Although I’ve never been a fan of the holidays, I am inclined to believe that they can be fun… based on The Holidays CAN Be Fun co-headlining Tour, coming to us courtesy of long-time PHILTHY friend and exceptionally quirky piano-pop singer/songwriter extraordinaire Elizabeth and the Catapult and YouTube-star-turned-exceptionally-soulful-indie-popper, Julia Nunes. The tour kicks off this Tuesday at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC and will find itself at the Lounge at World Café Live this Wednesday, November 13th. Elizabeth and the Catapult is currently touring behind 2017’s Keepsake, produced by former bandmate and current Lucius bandmember Dan Molad, while Julia Nunes is touring in support of UGHWOW, her latest record, released this June. Two weeks ago I got a chance to chat briefly with Julia Nunes about her career thus far, what can be expected this Wednesday, and the holidays.
Izzy Cihak: I hate starting with such a big question, but I often do… Considering that you’ve been doing music for more than a decade now, what have been some of your personal highlights of your musical career so far?
Julia Nunes: The impressive ones are opening for Ben Folds, playing with Weezer at Bonnaroo, making $130,000 on Kickstarter, and premiering a song on Conan O’Brien.
But the real highlights are the people I’ve met, the bandmates I’ve had the pleasure of working with: Mike Comite, Nat Osborn, Will Sturgeon, Chase Burnett. The producers I’ve created albums with: Peter Kobor, Zach Mcnees, Jack Conte, Joanna Katcher, and Shruti Kumar. I could go on but definitely the people I’ve met and worked with are the best part.
Izzy: Have you had any favorite reactions to you work over the years?
Julia: People love “Feels Good” and that makes me feel great [laughs]. I love getting videos of people jamming to it and drinking water and using it like a mantra.
Izzy: You make a lot of your biggest musical influences clear, but what are some of your most significant non-musical influences?
Julia: Non-musical influences, wowww – this might be a weird way to answer this but like my time as a theater kid, on an improv team, and in plays (and musicals but for this specific question, we’ll leave that out) forever influences my life and how I like to be in a little club of humans all working on a project together.
Izzy: I really like your recent music videos, especially your video for “No Sudden Moves.” What is it that inspires the visual elements of your work?
Julia: That video was born out of my oddly-satisfying obsession. I love slime and glitter and orbee videos on Instagram, so I made a pop star version of them.
Izzy: You’re about to embark to a really cool co-headlining tour with Elizabeth and the Catapult. Are there any cities you’re especially excited to play, or just to get to visit?
Julia: I looooove NYC and Philly and Chicago, the crowd is always so fun and I can’t wait to hang out and sing with them.
Izzy: What can be expected of the live experience when you’re here at the newly-re-branded Lounge at World Cafe Live? I know this is your first chance to take UGHWOW on the road.
Julia: We’ll be playing a mostly stripped-down version of UGHWOW, and popping in at least one sweet little holiday song. Lots of harmonies and stories.
Izzy: How did the idea for this tour originally come together? Are you and Elizabeth friends? I imagine she’d make a great touring partner. She’s one of my favorite musicians of the 21st century.
Julia: Our booking agent set us up like a true match maker. I’ve loved setting up this tour with her and our friendship is, as of yet, long distance, but we’re about to get real familiar and I can’t wait.
Izzy: On a related note, really good co-headlining tours seems to be harder and harder to come by recently. Do you have any particular favorite co-headlining shows from your concert-going history?
Julia: Yeah, wow, I can’t really think of one!
Izzy: Finally, considering that this is a holiday tour, how do you plan to spend the holidays, after these dates wrap?
Julia: I’m gonna head to Rochester to sign some vinyl prints of UGHWOW and celebrate Thanksgiving with the family!
