Singer: Juliette Jules

Producer: Peter Karroll

Teenagers around the world often rely on whatever creative outlets are readily accessible to them to express their powerfully complex and diverse emotions that range from love, loss and the need for acceptance. Rising Parisian singer-songwriter Juliette Jules, is one such talented adolescent who’s passionately and productively funneling her desire to be heard and appreciated in her new EP, ‘Black Crow.’ The enthralling EP, which is being digitally released today for free to celebrate the vocalist’s 16th birthday, maturely combines her diverse musical and literary influences.

Throughout ‘Black Crow’s entirety, Jules powerfully infused her appreciation of the purity and emotion of the lyrics of the underground punk scene and such groups as the Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys, as well as such diverse rock and jazz singers from the late 1960s and 1970s as Patti Smith and Leonard Cohen. The young musician smartly steered clear of the pop culture many other singers her age currently aim for and smartly honed in on her own honest expressions and feelings about life.

The five-song EP vibrantly and passionately begins with the folk-driven ‘Johnny Was.’ The multitalented musician wrote the lyrics and music with the EP’s producer, Peter Karroll, who discovered the singer in a Paris park last June. The enticing bass guitar introduction, played by Doug Fury, is reminiscent of Jewel’s popular folk songs.

But Jules then quickly proved her originality and captivating maturity with passionate lyrics about a man struggling to contend with the difficulties of his family life. The song emotionally resonates with all listeners, as the musician passionately explains its best not to cry about feelings of discontent about a family’s struggles and pain, as people truly do want that true connection.

While Jules effortlessly infused genuine emotion and relatablity throughout ‘Black Crow,’ the most distinct song on the EP, which rivals the passion in the songs of her fellow European singer-songwriter, Adele, is ‘The Game.’ Jules, who once again wrote the lyrics and music for the song with Karroll, instantly drew listeners in with her expressive piano introduction, which leads into equally enthralling guitar cords.

The gratifying instrumentals perfectly balance her deeply emotional lyrics about feeling jilted and pained after her love brazenly left her. She elegantly sings about the universal feeling of confusion of not realizing her love intended to leave her. The singer’s questioning about how she unpredictably had her heart broken, and if she’ll ever find love again, will surely resonate with all listeners.

The other two original tracks on ‘Black Crow,’ including the mature title track and the gripping last song, ‘To The Mountains,’ both featured soothing, subtle and powerful guitars from Jules that reflect the lyrics’ distinct darkness. Both songs, which feature lyrics Jules wrote exclusively, dominantly showcase people’s emotional turmoil over feeling like they can’t reach their full potential in their personal lives. Despite feeling repressed, both songs courageously showcase her will to grow and thrive. ‘To The Mountains’ also ends the EP on a truly reflective note, as Jules states her determination to find her life’s path and goals.

Teenagers often strive to find a meaningful way to channel their confusing and diverse emotions, but the multifaceted Jules instantly found the right platform in singing, songwriting and playing multiple instruments. With her highly emotive vocals and unique guitar and piano playing, the musician powerfully and relatably showcases the pain of loss, the confusion of love and the importance of family and friends. Mixing her diverse literary influences with her musical appreciation of old rock and jazz, the versatile acoustic and folk musician is able to not only directly speak with her young audience, but also infiltrate her songs with the classic sounds of past generations.

For more information on Jules and ‘Black Crow,’ visit the musician’s official website and Facebook page. Listen to Jules’ ‘Black Crow’ EP in full below.

Written by: Karen Benardello