When Women Rock : Finding Success In a New Country
Julia Lage
Meet Julia Lage - bassist of Vixen and Smith/Kotzen
Julia is a Brazilian bass player, singer songwriter.
Inspired by bands like, Rush, Aerosmith and Guns N Roses, she began learning the Bass Guitar at the age of thirteen.
At the age of seventeen Julia had become a full time member of the critically acclaimed Latin Grammy nominated Brazilian band Barra Da Saia.
After her thirteen year tenure with the band which included major network television appearances, International festivals and domestic arena tours plus 3 full albums and 1 live DVD, Julia left the band and relocated to Los Angels California.
With a BA in music and arts as well as extensive studio and touring experience, Julia has found herself performing and recording with a vast array of A list artists and musicians such as Pat Travers, Elliot Easton (The Cars), Richie Kotzen, as well as performing along side Pop Star Janelle Monáe and rapper Jidenna at the American Idol Finals.
Julia also worked with Grammy winner iconic Latin artist Alejandra Gusmán, recording a live cd/dvd called 'Live at The Roxy'.
Most recently Julia toured with Smith/Kotzen, a rock blues band formed by Adrian Smith ( Iron Maiden ) and Richie Kotzen ( The Winery Dogs ).
At the same time she was invited to join the all female platinum selling rock band Vixen.
Julia also has her own projects which include her solo music and her band The Sister Knot.
Julia’s prolific nature as a writer has found her compositions and performances featured in various American films and television shows.
She is currently working on finishing her first solo album as well as a Sister Knot album and continues to tour with Vixen as they work on their new music.
Website: https://www.julialage.com
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia_lage/
facebook fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaLageMusic
Latest video for Wake Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsJu0LJ0hzU&list=PLUNkX209tKPGdGCzhSUBJBhvnlIm8lxrZ&index=7
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Transcript : Vision In Word
Marlana
Julia Lage is a Brazilian bass player, singer and songwriter. Inspired by bands like Rush, Aerosmith, and Guns and Roses. She began learning the bass at the age of 13. With a BA in music and arts as well as an extensive studio and touring experience. Julia has found herself performing and recording with a vast array of alias artists and musicians such as Pat travers, Elliot Easton, Richie Kotzen, Adrian Smith, Janelle Monae, and the all-female platinum selling Rock Band vixen. Welcome, Julia.
Julia
Thank you. Thanks for having me here.
Marlana
So, you started off in Brazil, then you had some success in Brazil, and then you came here. Tell us a little bit about that whole,
Julia
you know, there. Oh, well, I played for 13 years in Brazil. And we did have a good heat there for a while. I tour like I used to play like arenas there like rodeos was always on TV, radios and stuff like that. And I learned a lot with that I joined the band, I was 17. So, I was just like a baby. And I remember, you know, it was amazing. But at the same time, I wasn't really playing the kind of music I love. I was playing like what we call Brazilian country music, which is the country music people from the countryside write songs is kind of similar like America, but the rhythm is similar, but has a little different swing here and there. You know, it's Brazil. But um, so yeah, so I started there. And we did all major stuff, like for real, like, we had a boss who their faces on and he was like, a big band for a while. Then he started declining.
In after 13 years, I was like, not seeing myself at all excited anymore, or happy about it or anything. I was like, go play like, whatever, I will come home from the shows, but my base and the side, not even look for my base or my guitar, nothing. I'll try to write anything, nothing. Just live my life. Whenever the next show was gonna happen. I was like, Okay, tell me where and what time I'll be there. You know what I mean? So, I was completely like, I don't know, I lost interest. I don't know, for a bunch of reasons. But so then after 13 years, I decided to finally quit the band. But actually, what helped me with the decision was the fact that I started dating my now husband, but you know, my boyfriend at whatever rate you so that helped me too. And then he was like, so since you're so frustrated with your band, why don't you quit? You know, sell your stuff, move and come to LA? I'm like, why? And then actually, I did it. I'm here.
Marlana
So, we have Ritchie to thing.
Julia
Yes. So yes. I mean, you know, he could say I ruined her life will say no, you actually, you know, made a very exciting because I was in a plateau, I was very unmotivated. I was I didn't know what I was anymore. What I wanted was too many years of the same things. And not really the kind of music I love. So. So yeah, I mean, I thank you for bringing me here because I've been taking my career here.
Marlana
So how is the music scene different here for you?
Julia
Well, first of all, for me, it's very different because nowadays, I'm playing what I like, which is rock and roll. So, since I moved here, I did a few different gigs during the beginning, obviously. But most of the gigs were rock geeks. And I was super surprised. I was like, oh my god, I'm just seeing a rock. I mean, America is way more rock. I mean, if you go to Costco, they're playing me golds, they're playing whatever, rock. And in Brazil, they're playing all kinds of stuff, not rock.
So, like when I got here, I was like, Oh my God, you know, I love all this. So, for me the difference, the biggest differences for sure that I'm playing actually what I like, the most here, so and that's very important for me to do what I love.
Marlana
Yeah. And I know along the way you wrote songs for film and TV. Were you approached to write them, or had you written them? How did that all work?
Julia
Both I mean, I was approached to write a few stuffs. And so, I did. And funny enough was mostly rock stuff, which is good. And yeah, and then there's a few movies and you know, little placements of songs that already exist even with my band. We have a song in the movie that close the movie with our song now. That's my song. Oh, there's another movie that had like an entire song played in the scene. So, they played our entire song, the theme, and we're like, they were cheering and that was so cool. So, like both for sure.
Marlana
So, did you have to, like reinvent anything about yourself when you came here to start to pursue a more of a rock career than what you were doing?
Julia
no, really, I was always a rock chick. In my heart. I as a as you said, I start learning bass because of bands like Rush, Aerosmith, guns, and roses, whatever you name it. But one thing that I had to invent, let me think, I think, because I did join my band in Brazil was very young. And they already have a band that was kind of stablished establishing lists. So, like, I wouldn't, I never, for example, is that's very technical for musicians, but they get it. Like usually, depending on the gig, you bring your own amp, or your own pair of pedals, for sure. But like, we have your microphone, stand your little gear, your PA, I never did that in music, I would get to the gigs, and everything is there. So, I was very spoiled it right in the beginning. And then I never did the hustle the gear, the gear driving far for the gears, for the gigs, because I was just you know, getting in the bus and going out. So that was different. When I moved here, I had two rings in everything. And like, Okay, what am I gonna do, and that was probably the hardest phase in my life, too. So, I even did it like church gigs, which is like, you know, completely different and you have to read, I wasn't reading anything members, you parts, you know, and then or like, carrying gear, like, you know, whatever, say like, oh, like carry gear, like, Please forged our SATs, all this stuff I did here. And I think that's a big, humbling scenario, you know, for anybody.
I was like, Wow. I mean, I was kind of, you know, ready, and motivated in Brazil, but I hadn't good No way, you know, but then coming here, even though it was doing all this, I can Oh, and we drive and so far. And, you know, it's 2am I'm coming back home exhausted, I'm bringing this gear, putting ba together that I was still super happy. Because I was not only playing rock and roll all the songs that I always loved. But I was like reconnecting with myself again, like, oh, that's what I really liked. I liked his music. And I really liked to interact with the public him, you know, be me, I'm out. I'm outgoing. I'm like, I'm like, they like that I am an entertainer. And in Brazil, I was being like, you know, more and more quiet and more and more like, my light was kind of dimming. So that was a good, you know, like a Phenix.
Marlana
How did you know that you were starting to get some traction?
Julia
Well, um, a few things. But like coming here to LA, you probably already heard about that. They just tons of jams everywhere. So, people go out in the jam. Right? It's the good way to meet new people to meet new musicians. And then, you know, we talk to them, you do your network, all that stuff. And I remember, I was obviously dating Richie, my husband, and then one of the gyms wanted my husband to come jam. And he was like, you know, he, he doesn't need to go on a jam, I guess. He has a pretty established career. But he said, well, but I can come do it like a night, like a few songs. And but like, I would like to bring my band. And then he brought me as the bass player.
I wasn't on his band. But he knew that I could perform his songs the way he liked and everything. So, he brought me in. And then that was the first step to get in. And then since then, the people from the gym capacity has come to him. Let's go gym and now go and Did I did I get hired a few times got hired a few times to do the house bands. And so, you know, and then people started knowing who you are and start. Oh, there's that girl. Oh, oh, she also can sing. Oh, she in on me. Oh, she kinda looked good. And blah, blah, whatever. Whatever do you need? Because I learned that in LA. There's a lot of looks involved, too.
So, I think that's how I start, you know, getting my name around, because that's what we have to do. It's not working period.
Marlana
And like you said, Richie had very, you know, established career. Do you think that helped you? Or did it really not matter one way or the other because you didn't go off of him in his connections?
Julia
I don't think it matters that much. He didn't matter that much. He married that day when he brought me in the gym. But that was it. Like after dad, everything started happening on my own, you know, like, he can bring me if I was like, not like professional or if I wasn't, whatever, good enough, right? You could bring me as many times as you want, I will not get anywhere.
I'm very perfectionist, so every time I go places, I like to be prepared. So yeah, I mean, obviously, I guess exposure here and there, you know, people see me, for example, on his Instagram, and they clicked on the check. And then they figured out Oh, my gosh, she plays bass as well. What is that? You know, maybe that but yeah, I mean, we both have different careers, different separate things. So yeah.
Marlana
What's it like to have two musicians in the house?
Julia
It can be difficult, because, like, if I'm recording something, or trying to write something like record vocals, for example, I do here in this room, because I have this little, you know, that's here, everything is here, actually. But I only do this here because he's in the studio on the other side of the house, any lyrics. So, like, if I had a perfect room just for the studio, but then the first time we try to record something that he's on his studio, I'm here, but I'm your drums on like, this is not going to work. So, I had to put together something there's room. But like other than that, I mean, it's pretty, it's pretty chill. I mean, we're not always like playing loud music in the house. I mean, we do that for a living. So, when we come in the house, we might play a radio station of Tom Paley, or like, Holly notes, or you go something chill, you know, cook something, but we don't make too much noise at the same time. We need to balance you know?
Marlana
Do you critique each other?
Julia
yes, but positively, like, you know, good criticism. Like I even asked Ricci sometimes to say, you know, like, singing wise, I love his voice. And then sometimes I record something and clearly, I have Brazilian accent and stuff. So. And then I asked him, like, what do you think? What do you think like this, okay. And I do trust him. Because I tend to think too much. And overthink, I'm a Libra. And I'm like, he's like, good enough. So yeah, I asked for criticism, and he does too. Like sometimes he would talk about of course, yeah. And we know, the best of both. And I know my best I know his best. So, I think is good criticism. Never like, oh my god, you know me?
Marlana
Well, that's good. So, when you write songs, do you have to be in a certain headspace or what is your writing process look like?
Julia
Definitely go to headspace for sure. Usually, when I'm alone, when Richard goes out for touring for, you know goes out, I usually tend to write more. Because then there's less distractions too. And you get in the zone, like you get in a studio, and I'll sit here for hours just to get to eat I have like, coffee. And next day I have reflux and I don't know why.
I have to go to a different place because I like writing and I imagined everything like, you know, the guitars, drums, the beats, the bass, whatever I like, literally arranging stuff to and then I go sing and I need I like to think about maybe, what am I going to sing about? What is this song bringing me you know, because rarely starts with the lyrics for me. So, then I start, you know, I have to just literally, I look outside the window here, I look at all, I start thinking about lyrics and words and what's going to be cool, what's going to make sense.
So, for sure, you have to be in a different mind space. Like, you have to get out of things. For sure. And sometimes it can be like, if I'm upset for something, it's very helpful. You know, if you have like, a heavy energy on you, could be upsetting, could be excitement, could be whatever, that they usually help to, if you sit down and use that energy to put out in wars or whatever, or songs that helps for sure.
Marlana
And that's always been baffling to me that you you can just write something from nothing and put yourself there kind of a thing where instead of oh my gosh, I'm so upset about this. I have to write something.
Julia
Right. I rarely my life, road stuff based on reality or something that happened? Rarely. I get inspirations of course. But yeah, that is interesting. A lot of people use their own personal lives, like Taylor Swift. I know she writes all about her love life or whatever
Marlana
she writes about everybody.
Julia
Okay, yeah, I don't know much about her work. But I know that she writes based on her experiences, and I'm like wow! I like tripping out about possibilities and wards and lakes in there. I don't know. And then I'm about to finish my first solo album. And sometimes it's even like the little what exactly, are you talking about? No nonsense.
But like, I like to be a little too lifted the creativity of people just think about what cannot be, you know, not obvious stuff like that. So, yeah, I do know music is just very interesting. It's creating is, is art. I mean, it's like painting, you just start from nothing.
Marlana
Yeah, that's true. And I wouldn't worry about if people understand it or not, because Queen made a whole career on them on things that you can't necessarily understand.
Julia
Is not even. That's the point of like, some people might get upset or something, oh, my God, I don't get the feedback I want. But like, when I write a song I'm writing first of all for myself, because I have that energy, that creativity. I'm like, oh, and I get excited. I listen to the devil. Yeah, I look at it, and I want to share with my husband or someone. But that's why I'm trying to finish my album, because I've been writing for so long.
And I have a few singles who in their britches, like people have to hear stuff finish. I'm like, Yeah, that's why because I already get excited. myself with my own demos, you know? And yeah, I mean, you shouldn't expect anything from other people, should be first of all for you. I don't think, you know, people are like, Oh, I'm gonna go paint the Mona Lisa, because people might like, or I don't think he was thinking about that. And maybe, but you know, you can obviously write songs that you have to be catchy, like, right for a commercial, whatever. And then you know that, but then you might use a little formula here and there. I don't know. But yeah, I agree with you. I totally agree with you shouldn't expect nothing.
Marlana
You've worked with some pretty impressive people to, who's been your favorite collaboration so far?
Julia
Well, Excuse me.
Marlana
Don't choke on the coffee.
Julia
That's why I'm always in the coffee. I would say the last one, obviously, you know, joining Dixon was is pretty amazing, pretty exciting. I'm super excited with the journey. But, um, besides Vic's and I think the last one that I did was pretty amazing. I did play not only with my husband, but with Adrian Smith, which he's the guitar player of Iron Maiden, and to share music with him. And then I mean, I didn't write the songs or record the songs. But I did perform them with them. And it was surreal, because, you know, it's one of those bands that I grew up listening. I made and I was like, you know, Jesus, I'm basically you're just didn't Harris. And then now, every night, he was next to me. Like not reaching.
He was and I was jelly with here like, obviously, you know, we kind of forget that exactly who he is because he should be the person for some everything. Oh, he's a nice, awesome person. And I'm Jeremy him like, and then you know, sometime like finish was so cool. I'm Jeremy with Adrian Smith. So that's for sure was probably the latest more awesome experience.
Marlana
So, have you ever met or played with anybody that you've been starstruck by?
Julia
Well, you know, probably hear me a little bit. Well, I jammed before I played a few times with Nuno Bettencourt. And, you know, we grew up listening to extreme in Brazil for sure. When I in one of his parties, I actually jam with Steve Vai. Steve Loquitur, and noon are the same little, I'm looking around like, oh my god, I'm playing with those guys. And I love guitar players. I love listening to solos. So, Steve Vai is just mind blowing to me. And when I shared the stage there with you even briefly, I was like, I can't believe it right now. So yeah, for sure. I'm sure I'm forgetting people, too, because he knows me so long for sure.
Marlana
Yeah!So how do you create your opportunities?
Julia
Oh, I'm not necessarily going to be available for everything right. So being available is good, but like, I don't know how you create opportunities, but you have to at least be prepared for opportunities. You know what I mean? Like, because you can try to create as much as you want. But you definitely have to be prepared for when it comes. So like, you know, the way that I create my opportunities.
I post on social media, I tell people, Hey, I may put a song out, I go out and jam I meet people. I might say, Oh, I'm looking for a gig. You know, whatever you put yourself out. But at the same time, I have to be prepared for it. Yeah, like, just like, oh, no, oh, they're from this guru. I don't know if I can do it, then I don't know. It's good to be prepared for sure. improving and improving
Marlana
what would be a dream opportunity for you? Or dream collaboration?
Julia
oh my god, a dream collaboration. Probably will be writing or having some fashion or whatever with Ann Wilson. From heart. I love her so much. I love her voids. It's just a big inspiration. Lose student Tyler. So whatever. I'll just, you know, I met him. I met him a few times. I wanted to be him. I start playing because I want to be him. I didn't know exactly. You know, I didn't want to be a singer necessarily when I start music, but I saw him on like whatever he's doing, I wouldn't be that, you know? So there's probably a bunch of dream collaborations that are like….
Marlana
Do you pick things up from people that you admire and adapt them into either your style of playing or your stage presence? And I don't mean like copying them, but I know even for me, you know, you pick up little pieces along the way.
Julia
I think is not naturally automatically you know, like, if I hear too much for example, if I went to England to UK right to play with aid has made Ben Ricci I slowly started speaking very horrendously, but I was kind of dropping some your mate. You know what I mean? Like I was dropping the adverts that was entertaining.
Marlana
It was horrendous.
Julia
But you know, I was dropping the axe and so naturally, you start getting … What's the word of inspiration or whatever influence is the difference. So yeah, when I'm hearing like if I'm dissecting and Wilson's oh my god, how the voice here blah, blah. I think automatically, I will kind of get a few things here and there from her or like, by looking, watching someone I might get inspired.
I don't know. But I think it's more automatic. And it's more like inspirations from your daily, you know, life that you get, you know, we listen to this music concert, you see these people. But yeah, I'm I don't know, like, Oh, I do this from this person. I would not know, but probably, you know, I remember I released one song one day, and the guy said, Oh, you sound like, which I was like, surprised. You saw like, a lot is more sound. Oh, really. But I couldn't see that. I couldn't put before him apparently did so. Okay. So you know, it's interesting, but probably, I'm sure I do.
Marlana
So, let's talk about road life for a minute. What's that like for you?
Julia
Well, it's two things. It's amazing. And it's exhausting. You know, and that's, that's the big part of the work. And then, you know, my husband says we get paid to travel not to play because the playing is the fun part. But we've traveled so much, you know, and then when you travel, you get sleep deprived, and whatever, and you have to still maintain a nice vibe with the people that you work. You don't want to become grumpy, you know?
So I think that's a pretty hard thing to deal with. And, but that's what people don't get it. They like musicians don't work that's a big part of the work your social skills, because you can ruin a relationship with the band, because of all this together for so long.
So, the road is very interesting on that way. I mean, obviously playing is amazing. That's the fun part. But the role can be tricky when those days start hitting you and then now you have someone in the band like being a dick or whatever, like what's going on, you know, or like there's time fight, what is happening. So that happened in the past a lot. And that's how it is, that's how bands break up to. Broke is great, but it is hard.
Marlana
It's not a lot of togetherness.
Julia
Yeah, and you know, musicians tend to be weird and dorky and whatever and everybody's different and or flashy, whatever, you have a flashy person, a banner, Cheyenne. And it's a lot of social skills that I have to deal with on a daily basis. Like I always thought musicians have to be also psychologists or some because you have to know how to deal with people. Otherwise, it can't be.
Marlana
Yeah. Do you have any things that you have to do before you go on stage, like any rituals or anything like that?
Julia
Yeah, especially on Vixen, now I like to kind of run a few things go on and save. And if I'm with everybody around me, I just do my mindset, I just saw has this part. Gotta gotta go, boom. So I like to do that I have to warm up my voice. I sing all these high notes all the time. And you know, some days if you didn't sleep well, or whatever, you had to just drain your voice. So I do. Definitely some warm ups. I have, you know, I like to just kind of imagine there's gonna be great, I close my eyes, and I imagined I see everybody on stage being amazing. And the crowd being amazing.
Just a very brief like meditation like, this is gonna be great. It's gonna be fine. It's gonna be awesome. I like doing this little things. It's like a ritual for me. Definitely. I do loca and I had to go to the bathroom a few times. That's when you're nervous. And you're gonna play in a big, whatever, like whatever news you're nervous. I definitely go to pee like, 7000 times before
Marlana
Do you get nervous?
Julia
Oh yeah! Sometimes I do. I'm not all the time anymore.
Marlana
But sometimes you do?
Julia
Yeah. But more excitement. More nervousness. You know, it's like, ah, you know, so. Because, again, like, we traveled so much go so far. In for that moment, you know, and sometimes a moment can be four to five minutes. Sometimes it's 70 minutes, but you know, I mean, so you build a lot to get there.
Marlana
Yeah. Let's talk about something that most people don't. Let's say there's something going on at home, or there was a challenge or whatever. And now you have to be on the road. How do you shut that off and perform?
Julia
Well, some people can't, right. Some people, like how many people you see, sometimes they you know, they've been to something then maybe on a ballad song they break down and they kind of cry late or something like that. You never know what it is. But they that's a big thing. Like, it's like, you kind of have to leave your problems behind for that period of time on stage, at least. You know, I did that a few times. And you just reset, you're like, Okay, I'm here to entertain, nobody gives a shit was going on to nothing because they paid the tickets.
You know, they don't want to whatever. Or like, even if you're playing for someone specially for being a sideman forget, and nobody wants to know your problems, they want to see the solutions. So it's hardcore. I mean, you just have to swallow Do you think be a robot machine on that minute? And then you of course, you know, it's your life. But I had to do that a few times. For sure. And, and for me, being on stage takes my brain out of the problem to you know, is helped was like therapy in a sense, especially if it's a nice gigs, a fun gig, whatever, for people. It helps. Yeah. And it does.
Marlana
So what have you learned from your journey so far?
Julia
I learned a lot. One of the biggest things I learned about the era How do you say yaki hierarchy? In Portuguese? Yeah. So that's a big thing, you know, and it is important and to respect people there have been there for so long and listen, I learned a lot about listening to the stories and looking and see our personalities are very different. You know, in the music business, there's a lot of egos so I learned a lot about that. Yeah, and I learned also how to put myself in my place, because it's how it is in any job like that. You can't necessarily overshadowing your boss, you might get fired. I learned a bunch of stuff for sure. But this social skills is what I learned the most more than music. At the end of the day is what I said you spend way more time traveling with this people sitting in the bus looking at each other like this. tired, bored, whatever. Then on stage So social skills big time learned a lot.
Marlana
So what have you learned that surprised you the most?
Julia
Oh! Surprise me the most? Well, in a good side, I had a allfemale band in Brazil. And the beginning was all female, then changed. But that was pretty hard. It was hard. And there was a lot of jealousy a lot of weird things. Like it wasn't supportive, like, Oh, you look great. Oh, yeah, it was none of that. And I hid it in. I promised myself I'm never gonna play with girls. Again, none of that. But that never happened, because I always had at least one partner, it was a girl with me.
When I joined VIXX, and everybody, they're super nice. They're super supportive. Just Oh, my God, you look great on this phone. And then they go and post in Brazil was like, you look great in this photo, burn it, like that. So I was surprised, I learned that I basically can trust. Again, the female part that everybody keeps saying, you know, like, Oh, girls are difficult to deal with. Well, not all the girls, you know, and I learned, because people talk a lot about like, you know, empowerment female in blah, blah, blah. But then, in the same time, they're like, been your backstabbing. Yeah, so wait a minute, less than be real than if you're jealous, why you're jealous. Or if you're like, if you're thinking of Brady, just say it. Oh, my God, it was so great. What are you doing? Oh, my God, I'm so jealous. But whatever. But even easier to say is so much easier. So much. Like, it's somewhat transparent. You know, that's board. And then and then you might say, Why did you do hair? I want a coffee, whatever, you know, right. So surprisingly, I learned a lot about that. I've been learning a lot about how to trust again, girls, which is so weird to me to think about, you know, especially nowadays, and we talked a lot about this.
Marlana
Yeah. But we don't realize that yes, it's true. And you know, it's interesting that you bring that up, because that was you and I met a couple of months ago at Rock and Roll fantasy camp. And it was the first women's only camp. And that's what was so touching to me about what I saw at that camp, because I saw so much support among everyone and so much, you know, cheering for one another. And it was just women supporting women. And it was amazing, because it doesn't always happen.
Julia
Yes. And that was one of the surprising moments that I experienced. I left there like super starched, and I learned a lot. Like, you know, I learned I never like back in the day, I'll never look at you like and if I like your eyes. Oh my god, your eyes are beautiful. I'm not gonna ever say that. Because nobody ever did that to me. You know, it was always like, Oh, what happened? It looked like shit today. You know what I mean? And I'm like, okay, and then they're, obviously I was a counselor. And one of my job's is to make the girls feel good. And they should feel good, because they're doing something that is not easy. You know, they're putting themselves out there, playing huge songs. And that whole exchange of like, you can do it, you got this, all this stuff like this support and dislike encouragement.
I remember, I left there was only four days, but I left. It was fun. I learned a lot this weekend. And how to be a little more vulnerable to towards women, because it's fine. It's okay. We should be supporting ourselves, like every day, you know, and not feeling like, Oh, you look great. And then you turn Oh, that bit, you know, this kind of stuff happen all the time. Yeah. So that was pretty amazing. To see. I mean, and then we were hugging each other every day. And was it you could feel it was a real hug? You know? It's a real like, yes. Like, we're actually being vulnerable here. It's good. You know, stop having all these like weapons in the hands.
So I thought that was pretty awesome. Yeah, I agree. I wish a lot of our girls could experience something like that, you know, like, Hey, girls, when people are talking about, you know, supporting women and empowerment, that's what it should be learning about, you know, for real, not just put, oh, I put a photo of someone who, well, is way deeper than that, you know, and is achievable, which is great. So I felt very, very good.
Marlana
Yeah, I completely agree with you. So what's next for you?
Julia
Mark off well next for me as I said a little bit I'm finishing slowly but surely my first solo album that I wrote all the songs lyrics ranged left the whole nine yards. So, I love doing that. So I'm finishing that obviously playing more with victim which is super exciting. We just record a single we planning on just trying to get some riding together, just go jam something so this is pretty exciting. I think work, that's my next step, is just like putting myself out more on the sense like finish my work and you know, playing more with because that's what I love to do. You know? I think that's what's next.
Marlana
Go out and rock. Love it! And with that Julie, I only have four final questions for you. First one, what's the best piece of advice you're ever given?
Julia
Well, I guess a very interesting piece of advice first of all that nobody really think about is to breathe before you answer, before you make a decision, before anything, breathe and connect yourself because you have the answer deep inside you. We always know what you want but because of other people what we think is gonna happen we'll start you know neglecting ourselves. So, breathe and connect with yourself first of all, that's very important.
Marlana
Love that. Share with us one thing on your bucket list
Julia
Oh, man! I love to tour in Brazil with jewelry in July like playing rock and roll vixen whatever you know, like tour in Brazil because all I tour so many individually but I was playing country. I love to go back to my country like with vixen for example and play some good rock and roll and just like BB, so I love to do that for sure, one of many.
Marlana
Okay! When the toy companies finally get around to making an action figure of you, what two accessories will it come with?
Julia
Well, bunch, but definitely a base probably rat lives because I wear a lot. I have my hair have a life on its own on stage and I'm leaving my hands to be like ah and the dog have a dog.
Marlana
Yeah. And last one how do people find you?
Julia
Well, there you go. My name is Julia Lage. So, you can find me on Instagram Julia_Lage, Facebook is Julie Lage. And YouTube is Your Luxury. I have a website; julialage.com. And if you want to check me out with vixen it's vixen website. Oh my god. I forgot because an official if I'm not wrong. And yeah, you can find me as junella for sure. And I'm always posting also the dates show dates on my website. So June elijah.com. You have access to everything stuck me soccer.
Marlana
Thank you so much for being here, Julia.
Julia
Thank you. It was a pleasure. I love talking to you. Hopefully we can chat more in the future.