Today, rising New York-based singer & songwriter Julia Raye shares her new single, “Expectations.” The new single, which was produced by Bret “Epic” Mazur (Crazy Town, Prince, Black Eyed Peas), is an alluring R&B-pop gem that highlights Julia’s impressive vocal range.
“I wrote ‘Expectations’ when I was feeling torn with the relationship I was in at the time,” she says. “I kept feeling so much pressure from both myself and the people around me. This song is my inner monologue as I try to figure out what my expectations are for us while navigating this relationship.”
Hailing from Long Island, New York, 23-year-old Julia Raye has been performing for as long as she can remember. She grew up taking dance classes, singing, and performing in local musical theater productions. By age 17, she had performed in over twenty musical theatre shows along with performances with the New York All State Choir and ACDA All National Choir. She went on to study vocal performance at the University of Michigan where she was able to learn from George Shirley, a pioneer in the opera world who became the first African-American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera.
Outside of her classical training, Julia has always had an ear for pop and R&B music, citing Beyonce and Ariana Grade as two of her main influences. With her own project, she combines her operatic vocals with diaristic storytelling and catchy pop melodies, carving out a sound all of her own.
Listen to “Expectations” on all streaming platforms:
https://ffm.to/jrexpectations
Photo by Bailey Ann (@baileyannphotography)
