First Look Friday: Denise Julia Wants to Take Her Music Global

“I want to bring the Philippines to the world and for them to know for a fact that there is a Filipino pop star that's been able to reach people from different parts of the world while still maintaining her culture,” says the 22-year-old.

For today’s First Look Friday,Okayplayer taps in with Denise Julia to learn about her career beginnings, her new project and more.

Okayplayer: You’ve dropped a new video for “twin flames,” and it’s pretty dope. How did you come up with the concept for the visual?

Denise Julia: It was actually about a girl that I talked to for a week, and I'm a big astrology girly. I am a Pisces, so I was talking to a fellow Pisces, so that's where the twin thing came from. It was really looking in the mirror, so it ended up writing about that situation after ghosting the girl. That's how it came about.

Cool. So let’s take it back to the beginning. When did you realize that you could really sing?

Around grade six. Someone heard me sing in the bathroom or hallway when I thought I was alone. And they just came up to me like, “You have a really nice voice.” No one had ever heard me sing before and I'd never performed in front of anyone. So I started thinking, “Well maybe there's something there.” So I just continued from that point on.

I’d imagine that was a real crazy moment. At what point did you actually start recording?

I started writing around 13 years old. I only started recording the stuff I wrote when I was 18. So that's a very long time. I waited till I moved to college before I really started singing and being out there just because I was really shy. I started making covers. I started making my own songs once I turned 18, just because I felt like I wanted to break out of a shell and finally do something with the talent I had.

How would you describe your style?

Definitely ’90s and 2000s R&B. I use a lot of vocal layering. I like producing, too. I’m very involved with it. I like bringing a lot of nostalgia. I feel like that's me. Just a fusion of two worlds from the past and now.

If you could collaborate with any artists right now, who would they be?

If we're thinking big, probably Beyoncé. Right now I'm really obsessed with Doja Cat. I think she's a really good performer. Apart from that, I do love Summer Walker. I have a whole altar for her here in my crib. Those two would probably be fire collaborations.

Your last project, Sweet Nothings (Chapter 1), really generated some momentum. How did it feel to have that breakthrough?

Very surreal, but I wouldn't say I was super duper surprised. It was just really nice to see your manifestations come true and the fact that it has a bit of different flavors to it. It's not just one side pop, it's not just very R&B. I really got to play with a lot of stuff in there and the fact that it's reached people from different countries and not just [the Philippines] is such a big accomplishment.

So Sweet Nothings (Chapter 1) dropped, but you have a follow-up coming very soon. How will Sweet Nothings (Chapter 2) be different?

The last project was the first chapter. I wanted to make it a full blown full album, but I wanted to break it down into two chapters because I wanted this second one to be a little bit more different than the first, a little bit more antsy, music wise and storytelling wise. This one is more daring. It shows more of my sexuality. I wanted to share more of that instead of just making something that's easy to the ears. This one is really much more personal because I recently came out.

Wow. Good for you. Was that something that you were uncomfortable with before? Was this something you had to evolve personally or emotionally to speak on in your music?

It was a long process, a really tough journey, but I wanted to start it, give a little bit of a taste of it with the first chapter so that we can ease into this chapter a little bit more. I just wanted to be as authentic as possible with my storytelling and the process of coming out. It's not very easy if you're in [the Philippines]. I like the fact that it's opening up conversations; it's breaking barriers. My Intention with it really is, apart from being as authentic as possible, I also want people who listen to my music to feel safe.

Sweet Nothings (Chapter 1) did big numbers in the Philippines. What do you think it will take for you to blow up in America, too?

If I could take the love from my country to the West, I think that's definitely going to give me the reach I want with the music. I want to bring over my culture and my country’s love for music. I already know that the world sees that. The people see a Filipino randomly going viral [singing karaoke]. I think the next step really is showing that we can make things on our own and we can bring that love for music to the world.