The latest FEISTY Artist Playlist comes from Julia Bardo, the singer-songwriter that’s just released her debut EP Phase.
Wichita signee Julia’s first Extended Play was co-produced with The Orielles’ Henry Carlyle Wade and features four passionate and personal songs that will appeal to fans of Angel Olsen and PJ Harvey, including the standout single Please Don’t Tell Me.
Fiery newcomer Julia originally hails from Italy and was formerly a member of previous FEISTY Likes picks Working Men’s Club, before pursuing music on a solo basis in order to gain full independence and creative control.
Julia is currently in the middle of a series of UK headline dates – with performances in Manchester, Liverpool, York, London, Sheffield and Halifax still to come – but took time out to curate the latest FEISTY Artist Playlist.
For Julia’s 11-track playlist, encompassing 10 tracks by other artists plus one of her own, she’s selected a range of broadly older music, reflecting her own vintage influences.
She describes her music taste as “pretty eclectic and wide”, with Nancy Sinatra, Sufjan Stevens and Sonic Youth coinciding with the likes of Wire, The Velvet Underground and Cate Le Bon.
She told us: “I grew up mostly listening to 60s and 70s music, mostly due to my parents, and I’ve loved that music ever since.
“My dad used to love jazz too, so we used to listen to loads of that together, but I also used to have a studio room where I would do my homework, but mostly where I used to dress up, sing and dance to hip-hop and R&B music!”
On how she prefers to listen to music, she added: “If I want to really listen to an album and perceive every sound and feeling, I put my headphones on, lie on the bed, turn off the lights and let the music carry me somewhere else.”
Read on for Julia’s picks, or head straight for the music and check out all of the tracks she selected on the Spotify playlist here.
Nico
I’ll Keep It With Mine
Julia says: “I am in love with Nico’s voice and her music, and this is a beautiful, sweet song. It was written by Bob Dylan so there’s poetry there.”
Taken from: Chelsea Girl, October 1967
Follow Nico: Spotify
Ornella Vanoni
Quando Arrivi Tu
Julia says: “One of the best Italian love songs. I used to listen to the album with my parents when I was younger.
“I recently showed this song to my boyfriend and he fell in love with it, especially because I am teaching him Italian every now and then, meaning he can understand the lyrics.”
Taken from: Una Ragione Di Più / Quando Arrivi Tu (single), 1969
Follow Ornella Vanoni: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Spotify
Julia Jacklin
Don’t Know How to Keep Loving You
Julia says: “Every time I listen to it, I get goosebumps. With her voice she could literally sing the advert song of Calgon and I would probably feel emotional!”
Taken from: Crushing, February 2019
Follow Julia Jacklin: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Spotify
PJ Harvey
Beautiful Feeling (feat. Thom Yorke)
Julia says: “PJ Harvey is one of my biggest inspirations. ‘Sometimes I can see for miles, through water and fire. From England to America, I feel life meet my eyes…'”
Taken from: Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea, October 2000
Follow PJ Harvey: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Spotify
Cat Power
The Greatest
Julia says: “A heartbreaking song. It gets me all the time, the lyrics are so powerful and I can relate so much to them.”
Taken from: The Greatest, January 2006
Follow Cat Power: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Spotify
Harry Nilsson
Everybody’s Talkin’
Julia says: “I think it’s one of the best songs ever written and interpreted. There’s so many feelings and so much relatability in the lyrics.”
Taken from: Aerial Ballet, July 1968
Follow Harry Nilsson: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Spotify
Anna Karina
Roller Girl
Julia says: “Anna Karina has been one of my icons for a long time. She plays characters in many of my favourite films. The first time I watched Une femme est une femme and Alphaville I fell in love with her and French New Wave.”
Taken from: Anna, 1967
Follow Anna Karina: Facebook • Spotify
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood
Some Velvet Morning
Julia says: “This is a track from one of the best records ever, Nancy & Lee.
“I would say that my music taste is pretty eclectic and wide. It goes from Nancy Sinatra, to Destiny’s Child, to Le Tigre, but then I also love Sonic Youth, Delta 5, Sufjan Stevens and Cate Le Bon.”
Taken from: Nancy & Lee, March 1968
Follow Nancy Sinatra: Spotify
Patti Smith Group
Because the Night
Julia says: “Patti Smith is an amazing artist, poet and she is a beautiful human being. I went to see her two years ago by myself and it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.”
Taken from: Easter, March 1978
Follow Patti Smith: Facebook • Instagram • Spotify
Talking Heads
This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
Julia says: “I started listening to Talking Heads when I moved to Manchester. I used to love Psycho Killer when I was younger but their discography is so vast that I’ve found so many beautiful songs from them.
I am very attached to this song. It’s one of the first songs I danced to with my boyfriend at the beginning of our relationship. The first time we danced together, we danced for hours and this was the last song of the evening. It made me feel so emotional and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life.”
Taken from: Speaking in Tongues, June 1983
Follow Talking Heads: Facebook • Instagram • Spotify
Julia Bardo
I Wanna Feel Love
Julia says: “I was in a relationship that didn’t work for me. I felt like I’d lost my inspiration, and I started to think: ‘Is this how I want my life to be? Is my life over at 24? Is this really the way I want to be loved?’
“So I started to write about the way I see love. I’ve always wanted to feel special for someone, I’ve always wanted a fiery, intense, passionate love. And eventually I got it.”
Taken from: Phase EP, March 2020
Follow Julia: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Spotify
Julia Bardo’s debut EP Phase was released on Friday 6 March via Wichita Recordings.
