We had the good fortune of connecting with JJ and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi JJ, why did you pursue a creative career?
Music was always in the fabric of my life. My mother went to fine arts school for classical piano, most car rides were filled with my mother and sister singing worship songs, and I began playing the violin terribly in the third grade. Although music was always woven into my everyday life, it was never the center. I was much more focused on achieving good grades and would beg my mom and sister to stop singing in the car so we can get to our destination in peace. Unlike I could have ever predicted, music went from the background to foreground when I began facing personal hardship in my life. I began living on my own away from my family when I was 14 and as you can imagine, being forced to grow up without parental support brings it’s own set of heavy trials. Within those unexpected times, music became my comfort and my grounding. Most of my hours were spent in show choir rehearsals, concert choir, musical rehearsals, and practicing piano and guitar for class. Music was empathy during such a lonely and difficult time of my life. Performing on stage was the sole time I felt alive. That’s how I ended up going to music college and now working in the music industry. I pursued music because it pursued me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a Korean-American singer – songwriter, producer, engineer, and currently A&R in the KPOP industry. I write mainly in the acoustic pop genre. I was born in the states but have moved 20+ times growing up- having lived and traveled to over 10 countries and attending a college with an incredibly diverse student body, I have experienced a wide variety of cultures. Having lived through much change and experiences, I believe that empathy is the key to being able to write songs for both myself and others. Life can throw us a handful of painful and gut wrenching experiences but within it all, I want to point to hope. There is hope within empathy because no one is ever truly alone within the tribulation and I hope that my music reminds the listeners of that.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Without my mother, Joy and sister, Sonia, I could never have made it to where I am today. My show choir family, Music Unlimited whom I’ve spent probably thousands of hours with singing and dancing with. My first friends at Belmont University, Bridge and Delaney who were my rock throughout college and my first year in music school. My fellow classmates and friends from Berklee College of Music. There are too many incredible people who shaped me from Berklee to name them all individually but they know who they are. My high school voice teacher, MJ who believed in me way more than I ever did and is the reason I had the courage to apply for music school. My private vocal instructor Tom Baskett who believed in me when I had stopped believing in myself.

Instagram: @julia.jahng

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-jahng-2bb346157/?msgControlName=view_message_button&msgConversationId=2-ZDRlMDRjYTctZTgwZS00NjA3LWFlYzYtM2E5ZDJmMTE0ZTg3XzAxMA%3D%3D&msgOverlay=true

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1JrhfAkbst-LFAfoD5sI5Q

Image Credits
Cole Nelson Photography

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