Juliet Ivy’s Biggest Year Yet

Mixed Asian Media - June 11, 2024

By Bri Ng Schwartz

MAM had the pleasure of attending this year’s Head In The Clouds Music & Arts Festival in Forest Hills, Queens. This is the hometown of 23-year-old singer-songwriter Juliet Ivy. We kicked off the festival by meeting Juliet and learning more about her work, her first tour, pop culture’s influence on her career, and how her mixed identity shapes her artistry.

*THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN EDITED FOR CLARITY AND LENGTH.

Congratulations on this last year! You released your first EP, playpen, and are currently on your first tour. What has the year been like for you?

There's been endless firsts and new experiences, and it feels so exciting. I put out my first EP, and for people to find it, be excited about it, and love it enough to give me opportunities like going on my first tour [feels] so surreal. They've been dreams of mine [since I was] a little kid.

What have been some highlights from the tour so far?

It doesn't feel real to see people singing my songs and paying attention to things I like online. They talk to me about them, reference things, and give me such sweet gifts. It’s been so crazy to meet the people who I see online. I recognize some people from Instagram who've come to the shows in real life. It feels so special to actually connect human-to-human.

You just released a new single, “is it my face?” What can you tell us about that? 

It’s the first single of this next project rollout and I'm really excited about it. This music is a lot more introspective and self-reflective. It's a place where people who have found me from my first project can really get to know me more.

“is it my face?” is about feeling like you want to be wanted, to be noticed, and you want to feel not insecure. I feel like everyone relates to that, but there's also cheeky, funny little lyrics in there that are a little sassy or [like] a little wink. I wrote it with Audrey Hobert, who's just amazing, and writing a song with another girl about being a girl is so powerful.

I hope that people really feel heard by it. It's just fun to sing and scream.

To promote your song “bestfriend,” you made a few TikToks featuring famous best friends in pop culture. Which famous group of friends reminds you the most of your group of friends? 

It's so funny because all my best friends are literally here right now as my crew, so we're having the best day ever. We’re so dysfunctional. We talk about every group of friends. We've compared ourselves to New Girl, we've compared ourselves to Friends. Any big chaotic group of friends. 

You’re a native New Yorker, and I'm sure a lot of people who are here today are traveling from other places. What are your top three New York musts for people who are here for the first time?

Definitely Forest Hills Stadium, because I'm from Forest Hills. I live a few blocks away from the stadium. This is my childhood venue, so to see a show here is life-changing. Next, I would say my favorite store, Other People's Clothes. 

Yes! The one in Bushwick? 

Yes! Definitely stop there. It feels like a magical place because every time I go there, I find something I didn't realize I needed. Thrifting is so fun.

Then, I'd say any of the parks! I used to hang out in Central Park, but now I hang out with my friends in Prospect Park or Maria Hernandez Park. Sitting in a park in New York feels really like home. You’re in a big city, but you're surrounded by trees and grass and with your friends. It's just the most fun.

You are Colombian and Chinese. How would you say your two cultures have inspired your music and aesthetics?

I've grown up fully embracing both sides of myself, all sides of myself, and not feeling like I had to fit into one thing because I don't fit into one thing. So bringing that kind of outlook really inspires me to break all boundaries. Growing up with two super different, super strong cultures has inspired me to embrace everything I can in my music, which has influences of a bunch of different genres. That's how you get the best stuff.

What advice would you give to young mixed-Asian artists looking to break out in the industry? 

Embrace everything about yourself. Don't feel like you need to fit into one of your two cultures or neither of them. Who you are is your strongest power. I honestly think authenticity is the most powerful thing in art.

Juliet’s career has just begun, and we can’t wait to see where this impactful year takes her on the next part of her journey. Stream playpen today, and give her new single “is it my face?” a listen, as it’s sure to be the song of our summer.