At eighteen-years old with Fender behind her, rising pop star, Julia Rizik, released her much anticipated single, “Love Myself” today, ahead of her summer EP release of the same name.
Rizik’s song carries a message about anti-bullying, something the young artist went through herself, and being comfortable in her own skin. This single comes after the release of her previously released independent single, Medicine, which was released back in 2017.
Rizik, known for her country music, performed at Stagecoach 2018 and is fresh off Country Thunder 2019. Her sweet and sultry voice first garnered local attention in her home state of Arizona and quickly caught the ear of producers in Nashville. She now resides in Los Angeles, where she has since been recording her studio sessions.
Her newly released single has support from WWE Superstars and the Bella Twins, who personally asked her to perform the song live during their runway show at Scottsdale Fashion Week in March.
The song also made its appearance on E! Entertainment’s Total Bellas, on the recent episode, “Are You With People Magazine.”
Grit Daily News is proud to be the first to exclusively release her song as well as a special anti-bullying video message as part of the #CYBERBYTE movement, featured at the end of this piece.
https://soundcloud.com/user-230798662/love-myself/s-3anRJ
Grit Daily News: When did you first know you wanted to be a performer?
Julia Rizik: I first knew I wanted to be a performer when I was 11 years old. I started singing lessons at this vocal studio by my house and one night my vocal coach asked me to do the open mic night there, which I agreed upon. I got to the open mic night, and I was so nervous I thought I was going to throw up. I still remember crying in the bathroom. My older sister encouraged me not to let stage fright get the best of me. I ended up getting on stage. It was one of the most defining moments of my life. That was when I knew, I wanted to be a performer.
GD: What was your first live show and what was it like performing for the first time on stage?
JR: My first live show was the one I mentioned before, at an open mic night. I was terrified! But the performance bug bit me, and I was never the same after that. Once I was on stage, I felt so safe. Being on a stage is always very relaxing for me.
GD: At only 18, you’ve already performed at Country Thunder and Stagecoach which are huge festivals. What were those experiences like?
JR: Oh my goodness, performing at Country Thunder was such an amazing experience because I’m from Arizona and it was in my home state. I’m such a desert girl, so sharing what I love in my home state made me so happy. My heart felt so full. Stagecoach was absolutely crazy! There were 100,000 people there, and I had no clue it would be that crowded. The day I played, there was actually a horrible wind storm and I had to perform through it, which wasn’t easy, but in a way, so much fun.
GD: Your original sound was country but you’re planning to release your first EP that is more pop. How did that change come about and what can your fans expect from the new EP?
JR: I transitioned into pop music very organically. It was not a forced transition at all. I started producing my own music about six to seven months ago, and the sounds I wanted to hear when I was creating these tracks were pop. On my new EP, “Love Myself,” my fans can expect a lot more confidence and security in my lyrics. I have written a lot of songs about heartbreak, but on this EP, I wanted to send listeners a message of hope and self-love. I’ve never been so excited about a group of songs!
GD: When you are writing your music, what do you look to for inspiration?
JR: My songwriting is inspired by all sorts of things. I mostly write songs about experiences that I am going through in my personal life or experiences my sisters are going through. As a songwriter, I can see something random while I’m out to eat or even watching TV and completely run with my thoughts!
GD: Your song Love Myself was recently featured on E!, what do you hope fans take from that song?
JR: My new song, “Love Myself,” is a song I didn’t just write for myself, I wrote it to be all inclusive. I wrote it as a song of acceptance and self-love, no matter where you come from or the mistakes you’ve made. That’s what I really hope fans take from the message of “Love Myself.”
Lessons to Up-and-Comers
We asked the young artist what lessons she has learned so far in the industry at just eighteen years old:
#1 –Be Authentic
“You need to always stay authentic and true to who you are.”
[…]
“To other singer and songwriters, you have to be honest in your writing; never be ashamed of who you are.”
#2—Rejection Comes. Do Not Lose Faith In Yourself
Rejection is part of success, because one cannot succeed without having failed.
For Rizik, she has encouraged her fans that “no matter what rejections you face, you cannot lose faith in yourself.”
#3—Success Depends On the Amount of Energy You Put In
“If you want to succeed, you have to work your hardest every single day.”
Coming from a tight-knit family, moving out of the house and for all intents and purposes being on her own was a huge decision, one that didn’t come easily, she told Pinal Central. When she finally arrived in Nashville, already feeling a sense of intimidation, everything her life began to change.
Growing up in Arizona, the infrastructure for becoming a country music artist isn’t anywhere near the level of Nashville. So to make it in the business requires a lot of hustling, going to every event and traveling around for every little piece of the process of making music. Rizik was warned before moving that life in Nashville wouldn’t be like that. Everything is in one place, so there’s a lot more standing still and waiting.
At the end of the day, all Rizik wants her fans to know is that her music comes from a personal space, and she hopes fans can relate and connect with it as much as she does.
