Sister Julie  

Sister Julie

Sister Julie is a vocalist, multi- instrumentalist, and songwriter from Portland, Oregon. Through her music, she aims to uplift, educate, and soothe the hearts of listeners around the world. Her musical ability came from listening to the radio and vinyl records during her childhood. Thanks to her remarkable talent, she would deconstruct songs note by note, memorize them, and reproduce them by ear on her family's upright piano. Her early repertoire, fed and fueled by her parents' record collection, included soul, gospel, folk, R&B, classic rock, Motown, and blues. She eventually would play various instruments in a self-taught way and record her first compositions on a cassette recorder. A friendship with legendary singer Bob Andy reaffirmed the idea that “the art of songwriting” was where it was at. Reggae music continued to resonate even deeper, aligning with her personal spiritual beliefs. Sister Julie embarked on a trip around the world in 1990-1991, during which she shared her homemade roots reggae cassettes with people she met, witnessing the power of this music and its positive effect. Subsequent trips to Jamaica reaffirmed Sister Julie's affinity for the original culture of Rastafari, and reggae, eventually embracing the teachings of Haile Selassie, living consciously with Jah as her foundation and aiming to bring more love and unity to the world. She achieved university degrees in Anthropology and Art and later a Master’s Degree in Teaching, and began working as an elementary school teacher, excelling at including indigenous perspectives in her history lessons and identifying as a rebel in the classroom for the sake of honesty and integrity. She continued to play music and write songs at home. After two decades, she left her teaching job behind and joined some close friends on their U.S. tours, performing her compositions at each stop, gaining valuable experience and connecting with other musicians. Sister Julie used those contacts to create her first full- length album, as well as numerous music videos, collaborations, and singles. In her own words: “I promised Jah (the creator) if I could make music, I would use my life and gifts to help as many people as possible. I’m all about universal equal rights and justice, unity being strength, and music as a healing force. I always felt so positive when listening to roots reggae and its messages. I want to bring that same teaching and vibration to others.”

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