Lostrom as part of our popular Get To Know series.
How did your artist name come about?
My parents gave it to me. :)
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
Think of smooth vocals carried by a combination of acoustic, natural and shimmery electronic sounds. The production is wavy and makes you feel like you’re floating while the vocals are rich and grounding.
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
‘Walls’ is a song is about the challenge of feeling an instant connection with someone you’ve met, but struggling to go any deeper as they won’t let their barriers down. Produced by DUAN and Rob Amoruso and co-written with Bailey Sampson, this song is an invitation to let one’s guard down and show that special someone how magical an experience could be without all the barriers.
‘City Feat. REYKO!’ is inspired by the people, culture and creative community Melbourne encompasses. Melbournians have shown so much resilience and strength during this difficult year and we wanted this project to be a glimmer of light and a reminder of how lucky we are to have this beautiful city waiting for us.
What do you love about your hometown?
I was born in Greece, but lived in Zambia my whole life and then moved to Melbourne with my family when I was 17. Although Zambia is my home, Melbourne has become my city. Zambian culture is very community orientated and we have extended family and friends that are always a huge part of our lives and it’s my favourite thing ever!
Moving was definitely a scary thing but I have found a sense of belonging and my own creative community in Melbourne. There are people here with such diverse backgrounds and stories that all come together with an incredible zest for life and are always keen to support each other and elevate Melbourne’s creative scene. I also love how “outdoorsy” people are here and always down for a good time. My absolute favourite part is the music and food scene in Melbourne. It’s something special.
Career highlight so far?
Getting my music video for ‘Walls’ on MTV. I’ve always been such a HUGE fan of MTV and music videos in general. When I was little my siblings and I would fight over the remote cause I would always have MTV, Channel O or the fashion channel on DSTV (the African equivalent of FOXTEL) and they would all get so annoyed with me.
Visuals are a big part of my creative process so when my director Rachael Vowles came into my life, the universe was definitely shining down on us that day. She is my right hand with all things visually and knows me better than I know myself sometimes.
Check out ‘CITY FEAT. REYKO!’ by Julia Lostrom:
Fave non-music hobby?
To be honest, not much. I absolutely love music and collaborating on projects with other creatives. Spending time with my friends and family is also super important to me, though. I absolutely love the people in my life and love spending time with them doing fun adventurous things if we aren’t going to gigs or trying out new cuisines.
My whole family are super outdoorsy people so if I’m not in a studio or creating content somewhere, you’ll find me outside probably near water or amongst tall trees hiking with friends. Grounding my mind and body is very important for my soul so being in nature is a daily occurrence for me.
What’s on your dream rider?
A variety of herbal teas, my closest friends and family sipping on their favourite drinks, dancing to old school hype jams and living their best lives.
A separate room with a shakti matt, salt lamps, essential oil diffuser, vocal steamer, lots of plants and mantra meditation music playing so I can give thanks, unwind and clear my mind and body before and after a set.
A fancy vegetarian or vegan-friendly grazing table, and a dressing room with old school mirror lights all the way around it, with comfortable couches stacked with fluffy pillows. Plus, the game 30 Seconds….board games are lit, especially this one!
A dedicated hair, makeup and dressing stations for my entourage glam team.
An entourage glam team.
Dream music collaboration?
Galimatias, Ta-ku, 6LACK, SG Lewis, Lucky Daye.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Doing music full time and being able to live comfortably off it. I’d love to collaborate with some dope brands and try a few things outside of music like fashion and film too. I’d love to be able to buy my parents a house too. That would be pretty rad.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Anything Beyonce. I feel like she’d be on every karaoke machine ever created because well, it’s Beyonce.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Always be a light. Imagine it, surround yourself with it, shine for you and shine for those who can’t see it cause if you shine, others will see it and either become the light too or be detracted and move on until they find their own light. Either way, always shine and don’t let anybody try to dim it.
What’s one obsession you have that no one would guess after listening to your music?
I’m obsessed with documentaries. I love learning about what came before us, what’s here now and what’s to come. David Attenborough soothes my soul and the series One Strange Rock blew my mind.
Check out ‘Walls Feat. Duan’ by Julia Lostrom:
