With a twinkle in her eye and lyrics that promise “a diamond out of every stone”, Juliagrace is a serious artist with serious appeal. The plucky mother-of-two embraces her down to earth experience with beautiful songs and sparkling wit, engaging audiences all over the globe. Playing piano and singing to packed audiences since childhood, Juliagrace’s career has spanned the genres, from her edgier days in electronica group Elevator to her more recent acoustic-tinged folk. Now, drawing on talent honed from years on the stage, she is a successful solo artist in her own right. Her debut self-titled album, released in 2005, caught the attention of music aficionados everywhere with its strong hooks and musical quirk. Garnering a New Zealand Music Award in 2006 for Best Gospel/Christian Album and four 1 hits on national Christian radio, it repeatedly features on popular Kiwi TV drama Shortland Street. Juliagrace’s iconic voice has wowed Mainstage crowds at the last four Parachute Festivals, and now resonates over a more organic sound than her previous hi-tech samples, with its raw strength and clear tone shining through. Never shy of a crowd, Juliagrace sparks with onstage banter. Her storytelling abilities and natural rapport enable her audience to feel right at home. Close to her heart are issues about loving the skin you’re in and being a woman of confidence, no matter what style, size or circumstance. Her healthy perspective has given her a regular circuit at women’s events around the world, and she has toured North America and Australia, and visited Cambodia as a World Vision Artist. Juliagrace’s gritty honesty is the anchor in each of her songs. Without flounce or flakiness, here is a songwriter who opens her arms to embrace both life’s beauty and its realities. Woven with the musical influences of Sarah McLachlan, Jewel, and a little glam from the 80s era of her early days, Juliagrace’s slice-of-life storytelling – whether in her lyrics or in an outrageous chat – is the gem that sets her apart.
