Filipina R&B singer-songwriter and producer Denise Julia is well on her way to establishing herself as a global artist, and her impressive momentum continues with the upcoming release of her new EP, LOVE AGAIN.
The six-track project releases tomorrow, July 23, made up of the silky-smooth R&B tracks, fueled by Y2K-era grooves, dynamic lyricism and the luscious vocals that put Denise on the map. She’s no stranger to viral hits and TikTok fame, and even spent three months in a row as the most-streamed Filipina artist on Spotify, and she’s destined for even bigger things with the release of these new songs. We had the pleasure of catching up with Denise to learn all about the tale behind the EP, and how learning to “love again” isn’t just about romance after heartbreak, but finding passion and enthusiasm for life after losing touch with what sparks joy within yourself. Read our full interview with the star below.
Sweety High: What does the EP title LOVE AGAIN mean to you? Why did that name feel like the perfect way to sum up this project?
Denise Julia: Before we landed on LOVE AGAIN, we were going back and forth with titles that had a lot to do with change, movement, being in transit and growing into a new version of yourself.
I was in this strange in-between place where a dream I had prayed for was finally happening, but I was also realizing how heavy a dream can feel once it’s become real.
Moving to the States had always been one of my biggest dreams. I worked so hard to get here, and I am so grateful for it, but doing it alone came with a lot of things I did not expect. The way people communicated was more direct, more blunt and more fast-paced than what I was used to. I felt like I had to keep up with everything while quietly trying not to lose myself in the process. For a while I did not always feel understood while also carrying a lot mentally and emotionally behind the scenes.
I think people see the music, the visuals, the performances and the beautiful parts of this job, but they do not always see what it takes out of you. They do not always see the the parts of yourself you have to protect while your life and your work are being perceived by other people. I felt so disconnected from the things that used to make me feel alive, including music. I was questioning my purpose, my relationship with creating and whether I could feel excited about life again. I think when you go through a season like that, love starts to mean something much deeper than romance. It becomes about learning how to care again, how to hope again, how to create again and how to believe that there is still something beautiful waiting for you after everything that tried to take that feeling away.
Then Shy brought up the idea of taking one of the song titles and letting that represent the whole project. LOVE AGAIN just had a ring to it, and the more we sat with it, the more it felt like the right title.
To me, LOVE AGAIN is not just about finding romantic love again. It is about finding love for life again, for creating, for passion, for myself and for the things that make me feel alive. This project came after a lot of self-searching and growth, so the title felt like the simplest way to say everything I was experiencing at the time.
(Photo credit: Sam Balaban)
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SH: What do you feel are the overarching themes of the EP? What kind of feelings do you hope fans take away from it?
DJ: The EP tells a full story from start to finish. It begins with the “I’m too good for this” stage after a breakup, then moves through grief, acceptance, setting new standards, opening yourself up to love again, getting caught up in the excitement of something new, the little bit of toxicity that can come with it, lust and then somehow ending up back at the beginning. That is really what LOVE AGAIN is about to me. It is the cycle of loving, losing, learning and still choosing to do it all over again. I hope fans take away the feeling that love is not always linear. Sometimes healing still comes with desire but confusion, confidence with softness and sometimes even messiness. I wanted the project to feel like the whole whirlwind story of romance in one listen.
SH: How would you describe the EP’s sound? Production-wise, how did you go about bringing these tracks to life? Were there any specific sounds you experimented with or instruments that really capture what the project is all about?
DJ: This EP feels more leveled up, more intentional and more mature than anything I have made before. Every track was made with a lot of love, care, and purpose from the very beginning. I was writing from a very honest place and really trying to capture what I was feeling and learning during those specific moments. It feels more grown. There are retro R&B influences, mixed with more contemporary production choices. Working with different producers really helped shape the world of the project. I wanted every song to have its own feeling, but still sound like it belonged in the same story.
SH: How do these songs represent where you are in life right now and your evolution as an artist so far? Was there anything about writing it that helped you understand yourself better?
DJ: These songs represent a version of me that is more honest, more intentional and less afraid to be seen. Moving to a different country pushed me to grow up in a lot of ways, not just as an artist, but as a person. I had to sit with myself, rebuild my relationship with music, and figure out what I really wanted to say.
Writing this EP helped me understand that I am not only writing from heartbreak anymore. I am writing from the version of myself that exists after it. There is still vulnerability, but there is also more self-awareness and freedom. I think this project shows me stepping into a more mature side of my artistry, both lyrically and sonically.
(Photo credit: Sam Balaban)
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SH: What’s your favorite song on the EP? Why?
DJ: My favorite song on the EP is “TREAT ME RIGHT.” From a production standpoint, I have always wanted to make a groovy song like that, but my favorite part of creating it was really the writing.
I wanted to be forward about what I want from a future partner, how I want to be loved, the boundaries I have learned to create over time and the standards I now set for my relationships. To me, the song is about knowing what you deserve and not being afraid to say it. I hope it also reminds my listeners that being treated right should be the bare minimum, not something they have to beg for.
SH: Is there anything else we should know about you or the EP right now?
DJ: I am in a mental space where creating and expressing myself are my top priorities. Moving to a different country has pushed me to grow into a better, more mature version of myself, and I think this EP reflects that. With LOVE AGAIN, I really just want listeners to have a full experience. I want to take them through the highs, lows, vulnerability and honesty that come with love and with opening yourself up again. It is an EP about the life cycle of a relationship, but more than that, it is about the courage it takes to keep choosing love after every version of it has changed you.
(Photo credit: Sam Balaban)
Listen to LOVE AGAIN here:
For even more on the star, click HERE to discover everything Denise Julia shared with us as our Woman Crush Wednesday.
