Convict Julie was born in Atlanta and graduated from Maynard Jackson High School. She attended Lee University in Tennessee before transferring to the University of Georgia, where she earned a degree in Entertainment and Media Studies with a certificate in Music Business. During her early college years in Tennessee, where she was part of the track and field team, she skipped a mandatory meeting and instead went to the Tennessee Aquarium. It was while she was there that she decided she must follow her passion and pursue music as a career. She saw a fish there called a convict julie and thought, that’s me, a little fish in a big pond. She adopted the name and has used it ever since. Convict Julie hit the stage officially in 2019 with a performance at Nuci’s Space for a Music Business Program class project. Later that year, she released her first EP Let’s Swim and supported it with performances around Athens. Her performance at Caledonia in 2020 was one of the last ever on that stage and one of her favorite shows ever so far. During the pandemic, she continued building her music career in Athens by hosting safe and socially distanced pop up shows at her shared creative space in downtown Athens, giving marginalized artists and small business owners opportunities to share their work as well. Convict Julie was scheduled to perform at the 2021 AthFest Music & Arts Festival, which was unfortunately cancelled.
What do you love most about your work as a musician?
I love how authentic and expressive I get to be in my work. I love that my music has no limitations. I get to sit in my discomfort and really explore aspects of myself that without music I don’t think I would be able to express easily. I like that I produce my own music. It’s made by me– from the music, to the writing to the performance–you are hearing me. I think that is important because I truly am giving the world all of myself and that is a hard thing to do a lot of times.
When you are not working on your music, what are some of your favorite things to do in Athens or favorite places to go in or around Athens.
I enjoy going to the parks in Athens. We have some really cool parks, especially Bishop, Dudley and Sandy Creek. I also love the restaurants in Athens. I love Bubble Cafe, Kelly’s Jamaican Foods, and Dawg Gone Good BBQ. And also, there’s good music everywhere, and I love going to shows. One of my favorite things to do is going to shows to support other artists and hearing other music that is different from mine.
If you could see any band or show or act or musician, dead or alive, who would you see and where?
I think I would see Aretha Franklin in Paris. I would go see Aretha in Paris, singing Aretha in Paris, the album, in the 70’s.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would tell my younger self to just be myself and really use my voice; to just sing. I used to be so afraid to sing and for people to hear my voice. If I would have just used my voice at a younger age, I think I would be a lot farther now, but also I’m exactly where I am supposed to be right now. I would still tell my younger self to sing as loud as I can and as much I can for as many people as possible.
Do you have a favorite book or have a book that had a big impact on you, you refer to a lot or reread?
My favorite book is Path to Love: Renewing the Power of Spirit in Your Life by Deepak Chopra.
Do you have a favorite movie or remember the first movie you saw in a movie theatre?
My favorite movie is honestly A Bug’s Life. I really like how the ant community stands together with outside communities and stands up for what they believe in. I think that has been the theme throughout my life. I love that theme and love that movie a lot.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would go to Japan. I would like to learn more about their culture. I think Tokyo is a really cool city that I have only gotten to see from afar. I would love to go there and just be immersed in that culture for a while and explore some of my favorite things.
What is something interesting about you that maybe most people don’t know?
Most people don’t know that I am a retired champion collegiate athlete. I was a track and field athlete: shot put, discus, and hammer thrower. I’m grateful for that part of my life and the lessons it taught me.
If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and where?
I would have lunch with my grandmother, Reneé, in her home. She raised me and passed away when I was young. I would cook for her because she always cooked for me. That would be the greatest experience of my life.
If you could put any message on a billboard, what would you put?
There is No Room for Fear.
What three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word “home”?
I actually just wrote a song about this yesterday. I think of the word within. I think of the word community and I also think of the word love. It’s where the heart is.
