Today we’d like to introduce you to Julian Divine.
Julian, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Growing up, I was raised in a household where hip-hop and rap were the primary genres of music being played. Some of my favorite artists when I was younger included Eminem, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Lupe Fiasco, Fabolous, T.I, and many others who inspired me to enter the realm of hip-hop. Idolizing these individuals as I grew up made me want to be like them, memorize every lyric, and simply rap as they did. One day as I was giving my best attempt to keep up with one of Eminem’s fast verses, my father asked me why I didn’t write my own lyrics instead of trying to memorize others. This is what lit the spark in me.
At the age of 13, I began covering popular hip-hop songs that were on the radio. I did so by finding instrumentals on YouTube, inputting them into a recording software called “Audacity,” and using my old “Rock Band” USB microphone to record vocals. With the resources I had, I gave my best effort to remix songs such as Katy Perry and Kanye West’s “E.T.” by filling in Kanye’s verse and giving my own twist to Eminem and Bruno Mars’ “Lighters.” Every time I would complete a track, I would play it for all my friends at school and they would encourage me to keep going.
Once I gained enough confidence to record my own songs, I committed to the same methods, but instead of using established instrumentals, I would find ones that had not been used yet on the internet. After doing this for some time, I was gifted my first microphone: The Audio Technica AT2020. I remember being so excited for this new equipment, I wrote and recorded at least three songs in one session. This moment made me realize how much fun I had creating music and motivated me to write and record almost every day.
In 2012, the summer before high school started, my cousin, Johnathan (Jhnny), who also serves as my producer, approached me with the idea that him and I could make music together. At the time, he was in band and extremely talented at playing the drums. While he perfected his craft at school, he was also learning to make beats using a program called FL Studio. That summer we hung out as often as possible to produce as many tracks together as we could before it was time to head back to school.
My freshman year began and I shared my music with everyone. Reception of the music was all over the place. Some people loved it, and some people did not like it at all, but that did not stop us from doing what we loved. Although this was the case, school became heavy on each of us and the output of music began to slow down. It was clear that at this point music was becoming more of a hobby than anything else.
Regardless of how I viewed music in the future, I knew it was something that I wanted to do. The following year I took an opportunity to audition for America’s Got Talent, but I was not able to make it to the later rounds. Following this, the trend continued of me viewing music as a hobby and my cousin and I would release tracks here and there with ambitions to create a full-length project, but to no avail. Throughout high school I was focused more on finding a “secure” career path by getting into college rather than focusing on a dream of mine that I did not yet recognize.
Once I got to college, I went a whole year without making music. I enjoyed time going out, making memories with friends, and learning in class, but there was something missing. I knew that I wanted to chase music, but I needed that drive again. The summer following freshman year, my cousin and I linked back up to produce more tracks. We began finding traction with what we were creating but we reached a stalemate. I began thinking to myself, “here we go again, another failed attempt at a complete project.” As I made new friends my sophomore year, I showed them my music and they were blown away. Their disbelief in a quiet/shy guy making this kind of music fueled my confidence to keep going. I was filled with this desire to start chasing something I knew all along: my dream of becoming a hip-hop artist.
In 2018, I released my first full-length album called “Nocturnal.” I was blessed enough to have people in my circle who supported me and shared my music with as much as they could. A couple months later, I auditioned for the University of Houston’s Frontier Fiesta as a student performer. I remember being so nervous leading up to the moment, but once again, my friends came through and were all outside watching me take the small steps in living out my dream. A month later I was notified that I would have a 5PM slot on a Friday evening to perform. It was go time. After weeks of preparation, my cousin and I delivered a quality show to all my friends, family, and others who decided to show up and support. After the show, I was excited but not satisfied; I knew there was more work to be done.
Over the course of a year, my cousin and I were able to complete another full-length project called “Lighthouse ’97.” The reception of this album was incredible and I wanted nothing more than to perform it for everybody. A couple weeks later I auditioned for Frontier Fiesta once again, with friends by my side, still nervous, but confident in my new work. A month passed after the audition and I was convinced I had not been chosen for a slot to perform. A couple moments later, I received an email saying that I had been chosen to be the opening act for the headliner. Words could not describe the emotions I felt after receiving this news. My cousin and I prepared as much as we could for this show. We knew we had to blow everybody away.
On, March 23, 2019, I was able to serve as the opening act for A$AP Ferg. As I stepped onto the stage, as I tell my friends, I felt like a superhero. Adrenaline rushing through my body and I felt unstoppable. Following the conclusion of the show, everyone showed love and I was so happy I was able to put on a great show for the crowd, my friends, and my family.
The weeks following the show were the most surprising. People would come up to me saying they saw me perform and how well I did. In addition, I began being bombarded with messages of when I would release new music.
Well, here we are now. Almost a year and a half later and still no new music. To be honest, the months after the show had to be the most pressure I had felt in a long time. While balancing music, I also had to give time to internships and other commitments that hindered my ability to create as freely as I wanted. With the constant support of my friends and family, I was able to persevere through it all and finally get it going again.
I remember there were times where I felt that a new project would never get completed again. I am proud to say I could not have been any more wrong. This month I will be releasing a new full-length album curated by my cousin and I once again. I want to thank my team: Jhnny (my producer/cousin), Isaiah Gonzalez (my brother), and Ritu Pandey (my best friend) for pushing me to be the very best I can be to complete this album that I am very proud of. I also want to thank my parents and siblings for their unwavering support and words of encouragement throughout this entire process. I could not do it without them. Yes, this is my story, but it isn’t done yet.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. Along the way I struggled with finding my sound and identity within hip-hop music. Aside from the music, I wanted to follow a more “secure” path in which I could use a college degree to find a steady job in case music did not work out. Balancing school and music were the largest struggle overall as I had to split my time devoted to each. Now the challenge will be balancing work and music.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
My business would be my brand as a hip-hop artist. I write, mix, engineer, and record music. I am most known for my unique takes on certain subjects of music. As an artist, I am most proud of remaining consistent up to this point as an independent artist. Being able to find shows and push my music is difficult at times, but I am proud of my efforts in doing so. What sets me apart from others is that I am a student of rap and hip-hop. I realize I have a lot to learn and improve on. My drive to be better and remain consistent is what sets me apart entirely.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory would be performing at an Anti-Bullying camp at the Museum of Fine Arts and being interviewed by a local radio station.
Contact Info:
- Email: divinesolesonly@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliandivine/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliandivine
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliandivine_
Image Credit:
Joseph Espinoza, Jason D. Haas, Ilse M. Gonzalez, Isaiah Gonzalez
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