Julie Kim

<p><strong>My Project</strong></p><p>It is with immense pleasure that I share a project that has been close to my heart for a long time…</p><p> </p><p>I am part of a French vocal trio called <em>Les Chiclettes</em>, that I founded with Geneviève Cholette and Nathalie Nadon seven years ago. Since 2015, I have also been a backup vocalist for the slam-poet, YAO.</p><p> </p><p><img alt="Les_chiclettes_-_officiel-1507299788" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/456233/Les_Chiclettes_-_Officiel-1507299788.jpg"></p><p> </p><p><img alt="Jk_et_yao-1507300491" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/456243/JK_et_Yao-1507300491.jpg"></p><p> </p><p>It is now as a solo artist that I wish to evolve in the Canadian cultural milieu.  Making the French language shine through music, is one of the main motivations of my artistic approach. Since I am passionate about soul and funk, I decided to take up the challenge of exploring these musical genres in my mother tongue.</p><p> </p><p><img alt="Photo_-_julie_kim-1507300359" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/456240/Photo_-_Julie_Kim-1507300359.jpg"></p><p> </p><p>After attending a Toronto concert of the French artist, Ben l'Oncle Soul, I realized that soul, funk and blues can be expressed with passion and eloquence in French. I intend to occupy this musical space that is at once current and everlasting. The album, that will be a testament of an important turn in my career will be sensual and organic, just like me.</p><p> </p><p><img alt="264468_10150345648099554_3257480_n-1507301312" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/456265/264468_10150345648099554_3257480_n-1507301312.jpg"></p><p> </p><p>Although this musical genre is characterized by the quest for the irresistible groove, where bass is the key ingredient, I realized that such a project would only make sense if it were expressed with original songs. Being more of a composer than a lyricist, I have passed my ideas to writers with whom I collaborated closely to create a repertoire rooted in my reality.</p><p> </p><p><img alt="15129458_10155452905794554_4747544557510244029_o-1507302115" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/456279/15129458_10155452905794554_4747544557510244029_o-1507302115.jpg"></p><p> </p><p>Within the past year, I’ve taken part in writing retreats with accomplished artists such as Janie Renée, Éric Dubeau and Anique Granger, to create a high caliber musical repertoire that resembles me. In addition, I am in contact with other authors to whom I have mandated song creations dealing with certain subjects that are close to my heart.</p><p> </p><p>The songs resulting from this work will cover a host of themes, from the inexorable passage of time, impossible love, self-esteem, indecision and the sometimes difficult choices that life imposes. In short, subjects which the audience can identify with, all the while, bearing my signature.</p><p> </p><p><strong>My objective</strong></p><p>First, I want to establish myself in the Ontario and Canadian scene, but also wish to spread beyond these markets to reach all Francophone countries.  ‘<em>The Groove</em>’, which is the base of the musical style that I will be exploring, knows no geographical boundaries; thus, my music will be able to win over new audiences.  It is my hope that my groovy musical universe will serve as my passport and open the doors to international markets.</p><p> </p><p><strong>My precious collaborator</strong></p><p>To produce the album, I want to join forces with a producer who will understand the musical genre that I want to explore. After numerous meetings, it became apparent to me, that Cécile Doo-Kingué possessed the sensitivity, the know-how and the musical background to carry out this project. A citizen of the world and a New Yorker by birth, she has lived in the United States and France, having immersed herself in two cultures that are an integral part of the sound I aspire to create; a world of which she knows all the secrets. Cécile works as a producer and arranger to evoke authentic sound universes, soliciting the contributions of old school musicians, while adding new colors to the basic musical recipe.</p><p><img alt="20901743_1547658648657633_8473993356104938303_o-1507300590" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/456246/20901743_1547658648657633_8473993356104938303_o-1507300590.jpg">  </p>