The gallery at has been filling up, and when breakout star takes the big stage, all eyes remain on her throughout the set. Deeply absorbing, the dark-pop singer gives a performance of raw, transfixing quality.
Being less known in the UK live environment, the strength of this set lies in its power to get the word out about the New York City based artist as she cements her reputation on this side of the pond.
A strong, relatable female presence, Julia Wolf’s meteoric rise in the States exceeded expectations a good while ago, it makes the prospect of creating a comparable demand in the UK legit. With a string of tour dates programmed in the US, the UK and Europe this autumn, the best is still to come.
Meeting Wolf backstage, she talks about the excitement of playing the long-standing festival Reading and Leeds, and just generally explore new concert territory. A proper homebody, the longing to be at home never ceases while on tour, however. She decides that “Personally, it’s hard for me to be a festival girl just because I never leave my house. I like to be inside.”
The joy of getting to spend time at home is impossible to overstate, it’s an essential part of her DNA. Knowing that Reading and Leeds is a big deal, she expresses gratitude to be a part of the lineup, a real disbelief that so many came to her set.
Speaking broadly, the status quo is one of delight, especially given the last couple of months. Busy preparing for the upcoming tour, which includes the US, the UK and EU, it will be the biggest shows she ever played. An opportunity worth marking with a lighting makeover for the stage, an improvement to give her production a lift. “I’ve never had a genuine production before,” she enthuses. “So, we’ll get to have that for the first time.”
The taste of success is uplifting but Wolf is not someone to forget about her roots, what originally inspired her. “I tend to listen to the same artists over and over again,” she maintains. “I sometimes live under a rock in that way. I do take much influence from people like Jane Remover, people who are very DIY, the artists who make music in their bedrooms, creating off the circumstances that they have.”
The thrill that comes with living in the Big Apple is addictive. “New York is the hustle and bustle. The energy of it is very motivating, and if I’m even home for three days straight, I start getting antsy. I need to be doing something.”
“It’s in a good way, sometimes in a crazy way. I was always doing open mic nights before, every day after work. I used to work at Carnegie Hall. The music scene there was motivating, warm and welcoming. It helped me out in the beginning.”
Brand-new material may soon be on the horizon. September sees the release of ‘Lamb’. The single features Sleeping with Sirens vocalist . Likened to the track ‘Deep End’, it explores the fragile space between trust and fear, pondering what it means to surrender yourself to someone but never knowing if they will become an anchor or the person who breaks you.
It usually happens when she is alone in her room. “When inspiration strikes, I word vomit things. But because we’ve been on the road so much, I must navigate compartmentalising.”
On reflection she understands that “It’s a muscle that I’m working on.” Free time now needs to be dedicated to the writing, which is a new thing compared to just writing in the spur of the moment.
Seeing the hard work fully realised means something. ‘In My Room’ was a special moment. “I just had the gut feeling that it could translate and reach a bigger audience. I was persistent, I did not give up.”
Standing her ground was the only way to go. “That song is funny because it’s much older, it shows that there really is no shelf life to music. If a song doesn’t go immediately, it doesn’t mean it’s the end. Moving on to the next thing takes time.”
With a tight schedule, there has been a need to book dedicated time to write. She has decided to take January and February in 2027 off. “It’s hard to say no, but I’m saying no for a little bit just to write.”
She needs to get writing again, there’s a thirst in her. Setting time aside is the first step, preferably, the writing happens in the comfort of her beloved homely surroundings.
Julia Wolf wants everyone to have an experience that becomes a core memory for them. Her objective is that “they feel seen and understood, their intrusive thoughts are the same ones that I’m having. We’re all the same in that moment.”
Catch Julia Wolf on tour in the UK this Autumn, including two nights at London’s KOKO venue on November 24th and 25th.