Julia Nunes

Last updated

Julia Nunes
Julia Nunes by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Nunes in 2012
Background information
Born (1989-01-03) January 3, 1989 (age 35)
New York, United States
Origin Fairport, New York, United States
Genres Acoustic pop, [1] indie pop
OccupationMusician
Instruments
LabelsRude Butler, DFTBA [2]

Julia Nunes (born January 3, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter from Fairport, New York. [3] Her career has progressed online through her videos of pop songs on YouTube, in which she sings harmony with herself and plays acoustic instruments, primarily the ukulele, guitar, melodica, and piano.

Contents

Biography and career

Nunes was born into a musical family in New York. Her father is a pianist and a composer of children's songs. One grandfather was a composer of Portuguese fado music and the other a jazz pianist. Nunes started piano lessons at age seven, before switching to the guitar in her teens. She began writing songs at age 14 and playing the ukulele in 2005. She attended Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. [4] Nunes also plays guitar and melodica. [5]

YouTube videos

Nunes produces videos on YouTube. [6] [7] Among them are original songs as well as covers of some of Nunes' favorite bands, such as Say Anything, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Destiny's Child. Her original songs have been featured on the main page of YouTube twice, under the username 'jaaaaaaa'. [8]

On Good Morning America (June 30, 2008), Molly Ringwald stated that she took up the ukulele after seeing Julia Nunes on YouTube. "I've always wanted to play the ukulele, and she completely inspired me," she said. [9]

Nunes is also featured in a YouTube cover video of "Some Nights" by fun., alongside members of the band Walk off the Earth. [10]

Nunes covered the Bruno Mars song "That's What I Like" with the funk band Scary Pockets in 2017. [11]

Recordings and performances

In May 2008, Nunes opened four times for one of her idols, Ben Folds, at the musician's request, [3] and the same month she performed at the Bushman Ukulele Luau at The Knitting Factory in New York after having won the 2007 Bushman World Ukulele Video Contest. On October 25, 2008, she opened for the Bacon Brothers at The State University of New York at Geneseo. On November 22, 2008, Nunes performed her song "Maybe I Will" on YouTube Live '08 in San Francisco. She was joined onstage by The YouTube Ukulele Orchestra, which is composed of fellow YouTube ukulele players Wade Johnston, Dustin Domingo, Philip Fernandez, and Narciso Lobo. In January 2009, Nunes played four sold-out shows in London, England, and was interviewed and performed on BBC Radio 1. [12] In June 2009, she played two shows and participated in the artist signing tent at Bonnaroo, the independent music festival held in Manchester, TN; she also completed a second tour of England. Nunes began recording her third album of original music in August 2009, working with Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn of Pomplamoose as producers.

Nunes has also appeared in several videos with Jake & Amir of CollegeHumor. [13]

She played at Bonnaroo 2010, her second time there. Nunes started the event on the main stage at noon, June 11, 2010, [14] and also played alongside Weezer on the second night. [15] She opened for Ben Kweller at Indiana University's Buskirk-Chumley Theater on November 13, 2010, as part of Kweller's tour. On January 24, 2012, Nunes made her television debut, performing "Stay Awake" on Conan .

On January 3, 2017, Nunes began a Kickstarter campaign for her sixth album and achieved over twice its funding goal. [16]

Charity work

In December 2008, Nunes participated in the Green brothers' Project for Awesome. [17] Rather than tell YouTubers to donate time or money to a charity, she offered one of her hand-knit hats on eBay, promising to donate the proceeds of the auction, and her own matching funds, to the Lupus Foundation of America. The hat sold for US$1,250.00, after which she asked her followers to help her make the donation, promising US$500.00 of her own money.

Music

Left Right Wrong

Nunes' first album, Left Right Wrong, contained all original compositions and came out in the summer of 2007. [18] It was released independently, published by JuNu Music (ASCAP), on Nunes' label Rude Butler Music. Following YouTube success, as of June 2008, Nunes arranged a distribution deal for Left Right Wrong with Burnside Distribution Corporation, [19] and the album can now be purchased through some mainstream sources. [20] The twelve tracks (ten studio, two live) were recorded with just guitar and voice, without the overdubs which feature in her YouTube videos.

I Wrote These

I Wrote These was released on October 15, 2008, containing original compositions by Nunes, except for Track 12, "Sugar Coats", which was co-written with her friend and fellow musician Kirk Stevens. Like her first album, I Wrote These was released on her Rude Butler Music label and copyrighted to JuNu Music. The album was tracked and mixed at Studio Arts Entertainment and Hilltop Recording in Greenwich, NY, by Peter Kobor and Chris Roberson. The record features mostly acoustic tracks, although Nunes is joined on a few songs by a full band (including Todd Haviland on bass and Dave Harris on drums). Guest vocalists include Dan Gocek, Kirk Stevens, and Andy Martin. Other musical accompaniment includes whistling, finger snapping, and beatboxing. I Wrote These was mastered by Steve Forney at the studios at Linden Oaks, in Rochester, New York.

I Think You Know

Nunes began recording her third album of original music in August 2009, and worked with Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn as producers. The album was released on iTunes on February 2, 2010, through her own record label, Rude Butler Records.

YouTube Covers

Nunes' first album of covers is titled YouTube Covers. It was released on November 3, 2010. It features eleven covers from such artists as the Beatles, Queen, the Beach Boys, Paramore, and many others. It was released through her own record label, Rude Butler Records.

Settle Down

On June 11, 2011, Nunes launched a Kickstarter campaign for her fourth album. [21] Her goal was $15,000, but in less than 24 hours, she had already received over $19,000 in donations. By the conclusion of the campaign, the project had $77,888 in donations, making it the third most-funded music project in Kickstarter's history (behind Nataly Dawn's solo album and a collaboration between Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman). On December 6, 2011, she posted the album art, revealing the title to be Settle Down, and announced the album's release date as February 28, 2012.

"He is Mad", "Pizza", and "I Wasn't Worried" are mini-songs roughly a minute in length, all of which Nunes recorded videos for and posted to YouTube. Other songs, like "Odd", "Balloons", "First Impressions", "Comatose", and "Into the Sunshine" appeared on previous albums, but were re-recorded for Settle Down. Nunes also updated the Kickstarter project page with a video of her performing "Stay Awake" in the Kickstarter offices (thanks to the overwhelming success of her campaign). [22] On January 24, 2012, she performed "Stay Awake" on Conan to promote the album. [23]

Some Feelings

Julia Nunes' fifth album, titled Some Feelings , was released on September 25, 2015. Another Kickstarter project, the album raised $134,403 from 3,258 backers. [24] The video for her single "Make Out" features extended takes of couples kissing, including band members as well as Nunes and her former girlfriend Dannielle Owens-Reid. [25]

UGHWOW

Julia Nunes' sixth album, titled UGHWOW, was released on June 21, 2019. Again funded through Kickstarter, it raised $71,025 from 2,409 funders. [26]

Discography

Julia Nunes discography
Studio albums6
EPs1
Singles11
Music videos6

Studio albums

TitleAlbum details
Left Right Wrong
I Wrote These
  • Released: October 15, 2008
  • Label: Rude Butler
  • Formats: CD, digital download
I Think You Know
  • Released: February 2, 2010
  • Label: Rude Butler
  • Formats: CD, Digital download
YouTube Covers
  • Released: November 3, 2010
  • Label: Rude Butler
  • Formats: Digital download
Settle Down
  • Released: February 28, 2012
  • Label: Mordomo
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Some Feelings
  • Released: September 25, 2015
  • Label: Rude Butler
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming

EPs

TitleAlbum details
UGHWOW
  • Released: June 21, 2019
  • Label: Rude Butler
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming

Singles

TitleYearAlbum
"No Sudden Moves"2019UGHWOW
"Dear Ben"2020Non-album singles
"We're Not in Love"
"I Really Do"
"Can I Be Done"
"It's Easy"
"Has to Be"
August 2020"
"Promise"
"Magic"2021
"Make Believe"
"Life Is Long"2022
"Late Night, Austin"2024

Music videos

YearTitleAlbum
2012"Stay Awake"Settle Down
2016"Make Out"Some Feelings
"I Don't Want To"
2019"No Sudden MovesUGHWOW
"Used to Want"
2021"Make Believe"—

Related Research Articles

t.A.T.u. Russian musical duo

t.A.T.u. were a Russian pop duo consisting of Lena Katina and Julia Volkova. The two started out as part of the children's musical group Neposedy before being managed by producer and director Ivan Shapovalov and signing with Russian record label Neformat. t.A.T.u.'s debut album 200 Po Vstrechnoy (2001) was a commercial success in Eastern Europe, and that resulted in the duo signing with Interscope Records to release its English-language counterpart, 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane (2002). The album was certified platinum by the IFPI for one million copies sold in Europe and became the first album by a foreign group to reach number one in Japan. It was also certified gold in the United States and included the international hits "All the Things She Said" and "Not Gonna Get Us". The duo represented Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with the song "Ne ver, ne boysya", finishing third. t.A.T.u. is one of the few Russian performers who have achieved international success along with Alla Pugacheva and Anna Netrebko.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanda Palmer</span> American musician and performance artist

Amanda MacKinnon Palmer is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and performance artist who is the lead vocalist, pianist, and lyricist of the duo The Dresden Dolls. She performs as a solo artist and was also a member of the duo Evelyn Evelyn and the lead singer and songwriter of Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra. She has gained a cult fanbase and was one of the first musical artists to popularize the use of crowdfunding websites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Fordham</span> British singer-songwriter

Julia Fordham is a British singer-songwriter. Her professional career started in the early 1980s, under the name "Jules Fordham", as a backing singer for Mari Wilson and Kim Wilde, before signing a recording contract of her own later that decade. Fordham is now based in California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chromeo</span> Canadian electro-funk musical duo

Chromeo is a Canadian electro-funk duo from Montreal, formed in 2002 by musicians David "Dave 1" Macklovitch and Patrick "P-Thugg" Gemayel. Their sound draws from soul music, dance music, rock, synth-pop, disco and funk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marié Digby</span> American musician

Marié Christina Digby is an American singer-songwriter best known for her acoustic cover version of Rihanna's "Umbrella", which was posted on YouTube in 2007. The song was subsequently played on the radio station STAR 98.7, was featured on the highly rated third season opening episode of the MTV show The Hills, and peaked at #10 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. Digby performed the song on the late-night talk show Last Call with Carson Daly on August 2, 2007. Since then, Digby has released several studio albums, EPs and singles, including one Japanese cover album. Her fifth studio album Winter Fields was released in October 2013. In August 2014, Marié released Chimera, a three-track EP.

Charlotte "Charlie" McDonnell is a British filmmaker, screenwriter, musician, former vlogger, author and Twitch streamer from Bath, Somerset. On 15 June 2011, her YouTube channel charlieissocoollike became the first in the United Kingdom to reach one million subscribers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She & Him</span> American musical duo

She & Him is an American musical duo consisting of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. It was formed in 2006 in Portland, Oregon. Their first album, Volume One, was released on the independent label Merge Records on March 18, 2008. They are commonly associated with the twee, indie-folk resurgence of the mid-2000s, which music critic and professor Eric Harvey described in Stereogum as "childlike, whimsical, earnest, acoustic Starbucks-friendly music like Feist, the Decemberists, Regina Spektor, and Jose Gonzalez."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer XO</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1978)

Summer Esso, known professionally as Summer XO is a Los Angeles–based American singer-songwriter who plays guitar, piano, and ukulele. Though not her primary focus, she is also a visual artist who creates poster-size pastel drawings of abstract emotive female faces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zee Avi</span> Musical artist

Zee Avi, PBK is a Malaysian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and ukulele player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pomplamoose</span> American pop music group

Pomplamoose is an American musical husband-and-wife duo composed of multi-instrumentalist Jack Conte and singer-songwriter and bassist Nataly Dawn. Formed in 2008, the duo sold about 100,000 songs online in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nataly Dawn</span> American musician

Nataly Dawn is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She is one half of the duo Pomplamoose with her husband Jack Conte and has released four studio albums and four EPs, in addition to numerous collaborations with other artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molly Lewis</span> American musician

Molly Lewis is an American musician who is known for her ukulele playing and who rose to prominence on the Internet. She plays both covers and original songs. Her original music consists of comedic songs that deal with relevant pop culture topics. She is currently signed with DFTBA Records through which she released her first EP I Made You A CD... But I Eated It.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Vox</span> American singer-songwriter

Victoria Davitt, better known by stage name Victoria Vox, is a singer, songwriter and musician specialising in the ukulele. A native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Vox now resides in Costa Mesa, California when not on tour.

Lauren O'Connell is an American singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer from Rochester, New York. They have independently released six solo albums, and two EPs as a duo with Nataly Dawn under the group name My Terrible Friend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walk off the Earth</span> Canadian indie pop band

Walk off the Earth is a Canadian indie pop band from Burlington, Ontario. The group is known for its music videos of covers and originals. The band is well known for covering pop-genre music on YouTube, making use of instruments such as the ukulele and the theremin, as well as looping samples. The band's recorded music and videos are produced by member and multi-instrumentalist Gianni "Luminati" Nicassio.

Sophie Madeleine is a ukulele player from Brighton. She released three solo albums; her third album, Silent Cynic, was released on 1 November 2013 after a crowdfunding campaign on PledgeMusic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Gold (Twenty One Pilots song)</span> Twenty One Pilots song

"House of Gold" is a song by American alternative duo Twenty One Pilots. It originally appeared as a bonus track on their second album Regional at Best (2011) and was rounded out and re-released on their major-label debut studio album Vessel (2013). "House of Gold" is an alternative folk song driven by ukulele that is built on an aching melody and stomping drums. Tyler Joseph wrote and dedicated the song to his mother, Kelly Joseph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knower (duo)</span> American independent electronic music duo

Knower, also stylized as KNOWER, is an American independent electronic jazz-funk duo. The group primarily consists of Louis Cole and Genevieve Artadi ; their full band includes saxophone, bass and keyboard players. They have gained success releasing music online.

<i>Some Feelings</i> 2015 studio album by Julia Nunes

Some Feelings is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Julia Nunes and was released September 25, 2015.

<i>Settle Down</i> (album) 2012 studio album by Julia Nunes

Settle Down is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Julia Nunes.

References

  1. ↑ "Julia Nunes shines on new EP". Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Julia Nunes - DFTBA Records". Archived from the original on December 16, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
  3. 1 2 "Fairport teen: From YouTube to Ben Folds gig". whec. WHEC-TV. May 28, 2008. Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  4. ↑ Williams, Nick (June 19, 2019). "DIY Pop Star Julia Nunes Shares Her Summer of Pride Playlist & Premieres Brooding 'No Sudden Moves' Video". Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Music: Julia Nunes, ukulele diva". January 31, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  6. ↑ "Ukulele sends UK Crazy". BBC. February 19, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Bonnaroo 2010: Julia Nunes in Concert". NPR. June 13, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Julia Nunes". YouTube. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Ukulele Links: Irish Uke Gathering, Julia Nunes Inspires Molly Ringwald". UkeHunt.com. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Some Nights - Walk off the Earth + Julia Nunes". YouTube. August 7, 2012. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  11. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "That's What I Like – Bruno Mars – Funk Cover Feat. Julia Nunes!". YouTube . March 29, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Julia Nunes BBC Radio 1 Interview with Nihal (17/01/2009)". YouTube . January 7, 2009. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  13. ↑ "Jake and Amir: Julia Nunes". CollegeHumor. October 13, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Bonnaroo 2010: Noon with Julia Nunes". June 11, 2010. Archived from the original on June 16, 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  15. ↑ "Weezer Goes Bananas At Bonnaroo". June 13, 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  16. ↑ Julia Nunes makes music kickstarter.com
  17. ↑ "The 2008 Project for Awesome!!!". YouTube . December 11, 2008. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  18. ↑ "Julia Nunes". CD Baby. Archived from the original on June 2, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  19. ↑ "Burnside Distribution, June 2008 New Releases" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 16, 2010. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
  20. ↑ "Left Right Wrong at Amazon.com". Amazon. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
  21. ↑ "Kickstarter - Julia Nunes would be nothing without me" . Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  22. ↑ "Vimeo - Julia Nunes performs in the Kickstarter Office". August 25, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  23. ↑ Spevak, Jeff (May 18, 2013). "Nunes to sing on Conan O'Brien show". USA Today . Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Julia Nunes + Feelings = New Album". Kickstarter.
  25. ↑ "JULIA NUNES - MAKE OUT". Julia Nunes. YouTube. January 5, 2016. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Julia Nunes Makes Music". Kickstarter. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.