Julia Volkova Exclusive to Rolling Stone MagazineRS: It’s been a long time since your debut with ElectroDeath, I mean the band is making a ten year anniversary this year and you’re part of that story, how do you feel about that?
Julia: Well, I feel like a movie, a story that has been told, but I’m not part of the sequence. It’s weird, because years ago I just couldn’t see myself as a soloist, not even succeeding in the industry, I thought I would die on ElectroDeath, like we would stay together till we didn’t want to make music anymore, and look at me now! But I feel happy about this important date, after all it’s not easy to stay like ten years with a band, and all its issues and struggles, but I really believe that while Magie keeps making music, ElectroDeath will exist.
RS: Last year, was a quite hard year for you, not only because of your departure from ElectroDeath, but also because you had a bunch of relationships around the year, and affairs and media showed all of them on tabloids and magazines. What about now, how is your heart Julia?
Julia: In January I went to the doctor and he said I’m pretty healthy. *laughs* it’s good, I’m single, I don’t know, I’m not feeling like having someone else beside me this point of my life, because I’m so focus on my career right now that I feel like I’m not able to give the person the attention needed in a relationship. Probably I’ll be single for a long period this year, but ‘m ok with loneliness.
RS: On your album you deal a lot with relationship themes, do you think you’re an expert on the subject?
Julia: Not at all, I always feel like there’s something to learn with relationship, what I wrote for the album was what I have been feeling almost my entire life for different people in different time. Actually it was not meant to be a heartbreaking theme album, I thought I would leave this subject for Abie Lena or Nadia Berry, but I just couldn’t run away of those moments in my life, so I surrender myself and wrote the songs. In the end I’m proud of everything I did, but I promise that for another album I’ll be more open mind about the themes I’ll choose to write a music.
RS: About writing music, you’re one of the best songwriters on industry nowadays, how is your writing process?
Julia: Thanks for the compliments, I write what I’m feeling at the moment, it’s like I’m having lunch and suddenly a feeling comes to my heart and it transform into a phrase in my mind, that’s when I know a song is about to born, so I go fast to my piano or I take my guitar and I start to write it, some songs take like days to get ready, others I write in a single hour, depends on how much that feeling is inspiring me.
RS: For how long time were you writing for this album?
Julia: For almost three years I passed writing songs for a solo project, you know I always loved rock music as much as I love electronic music, some time ago I wanted to have this two sides in my career, like Julia the rock chick and Yulia the clubber, obviously I find out that this is impossible, at least in my world it was impossible.
RS: Why do you think it was impossible to keep with ElectroDeath and a side project together?
Julia: Because of the simple fact that Julia the rock chick, took my whole mind and heart, I’m not saying that I don’t like electronic music anymore, it’s not that, it’s just that I’m not good enough to make up an electronic music as I was used to. And I don’t know how that ability escaped from me, it’s strange but I’m a completely different person right now.
RS: Did you know anything about ElectroDeath’s new album, or have you keep contact with the girls at least?
Julia: I’ve been so busy with the promotion of my debut album, and the tour and everything, I don’t have so much time to hang out or to read news or even to call the girls, it’s been like five months now since I last talked with Magie and Lilly, and it was about managing stuffs, so I don’t have any idea of how this album will sound or anything like that, you should ask this to Culture Uncut, they know more things than I ever knew.
RS: ok, changing subject, what about the music scene right now? What do you most like and what do you less like?
Julia: I pretty music like to listen to all kinds of music. I have to confess that I’m more into rock, folk songs right, like Cristina Lake, the amazing new album by Nadia like I said minutes before, she made one of the best albums of the genre so far this year! And I have to confess that I’m extra interested on Katie’s new album. You know I have a crush on Katie. LOL
RS: Yes Julia, we know that, have you keep on touch with her?
Julia: I talk with her once a while, whenever I have time I speak about her music and even I try to keep myself updated on what she’s producing. I k now she’s working with a lot of people, and some of them are really strong names on music industry like Mister Ryan R. Hernandez, you know I always loved Katie.
RS: You’re touring with Stephanie Fierce so far, how is it going?
Julia: Stephanie is amazing, she’s sweet, she’s smart and very entertaining to watch, it’s been some time we’re touring now and even I had been watching her all the venues we have performed I’m still interested in watch her every night. It’s a great opportunity for me, because when I was on ElectroDeath, specially touring we had so many people to take care of everything and now I’m alone, but to be able to tour with Stephanie I can borrow her staff to support whenever I have difficulties.
RS: Do you plan to headline a tour sometime?
Julia: Yes, and I even want to tour this year, I don’t know when it is going to happen, but I can assure you, I’ll be doing it on small venues. I want to make a more intimate concert.
RS: That’s nice. You released your new single recently, but I’m sure you already have an idea of what is going to be the next one, can you tell us?
Julia: The truth is that I cannot choose a single song, it’s really hard for me to choose singles and I’m awful of doing this things, probably I’ll let my label decide it, once I think every song for me in this album can become a single, what I really think is that the label probably would like to release a slowdown one from the album. Maybe ‘Excuses’ or ‘Guilty on Me’, let’s see.
RS: To end our interview I have to ask you, even knowing is too early for a question like that, but is there any idea for a second album right now?
Julia: A deluxe edition of my debut album will be out next month, but not a second album yet, probably I’ll spend the rest of the year promoting this album, I don’t know, I always wanted to have a live album, maybe I’ll so it by the end of the year, first I have to know what this album will bring to me. Then I decide on whether I’ll go musically.
RS: Thank you so much Julia, it was a pleasure to talk with you.
Julia: Thank you for the opportunity and I’m sorry if I was rude sometimes.
If you didn’t buy Julia’s album ‘All You Want To Know About Me’ yet you can buy it on ITunes, Amazon.com or in a store near you. Also don’t forget to support ‘As I Used To’ by downloading it or requesting it on Airplay Charts, or on Music Box.