9 Fun Facts You Never Knew About Singer-Songwriter Julia Michaels
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If you're not yet a fan of Julia Michaels, the time has come to jump on board. The 25-year-old "Issues" singer, who just released her EP Inner Monologue Part 2 and is spending this Fall on her Inner Monologue Tour all over the world, is refreshingly real when it comes to her relationships, her talents, and her struggles with anxiety. She's candid with her fans and belts her heart out every single time she sings. But what's so fascinating about her is that she started as a songwriter for other top artists — including Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato — before saving her songs for herself and becoming a solo star in her own right. With her 2017 release of "Issues," she's gone on to release multiple EPs and even snagged two Grammy nominations. You should be hooked by now, but just in case, here are nine fun facts about Julia that will have you purchasing a ticket to her next show, guaranteed.
A Lot of Her Favorite Places to Visit Are Because of the Food
Julia has a lot of favorite places around the world that she's been lucky enough to visit because of touring. At an American Express Travel event, she told POPSUGAR that she especially loves France and Portugal, and that both have excellent food.
She Didn't Originally Intend to Keep "Issues" For Herself
Julia has spent years writing music for other artists, and "Issues" started out the same way as the rest of her songs for others do. "Then I realized this was my story, and it didn't make sense for someone else to sing it. It's about me," she told POPSUGAR. It became her first single as a solo artist.
She's Most Comfortable on Stage When She Knows Her Fans Are Nearby
At an industry event for American Express Travel in New York, Julia told POPSUGAR she invited a few of her biggest local fans to be in the audience to help calm her nerves. "I like knowing they're right there singing along with me," she said.
She Wrote the Theme Song For Austin & Ally When She Was a Teenager
Julia started writing when she was very young. Her first major cowriting credit was for the Austin & Ally theme song on the Disney channel while she was still a teen — 17 to be exact.
She's Written Some of Your Favorite Songs
Did you know Julia's written some huge songs for other artists? Her songwriting credits include "Sorry" by Justin Bieber, "Miss Movin' On" by Fifth Harmony, and "Slow Down" by Selena Gomez.
She Likes to Write Her Own Music Alone
Julia treats her songwriting process differently depending on what kind of outcome she's looking for. When she's writing for someone else, she said she teams up with other people to get more perspectives, but that's not the case for her solo songs. "I tend to write alone when it's my own music," she said. "Someone can't write my memories for me; I have to do that."
Her World Tour Is Going to Be Bigger Than You Expect
Julia already has dates scheduled around the world, but she revealed to us that there are "some other cities that I don't think we've put out there yet — it's turned into a real world tour!"
She's Toured With Some Huge Acts
Julia's been on tour as an opening act with iconic singers like Pink, Maroon 5, Keith Urban, Shawn Mendes, and Niall Horan. In 2019, she set out on her first headlining tour of her own. "For the past two years, we've been opening for other people, and this was the first time we had ever done anything for our fans and it's a completely different, unbelievably beautiful experience," she told POPSUGAR.
She Was Born in Iowa — Which Is Not Ohio
Julia was born in Iowa in 1993 and jokingly said that people always confuse it for other states. "I was born in Iowa, but people always confuse it with Ohio for some reason," she told POPSUGAR at the American Express Travel event. "I get Idaho a lot too, and I'm like, 'No, no, no, we're corn, not potatoes.'"