P&P Spotlight: Julia Skye

For years, Julia Skye put music aside to follow a more traditional path in investment banking — but no amount of spreadsheets could quiet her calling. Built on honesty, reflection, and the moments we sometimes try to forget, Julia Skye’s music embraces her true identity and passion. Her new single, “All The Time,” takes a bittersweet look at the past, capturing the emotions of a version of herself she’s only recently begun to understand.

Drawing from childhood memories, personal experiences, and the rhythms of everyday life, Julia utilizes her classical training in piano and voice as she offers a fresh twist on indie pop rock. Her style melds introspective lyricism with dynamic, guitar-driven energy,

resulting in one-of-a-kind art that’s simultaneously intimate, vulnerable, and unforgettable. 

Ahead of the release of “All The Time,” we sat down with Julia to talk about the song, her journey as an artist, and the moments that continue to shape her creative process. Keep reading for our full conversation with her! 

Image credit: Emma Hintz, graphic created by Karly Ramnani

YOU'LL LOVE JULIA SKYE IF YOU LISTEN TO: Clairo, The Japanese House, Paramore, Gracie Abrams, Lizzy McAlpine, Phoebe Bridgers, Ethel Cain, Suki Waterhouse

You’ve previously shared that “All The Time” is a “begrudging admission that the past still lingers beneath the surface.” What made you want to explore that feeling in your songwriting?

When I was writing “All The Time,” I was just beginning my journey as an artist. I hadn’t released any music yet, and I was really starting to identify with that version of myself for the first time. I found myself thinking a lot about the path I had taken to get there.

A big realization during that time was how much I felt like a completely different person compared to who I had been before. I think I finally had enough distance from my past to start understanding it, and for the first time, I was able to actually write about those experiences in a way that felt clear and intentional.

When you’re writing about past versions of yourself, what emotions does it bring to the surface? Does it feel more like closure, or revisiting something that still has weight?

When I was writing the song about a year ago, I would have said it was an attempt at closure. It felt like I was trying to close the chapter on pursuing a life that wasn’t really mine — something I had followed for a long time but ultimately needed to walk away from. Writing it felt like a way of saying, “That part of my life is over, and I’m free from it now.”

But at the same time, the song itself kind of proves the opposite. It starts with “I never think about you,” then shifts to “I sometimes think about you,” and eventually becomes “I think about you all the time.” That progression shows that there isn’t really closure at all. Even though I wanted to believe I had moved on from that version of myself, she’s still with me. She was then, and she still is now. In a lot of ways, the song became a realization that the past doesn’t just disappear, even when you want it to.

Do you feel like writing “All The Time” helped you understand a particular past version of yourself a little differently?

I think it helped me have more compassion for my past self. I was writing about a five to seven year period in my life where I felt really sad, scared, and lost. When I was first starting my artist project, I felt a lot of confusion about how I could have lived like that for so long. But by placing myself back in her shoes while writing, I was able to look at her with kinder eyes.

Emotionally, where does “All The Time” sit for you? Does it feel more like nostalgia, regret, acceptance, or something else entirely?

My feelings about the song have definitely changed over the past year. When I first wrote it, there was a lot of regret and a sense of bewilderment. I was almost surprised that the version of me I was writing about had felt so small and lost, especially since I felt like I had grown so much by then. I also wrote the song as if I was speaking to another person, which shows I wasn’t fully ready to claim that version of myself as me.

Looking back now, I can see I was carrying a lot of shame and trying to distance myself from it. That’s something I still work through, learning to accept that she is me and I am her. Now, it feels like a mix of things, but more than anything, I hope it becomes something rooted in love. I think songs evolve over time, and this one has too, just like I have.

Image credit: Emma Hintz

When working on “All The Time,” was there a moment where the song really clicked and you knew it was finished?

I think the idea of something being finished is hard for me. There’s that quote that a work of art is never finished, only abandoned, and I think that really resonates with how I see songwriting.

For this song, it was when I wrote the cathedral-inspired outro that it finally clicked. After that, I didn’t feel like there was anything else I could add. It captured the conflict within me, along with the exasperation and even desperation I was feeling at the time. It also felt like a small homage to my younger self, since I grew up singing in chorus, doing chamber music, and playing piano. That sound has always been a part of me.

You’ve also mentioned bands like The 1975, Inhaler, and The Killers as inspirations. What elements of their music have influenced your own songwriting?A lot of that influence came from seeing them live while I was still figuring out my own path as an artist. I had been listening to their music for a while, but experiencing it in that setting felt different. It made me realize that they were really saying something and performing with a level of passion that felt honest and powerful.

A song like “My Own Soul’s Warning” by The Killers really resonated with me. That idea of going against your own instincts and knowing something isn’t right felt very close to my own experience of not pursuing music. Artists like The Japanese House and Hayley Williams also had an impact on me. Seeing people stand on stage and express something truthful made me realize that’s what I wanted to do too.

You’re classically trained in both voice and piano. How has that background shaped the way you write and structure your songs today? How do the two seemingly different worlds of classical and modern indie rock come together in your creative process? 

I would say I really try to leave my training at the door, or at least I did when I was first writing. A big part of classical music, for me, was trying to sound very polished and “pretty,” and when I started exploring indie rock, I was more interested in capturing something raw and honest. I wanted to focus on emotion without overthinking it, so I tried to step away from that technical mindset and just learn how to write in a different way.

Now that I feel more confident in my songwriting, I think those two worlds come together more naturally. I find myself bringing in bits of music theory or structure without forcing it, whether that’s through harmonies or small technical choices. Even when I try to leave it behind, it still shows up in subtle ways, especially in how I build and layer my songs.

You’ve previously described your sound as a cross between The Japanese House and Paramore, who are respectively well-known indie folk and rock artists. What elements from each of their styles and genres resonate most with you? How did you arrive at the perfect mix of both of their styles?

Those two artists really represent different sides of my personality. With The Japanese House, I’m especially inspired by Amber’s earlier work. I remember hearing one of her songs for the first time and being completely taken by it. There was this sense of heaviness and delicacy at the same time that really stuck with me. I’m drawn to the layering, the textures, and the way her music can feel both intimate and overwhelming.

With Paramore, I connect more with the energy and intensity. Hayley Williams brings this powerful presence and emotional honesty that I really admire, especially in the way she performs. When I’m writing, I try to blend those elements together. I want that softness and detail, but also that strength and release. In “All The Time,” that shows up in the layering of vocals and the way the song builds, especially toward the end where it becomes more full and expressive.

You’ve previously shared that reading has sharpened your writing skills over the years. What are some of your favorite books? In what ways has your reading material inspired or improved the songs you write?

My favorite books tend to change depending on where I am in my life, but one that’s always stuck with me is To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. I first read it in high school and then revisited it more recently, and it really stayed with me. The way she’s able to observe and describe things that most people would overlook has definitely shaped how I think about writing.

I write a lot of poetry, where I tend to lean into metaphors and imagery, but with songwriting, I try to be more direct. Reading beautiful prose helps me understand flow and structure in a different way. Sometimes I’ll read a sentence that takes up an entire paragraph, and it still feels perfect. It reminds me that I don’t have to stay within strict rules, and that I can push beyond structure if it serves the feeling of what I’m trying to say.

Image credit: Emma Hintz

You originally stepped away from music to work in investment banking before returning to your passion. What was the moment that made you realize you needed to pursue music again?

I know how it sounds, but I really did work hard to get there. I studied economics in college, and it was a gradual process of pushing aside what I actually loved in order to be successful in another field. I had a lot of external validation telling me that I was on the right path, and in that sense, I do feel proud of what I accomplished.

But at the end of the day, I was an artist, and I wasn’t going to be fulfilled doing anything else. Trying to fit into something that wasn’t meant for me was painful, and I knew I would never truly be happy that way. That realization is really at the core of my artist project now. I want to show people that it’s never too late to figure out who you are and to become that person.

Did your time working outside the music industry shape the way you approach songwriting now?

Definitely. Investment banking is known for being really intense, especially in terms of time commitment. The way I think about it now is that if I was able to work those kinds of hours doing something that wasn’t my true calling, then I can put that same energy into something I actually care about. I’ll go to the ends of the earth for this, because it means something to me.

At the same time, those years shaped my songwriting in a deeper way. A lot of that period in my life felt sad because I wasn’t being who I truly was. Now, I pull from those experiences every time I sit down to write. They’re a big part of what informs my perspective and the emotions behind my music.

Looking back, what do you think the version of yourself who was working in finance would say about where you are now?

I think she would be really proud. There was a long period of time where I didn’t know if I would ever be able to step away, or if I would just continue living a life that felt tolerable but not fulfilling. I felt like I had gone too far down that path to turn back, like there wasn’t another option.

Now, I think she would feel proud, relieved, and maybe even a little shocked. She would see that it actually was possible to choose something different. One thing that really stays with me is the idea that the cost of a new life is your old one. That loss can be painful, but being who you truly are makes it worth it.

Image credit: Emma Hintz

You’ve expressed that your music pulls from a mix of everyday experiences and childhood memories. Are there any specific anecdotes - whether from years ago or just yesterday - that stand out to you in terms of the songwriting they inspired? “All The Time” is based on a very specific, but long period of my life– a five- to seven-year stretch filled with sadness, confusion, fear, and an overall sense of being lost. I pulled directly from that experience for the song. The first verse tells the story of losing myself, and the second verse reflects how I acted once I had lost that sense of self. While the song draws from a broader span of time, certain moments stand out, like walking through a college courtyard during my freshman year. The sun was shining, I was listening to one of my favorite songs, and I just started crying without understanding why.

That song was “Sunday Candy” by Chance the Rapper, which also happened to be the first song I ever performed on stage in high school. Looking back now, I see that moment as a reminder of one of the happiest times in my life, even though at the time it felt distant and confusing. Experiencing it again through songwriting allowed me to approach it with compassion rather than regret, and it’s a moment that continues to shape how I reflect on my past and my music.

Finally, the Playlists & Polaroids classic! What’s a lyric from “All The Time” that really stands out to you? Walk us through the process of writing it and how it speaks to you personally.

A lyric that really stands out is “We could watch the rain falling, we could watch the rain falling.” To me, it captures the relationship between my younger self and who I am now. When I was writing, I felt like a completely different person. All we could do was sit and just be, dropping the masks we had carried for so long. That line reflects the idea of accepting yourself, sitting with your emotions, and knowing you can be seen and still be loved for who you are—not for what others expect of you.

When writing this song, my goal was to give my younger self the compassion and understanding she never had. Every word is for her, but also for anyone who might relate to that experience. I hope it reminds listeners that it’s never too late to be who you are, to let go of external pressures, and to simply accept yourself. The song is a reflection of learning that happiness comes from being authentic, even when it feels impossible or terrifying, and that embracing your true self is the most powerful act of all.

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A pivotal moment in Julia Skye’s artistic journey, “All The Time” contains a bold reflection on the past and a promise to embrace the present. Her music carries both raw and empowering qualities, blending flawless classically-rooted technique, modern indie rock experimentation, and deeply personal storytelling. Providing honest glimpses into Julia’s heart, her songs invite listeners in, as she offers comfort, honesty, and the reminder that it’s never too late to be who you truly are. Here’s a playlist we’ve curated to capture her world!