Q&A: JULIA WOLF TELLS HER STORY FOR THE FIRST TIME ON HER DEBUT ALBUM ‘GOOD THING WE STAYED’
ALL WE WANT IS SOMEONE TO SEE US FOR WHO WE ARE — and Julia Wolf does that. A self-made star, Wolf is not your average artist. With hits ranging from self-empowerment pop anthems to hard-hitting rap bangers, she is both your best friend and personal hype woman. And we expect nothing less from her debut album, Good Thing We Stayed, out today.
In a candid conversation with Luna, Wolf shared her affinity for all things dark, twisty, and real. There’s not one song in Wolf’s discography that she hasn’t put her haunting twist on, and that makes the album entrancing at first listen. You don’t have to go far to see her brilliance, and that makes her stand out. Wolf is exactly what you see: a young woman with the same fears and apprehensions as you and me, taking on the vast and intimidating world.
One song at a time, Wolf pulls back the veil society has put up between artists and listeners. What we get is a sense of kinship that feels natural, authentic, and unadulterated. Where Wolf’s album is concerned, she’s ready to kick through the veil once and for all and show us that she’s just like anyone else: anxious and emotional, and her feelings are valid. This time around, she’s telling us her origin story, and it’s one we won’t soon forget.
If her pre-album single, “Rookie of The Year,” is any indication of the debut album’s tracklist, we’re in for a real treat with Good Thing We Stayed. To make the listening experience as exciting for fans as it was for her to make the album, Wolf published a spine-chilling website to accompany the release. Head over to goodthingwestayed.com and become a final girl in her beautiful Gothic universe.
Read the interview between friends below, and stream Good Thing We Stayed wherever you listen to music.
Photo by Shervin Lainez
LUNA: Congratulations on releasing six spooky singles last year! Of them, which one would you say is the most fun to perform, and what makes that stand out to you?
WOLF: I think the most fun to perform has got to be “Get Off My.” It's just like hearing everyone in the crowd scream “get off my d*ck” — there's nothing that can top that for me. You just see them get so into it. So it's really because of them. That's why I'm choosing it.
LUNA: I love that! It’s also one of my favorites. Moving on a little here, you ended 2022 off with a major bang. What was it like collaborating with Black Bear on your iconic track “Gothic Babe Tendencies”?
WOLF: It was such a dream. It all happened so quickly. I had posted that snippet on Instagram in my room and then I'm getting a comment from him like, “Hey, can I drop a verse?” I'm like, “You're asking me, sir? Of course!” So we started talking and it was so fast. He wrote the verse on a plane; he was being a jetsetter. He did the verse and sent it to me. I was in love with it immediately and just like that he recorded it when he got home. It was a very fast, super surreal, exciting experience. He's also really sweet. We were sending voice notes back and forth. Just a regular guy.
LUNA: That's incredible, thank you for sharing that. I love that for you! On that note, since we're all caught up in the twists and turns of the “Gothic Babe Tendencies” story at this point, how did you come up with those haunting lyrics?
WOLF: Oh, so I was in Italy actually at the time, in the dead of winter, and I was talking to someone. So, you know, my whole discography is very “No love songs — we don't like boys” or “Whatever, everyone sucks.” But then one day you meet someone. And it happened, and I'm like, “Oh, this is … it's kind of nice.” I'm not, you know, clawing my face off wanting to end this immediately. So we started talking and I just noticed over time that the more I like someone, the more I start to doubt myself. And I'm just like, “Wow, I don't know.”
My tendency is to cut and run and sort of end things before they can hurt me, I guess. So it was a pretty self-reflective moment there where I was like, “Yeah, I guess I have Gothic tendencies, where I'm always kind of going for hiding; I'm always just trying to hide instead of really opening up to someone and letting my guard down.” It turned out to not be so much of a love song, but rather I'm just questioning everything and doubting how they feel about me. That's why I think the title works with that kind of subject matter.
LUNA: Sounds like you've really got to know that part of yourself and got that level of self-awareness that is so awesome to have because not everyone gets that. That’s a neat experience to have.
WOLF: True, it was a learning experience.
LUNA: This is kind of a fun one. Let's say the track was chosen for an emotional scene in a Gothic romance movie. If you were given creative liberty over the entrancing moment, what would it look like?
WOLF: A Gothic romantic scene, oh my gosh. Okay, so immediately my brain is going to Twilight because that's where my heart is always. So yeah, there have to be vampires involved. As a Gothic romantic scene, I definitely need it to be in the woods. You know, like pitch black, candles everywhere. For candles, we could do LED candles in the trees so we don't start any fires. And maybe it’s kind of a moonlit nighttime forest vibe and then some vampires and fangs are involved.
LUNA: That's everything! We Twihards unite — right there with you.
WOLF: Yes, please make it known we are very supportive of Twilight here.
LUNA: It's coming through! Now onto what everyone's been waiting for, let’s chat about your debut album. Congrats by the way! In your POV, what's the most exciting part of it?
WOLF: The most exciting part is just putting out a body of work that fully explains my story. That's when I knew the album was done, when I felt like everything was said that needed to be said. I've never had that before. It’s this whole collection of songs to remember a moment of time for me in this whole journey of how we got to this point today. It’s been years and years in the making. It was such a struggle, so many dead ends, and people don't know that, so it's nice to have one place where all of that to live.
LUNA: That sounds amazing. I’m thrilled for you! Here’s another fun one before we switch gears a little bit here: Let's imagine you're in a GENIUS YouTube video. You know the ones where they have artists deconstruct their songs — you'd be talking about your songs on Good Thing We Stayed. What would be the most surprising fact about the songs that you'd share with them?
WOLF: Ooh, the most surprising fact… When you hear the songs, every piece of it is true. I’m not imaginative in that sense where I can write off things I don't know. So I guess maybe a fun fact is I used to write on the walls in my old house where we used to live on Long Island. I would always write in invisible ink on them with different goals and stuff because keeping a diary is scary. I didn't want anyone to stumble across literally anything. I would actually do that, and that's one of the lines in the song “Rookie of The Year,” and that's a true story. “We got that invisible link,” you know?
LUNA: Obsessed with that and how your heart definitely comes through in your songs. Can't wait to see all the other beautiful lyrics you're going to give to us in the new record. For all the Gothic babes out there, what will they appreciate most about the debut’s tracklist?
WOLF: I think they will appreciate how it's meant to be hype … the beats are hard. It gives you that fierceness that I personally love in the Wolf sound. But at the same time, everything is written through the lens of someone with anxiety. So I just hope the goth babes find it relatable. And it's just like with clothing. I started in 6th grade wearing emo outfits, just dressing in all black all the time. It gives you that front where you can present yourself one way but also be yourself underneath it. I just hope the album executes those two sides of me, and I want them to feel seen by it.
LUNA: I’m giving you a round of applause. Yes, I resonate with you on the anxiety. I know your fans will as well, so that's really powerful that you shared that. Thank you, because I know that can't be easy. It's a little scary sometimes.
WOLF: Definitely! It’s scary out there.
LUNA: Alright, let's move on a little bit. The fact is that there really can never be enough of your spine-chilling and relatable songwriting. Shoutout to you! Can you tell us something the lyrics of your GTWS songs have more of compared to your previous releases?
WOLF: That's an interesting question. This time around my songs have more of explaining who I am as a person, as opposed to a lot of my past songs, which are my reactions to things that have happened to me and things I wish I said that I didn't. You know, dissing people that screw us over. Whereas this one's more like, “Okay, why am I this shy?” and “Why am I so anxious walking into a restaurant for no reason?” Like, what are these reasons, and what does it mean to go after your dream when you’re like this? It’s like, how does that work? So I think people will maybe learn more about what that feels like.
LUNA: Brilliant — super glad we asked that because that is an everyday experience that you know some of the population with anxiety does deal with. To have someone talk about it so candidly and to get it put to music with a sick beat, that's everything — the soundtrack to our lives right there. Going back to something we touched upon earlier, which I know is one of your favorite topics — Twilight, since we know you're a fellow Twihard — how do you think the Cullens would react to your debut? Of the family, who do you see being in the top 1% of your Spotify Wrapped 2023 listeners?
WOLF: Oh my gosh. Okay, so of course we're jamming. They're jamming out because you can totally see them being the dancing crowd for sure, those Cullens. I’m going to just… how can I not say Edward? Edward needs to be my top fan, even though I was always one of those girls who when I was first reading it, I wanted so badly to fantasize about me and Edward. But I literally can't do it when I know that he should be with Bella, you know. So he can be in my top 1%. I will take Edward for myself.
LUNA: That was great!
WOLF: You're welcome.
LUNA: You had me laughing and crying a little bit there. Before we continue on the album, I have to ask, because you have brilliant storylines: In the musical universe you've created, there are vampires, ghosts, and villains. Go with me here, envision yourself as the final girl in a storyline. You're hiding out in a library for the time being. The coast is clear, so you pick up a book and read the summary. It's telling the tale of Good Thing We Stayed. What does it say?
WOLF: The tale of Good Thing We Stayed — what a wonderful question, a [wonderful] way to ask! It is the journey of a young girl who is afraid of her own shadow but understands that she wouldn't let herself dream about things that she couldn't get. And the process of going after her biggest desires while being afraid to ask the waiter for ketchup. It's like the dynamic of chasing your dreams and what that is for a shy girl.
LUNA: I don’t know about you, but I’d definitely pick that up if it was at a library. You had me at “ketchup”! I absolutely love it, and now I want to highlight your artistic skills, because you are a musician but a lot of people might not know that you also do all your own art, which is incredible. Being the exceptional cover artist behind your own discography, can you give us a sneak verbal preview of what we can expect to see displayed on the front of your new record?
WOLF: So the record… it's fun, we actually just made a website for it. It's all interactive, so the cover has … a ton of picture frames behind me and it's all very intentional. Each photograph I put up there correlates to a different song and the meaning behind it. And now we have a website, goodthingwestayed.com, where you can click through, and it'll bring you to which song it's meant for and why, with a little preview of the music.
LUNA: Looking forward to it! Love to see your visions executed. And the art inspiration from your photo wall? Go off, for sure.
WOLF: Amazing. We got it for sure.
LUNA: Next, in your Good Thing We Stayed — I've been calling it GTWS — era that you're in right now...
WOLF: Love that!
LUNA: What's on your reading, watch, or book list?
WOLF: Oh okay, so watchlist I just finished Wednesday, which I'm still so sad about — I miss it. I say it at least once a day in this house that I miss Wednesday. I'm trying to think, there is a show that everyone's been telling me to see, about two girls, [who,] I don't know if they're vampires or something, and they fall in love. On Netflix.
LUNA: I know the one you're talking about — it’s First Kill!
WOLF: Yes! So yeah, that I need to watch. I'm also going to rewatch Gilmore Girls. I always rewatch it once a year, so we're going to do that. As far as books go, I just bought a Shirley Jackson novel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle. It's supposed to be a bit scary. She's good at writing freaky stuff, so that's on my list. And I know I'll have so much time on tour in the car to read and watch things, so I'm just going to look up the new scary novels. There's also a new Grady Hendrix book, which I also need to get as well because he's my favorite horror novelist.
LUNA: Here for the vibe. Are there any albums you're rocking out to right now?
WOLF: Oh my gosh, so we just drove back from Florida last night. It's like an 18-hour drive and pretty much the whole way we listened to the new SZA — obsessed with it. All my answers are a bit mainstream right now, but c’mon, it's just so good, I can't. So, the new SZA, and the new The 1975 are genius. Matt Healy is a literal god. And also one of my favorites is The Story So Far, Proper Dose, that's their latest album. It’s on repeat and it’s a no-skips album.
LUNA: I'll have to listen to that one. I need that repeat, no-skips energy in my life. Fast-forwarding here: When release day finally comes, how do you see yourself celebrating?
WOLF: I'm definitely going to get a tattoo at some point. I haven't booked it yet, but we definitely need a tattoo. I'm thinking because it is Friday the 13th that a little 13 would be cute and spooky. And then we're going to go out, you know, me and the gals. We're here in the city so we'll probably try and party it up a little bit.
LUNA: As you should! Yes, party it up. Before we get down to our final questions, here’s a little treat for you: As someone who uses Spotify, you've probably seen the Spotify music time capsules come out recently. What songs would you add to your 2024 Spotify music time capsule?
WOLF: Wait, do they have to be from this past year, or is it any year?
LUNA: Any year.
WOLF: Okay, well, my top five artists on Spotify really surprised me, so I'm gonna go with songs from them. It has to be “Moon Song,” Phoebe Bridgers. Then we need to put… let's do “Creme,” Jack Harlow. Honestly, all Jack Harlow will be in my time capsule. He and Phoebe are the top for me. And then Third Eye Blind was in my top five, which is so random. We could do “How's It Going to Be,” Third Eye Blind. We can do those three for now.
LUNA: Thank you so much for that. Can't wait for you to open that in 2024, hypothetically. Let’s go ahead from there. As someone who stands up for what you believe in, what are some causes you personally advocate for? How can fans join you in supporting them?
WOLF: Oh, that's great. So this year, especially with the “Get Off My” video, we've been very focused on women's rights. We did a whole donation thing where if you watch the video, you are donating to the organization, it's WRRAP. So, I'm sure we can add a link to that somewhere and listeners can donate if they can. What a wild year it's been, where certain things have been taken away from us as females. And yeah, we just need to reverse these things. So yeah, we're definitely very supportive of that. And I'm all about creating a safe space. So really I want people to know that they can reach out to me whenever. I'm always very active in responding and just being as supportive as they are of me. It's such a two-way street, and I feel like a lot of artists maybe don't get that. I can't do this without [the fans], so I just want them to know that I'm here as well for them.
LUNA: I'm taking a moment because that was beautiful. Thank you for plugging a WRRAP and talking about safe spaces. If people weren’t already connected to your story, they are now. Finally, I’d like to turn this one back to you: Is there anything you’d like to be asked in interviews that you're not typically asked about by journalists? If so, what's the question on the top of your mind and how would you go about answering it?
WOLF: Oh my gosh, is there anything I'd like to be asked in interviews? Maybe I feel like I don’t get asked often about the first song I ever wrote. It's a fun moment for me to think about because that's when everything really started. And I was so mortified at the time, but I was basically forced into it. I always like to perform at talent shows in school. It was senior year, and I was getting ready to pick a song to perform. I used to eat lunch alone in the music room all the time, so my music teacher always saw me there. He walked in one day and was like, “Just wanted you to know that if you want to perform in the last senior showcase, it has to be an original song.” And I was like, “What?” He said, “Yeah, I know it's probably scary for you.” He obviously knew I was alone all the time and that was terrifying for me, but it was because of him that I did it and then never looked back.
LUNA: Shoutout to your music teacher!
WOLF: Shoutout Mr. Kerschner, yes.
LUNA: That's all my questions. We're super stoked for your album to come out.
WOLF: Thank you! And thank you also for those Twilight questions.
LUNA: Of course! Yeah, when I was watching your Grammy’s video, I noticed one of the descriptions at the end of the video said you like Twilight. After that, I was ready to pull out all my books!
WOLF: Yes! Any chance I get, you already know that I'm throwing it in there.
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