I had the pleasure of attending the first Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas last year. All in one weekend I got to see big names like Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, etc. However, I think my biggest take-away was getting to see a local duo, Jill & Julia, on the side stage. Turns out that was all just apart of their very, very busy year!
Jill & Julia have the distinction of looking similar to another country music duo of blondes that broke out in 2014, but that is where all comparisons stop. These sisters are destined for big things because they have talent to back up their looks. They aren’t just pretty faces with another pop song, no, they have their own sound!
Their first EP was released in 2014, with the wonderfully unique (as in, not the type of song you hear on country radio) song titled “Wildfire” released as a single. The title track off their new album Cursed, continues that trend, solidifying their sound. “Cursed” has a slightly darker tone to it, in name and in arrangement.
Jill & Julia are yet another example of why we need to turn off country radio and find the real talent out there.
The entire EP has this duo’s signature sound, a sound they began carving out on their first EP. From originals to covers, Jill & Julia own each song. Case in point, listen to their stripped down version of “Achy Breaky Heart”. When I first read this song was included I honestly thought it was a weird choice. A two-decade old fad that, as successful as it was, is now a blemish on the genre as a whole. However, like I said, the girls own it. The line “achy, breaky heart” has a whole new meaning here because all of the “cheesiness” has been removed and what’s left is straight up somber. If a listener had been living under a rock for 20 years or so and had never heard this song, they would swear this is how it is supposed to be sung!
Meet Country 