Singer-songwriter Julia Brennan experienced a fairytale start into the music industry in the second half of 2016, kick-starting her career with the release of her self-written debut EP Inner Demons.
Brennan, a 19-year-old from Minneapolis, wrote her debut single “Inner Demons” herself. She uploaded the single to iTunes and was self-promoting until she decided to send it to KDWB-FM, Minneapolis’s pop radio station, requesting that they play the song. The station played a snippet and talked to her about her music endeavors, and Brennan’s song quickly became one of their top-requested. She immediately began hearing from record labels.
She chose to sign to Columbia Records and released her debut EP, named after her debut single, in early November 2016. The EP is comprised of three songs: “Inner Demons,” “A Light To Call Home,” and “I’m Not Her.”
“Inner Demons” is a piano-led balladgo away that sparked from her relationship with a friend who was having family issues. “I would always try to comfort her then feel bad that I couldn’t do more,” Brennan said. “We all have demons. This song says it’s okay that you’re not feeling okay. Sometimes we have to admit things are hard and we need help,” she added. She released the music video for “Inner Demons” on March 16, 2017.
“A Light To Calm Home” is about searching for a light in the darkness and fighting for a place to call your own. “I’m Not Her” is about wanting a relationship to work out but knowing it won’t because there’s other people that have a hold on your heart.
Overall, Brennan’s Inner Demons is a solid piece, poising her to skyrocket further into the music industry in the coming years. Her voice is tender, her message heartfelt, and her tone contemplative. She writes with a passion that is quietly intense, focusing on the raw musicality of her work, pairing it with her airy and whimsical vocals. Julia Brennan is certainly a rising pop artist to watch.
The McNicholas Milestone 