Isaac: Briefly describe your humble beginnings that led you to where you are at musically now.

Julie: I started out singing music that was very sad. I had a lot of disappointment in my life, made a lot of mistakes, and went through some pretty tough situations. The songs were selling quite well, but I didn’t feel that my music had purpose. Over the past few years, God miraculously changed my life through his power and mercy. You can read the testimony on my website to get a better understanding of what I have come through with His help. Now the songs I write are touching people’s lives in a positive way and I’m really excited about it!

Isaac: You have some strong iconic influences. Of these influences, which artist/band do you relate to the most and why?

Julie: Kari Jobe is by far one of my biggest influences. It’s because of her passion and loyalty to God that makes me admire her so much. She became famous, not because of a marketing strategy, but because people were drawn to her worship ministry by the 100s. They wanted to hear her sing because she is real, authentic, and serves the Lord with a beautiful anointed voice. Her heart is for God and you can sense God’s presence when she sings. Even after becoming famous, she is still leading praise and worship services, staying true to her roots.

Isaac: Do you feel that Indie music gets the respect it deserves? Why or why not?

Julie: Well, I think it’s getting more respect than it used to. That’s due to the digital age, where information (music) travels so quickly and much more easily. People can search and choose from millions of songs written by indie artists who otherwise might never have had the chance to be heard.
 

Isaac: If you could change one thing about the music business, what would it be and why?

Julie: Nowadays, most record labels won’t even look at you unless you’ve already “made it” to some extent. I guess this is because of technology and the ability for the indie artist to gain exposure and create a certain amount of success on their own first. However, it often takes a lot of money to become successful without some financial backing from big companies. Creating CDs, studio time, traveling, etc. gets to be very expensive. So this leaves some very talented people without a fighting chance.

I miss the days when a label was willing to believe in an individual, even when no one else had ever heard about them. It was like a fairytale story where the prince swoops the princess off her feet. Only, it doesn’t happen that way anymore. Now the princess has to make herself stand out by jumping up and down before the prince even glances her way. It’s sad.

Isaac: Do you think in the near future that DIY artists/bands will be the norm and big record companies will be very limited?

Julie: I think that record companies will always exist to some degree. They have changed though. Like I said before, they can kind of kick their feet back now and wait to see who gets attention on platforms like “YouTube” before stepping in. However, without a record label stepping in, an indie artist’s fame would be much shorter lived. Unless you have an unlimited supply of money, the record labels are the ones who have the resources for continued publicity, production and distribution to sustain an artist’s fame.

Isaac: What type of feedbacks have you been receiving about your music from fans and music critics?

Julie: So far I’ve gotten a lot of really good feedback. The best feedback comes from people who were hurting and have been uplifted and found healing through my music. It’s also really neat that I have been getting high ratings and reviews from people who aren’t Christians or don’t have the same beliefs. It shows that my music is able to go further than just within the Christian community.

I think the biggest criticism I’m running into is from people who think that pursuing the Christian genre is a waste of my ability. I’m constantly being told how far I could go if my music were mainstream. However, I refuse to give up singing Christian music as that would be giving up my purpose and a part of who I am. God is the reason for my music.

Isaac: If you knew that you would never gain fame and fortune with what you are doing now, would you continue to make music? Explain.

Julie: My musical dream is to touch people’s lives with music. So in a sense, I’m not really pursuing a dream but rather living it out each day. I feel that if one person is touched by my music, then I have been a success. Therefore, I am already successful.

Now that doesn’t mean I’m ever going to stop working at it. I will continue to create music because I love doing so, and I will continue to market that music. I wouldn’t be who I am without it. The only difference between me and a lot of other musicians is that I don’t worry where it’s going to take me. God knows how big he wants my ministry to become, and so if he opens bigger and better doors – I’ll be there. If not, I’ll keep singing anyway.

Isaac: How do you handle negative feedback or negative energy about your music?

Julie: It’s part of the job! Not everyone is going to like what I do. That’s why there are so many different types of music out there. The good news is that I actually seek out people who will give me constructive criticisms and unbiased feedback. It energizes me to try harder. It’s also the only way to learn, develop and improve as a singer/songwriter.

Isaac: What part/role does your family and friends play in the equation of your quest of a music career?  

Julie: My kids are so adorable; they go around telling all their friends that their mommy is a famous singer. They truly believe it.

My husband is a pilot and travels for work. We have grown a large support network of family and friends who help us out when he is away. This makes it a lot easier when it is my turn to travel for music. When my husband is home, he always offers to keep the kids while I travel. It’s okay because it’s a lifestyle the entire family is used to and embraces! We also get to do a lot of traveling together as a family

Isaac: What is the best site/s that you can be found on the Internet?

Julie: My official website is www.juliegurel.com. You can also find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/juliegurelmusic.

Those two website allow anyone to get the latest news, pictures, updates, and music. Both sites have links to twitter, cdbaby, reverbnation, myspace, itunes and many other places my music can be found.

Isaac: The floor is yours; final words…..

Julie: I thank everyone who has supported me and been an encouragement. You all are a blessing! I also want to thank you, Isaac, for this interview and taking the time to find out more about my music!