voice

Why 'Black and White'?

Life is not black and white and yet I am.  Not black enough, not white enough but still both.  The identity of multi-racial people such as myself is complicated to arrive at and I feel lucky that music has been there to guide me and allow me to create a sonic reflection of myself in order that I might feel whole.  As much as alluding to the keys of the piano, the instrument that set me on the path to being the artist I am today, this is what the title ‘Black and White, Vol.1’ is about. 

Nothing about life is simple and neither is talking about matters of race, yet as a species we have evolved this binary concept of ‘black’ and ‘white’ and so from that have come these vague ideas about what it means to be ‘black’ and what it means to be ‘white’. And so we have racial stereotyping. Like as if these supposedly two colours of human are somehow intrinsically different from each other. 

The beauty of music is that it is above all of this mundanity.  Music connects those of us that want to be connected regardless - it exists in a higher place.  If we let it, music can pass through any and all filters and speak to the soul.  It’s a magical place and I wish I could be there always.  But I do not kid myself, I put this album out into this world knowing that its title and for many just the mere sound of my voice on these gentle songs will present a challenge to primitive, un-inclusive world views that are held hidden in the confines of musical genres.  In reality they are often little more than subtle ways of racial stereotyping.  My blackness co-exists with my whiteness in my skin, in my voice, in my influences, how could it not?  I am both ‘black’ and ‘white’ in a world that seems to want me to pick a side.  I was once told that racially-speaking, I shouldn’t exist, yet here I am. 

In a racially binary world, I am the rainbow.

The new album from Julia Biel, ‘Black and White, Vol.1’ is released via Ankhtone Records/PIAS on 28th February 2020.  

Photo by John Seymour

Photo by John Seymour

'Three Little Words' - NEW RELEASE

Hey hope you’ve been doing well and living life to the max. I’ve some new music for your down time my friend :).

At the beginning of the year I decided I was going to create some solo piano/voice recordings to share with you. In my topsy-turvy music world, it’s something I’ve come to last despite many of you coming up to me after live shows asking if I had made a solo piano/voice record. I was listening honest..! But I felt I should only do this when I thought I could pull off putting the drama in the music recording full solo live takes in the studio singing and playing at the same time in a way that I’d be happy with… and that meant strictly no overdubs. This year the time was right - I felt ready for the challenge and cleared my diary for a week in March.

So now without further ado, I can share the first solo recording with you. It’s a brand new song called ‘Three Little Words’ and I’m pretty sure you’ll know the ones I mean. I wanted to write about the power words hold, and especially that particular pesky threesome. They can be healing, weaponised, manipulative, controlling or withheld - perhaps that’s when they have the most power of all.

For now, this series is streaming/download only but keep an eye out, there will be physical copies released bringing the whole series together at some point! If you want to be the first to hear when the next in the series is released, be sure to follow my page on Spotify and you’ll get automatic notifications.

Oh and don’t forget to let me know what you thought of the song - can’t wait to get your feedback :). Come and find me on Instagram or Facebook and we can chat there.

Happy listening, stay well!

Julia.x

Julia Biel.  Photo credit (c) Jenna Foxton

Julia Biel. Photo credit (c) Jenna Foxton