Julie Bélanger Roy- Gone in April vocals/violist
Interview conducted on Aug. 28, 2020
By Dan Locke
It is our job as artists to find beauty, hope, and strength and to share it with the world. It is our job to tell the story, as heart-wrenching as it can be, and hope that the message we send out will bloom and bring peace to a world in turmoil.
What is your upbringing?
I grew up in a suburb of Montreal in the province of Quebec, Canada. My mother was a nurse in a hospital for over 35 years, and my father was an administrator for the city of Montreal. They are now both enjoying a well-deserved retirement in the mountains. I have two siblings, an older brother, and a younger sister. Although some years were more frugal than others, we had a beautiful home and caring and devoted parents. We were taught empathy and to respect life in all its forms, the love of learning, the power of imagination, and the importance of hard work.
How did you discover music?
I don’t know if it was a discovery so much as something with which I grew up. My parents listened to singers-songwriters from Quebec, to classical music, Celtic and folk music. We rarely listened to opera though. As a child, I would make up my own songs, and would team up with my cousins and brother to build our own musicals and plays. We would force our parents to attend the shows haha! Not much has changed after all… to this day, whenever I perform in their area, my parents and siblings make it a priority to attend the show. I could not have wished for a more supportive family.
How old were you once you picked up the violin?
I was eight years old. My father had been playing for a year or two and was bringing me with him to lessons. If I behaved, I got a candy bar. I am pretty sure my love for chocolate fueled my love for violin… after I insisted on getting lessons, I received my first violin for Christmas and got started not long after.
How did you start to write music?
Around 12 years old, I was obsessed with medieval music. I would learn medieval tunes by ear and write them down on staff paper. A few years later, after transcribing a lot of music and getting used to how musical phrases are shaped, I composed my first piece, a medieval-style ballad for which my father wrote the lyrics.
What was your first performance like?
I sincerely cannot remember the very first concert… I guess I was not too nervous haha! The student recitals were often in the basement of a church, and we would alternate between violinists and pianists. I remember hearing the more advanced students thinking “I need to play like this, and soon”. I was ambitious, and I wanted to progress quickly. It is in high school that I fell in love with the stage, and that concerts became a way to communicate with the audience, as opposed to simply showing off what I had learned during the semester. That one night where I felt the energy of the public become mine and flew back to them in a perfect circle changed everything.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
The title of that medieval-style ballad is “Mélancolie”. I have it written down somewhere, but I never recorded it. Now that you mention it, I’ll have to find that music sheet and record it for posterity!
You are a singer/violinist for Märchenbilder, Gone in April, Wave Transform recording studio. And the violist for Symphony of the Mountains, Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra, and a singer for Marble City Opera. How do you have time?
As a musician, it is very hard to do only one thing and earn a living, there are not many full-time jobs for performers. A lot of us combine performance gigs of all sorts with studio work and teaching. On my end, I decided to study until I could play violin, viola and sing professionally; this way, I would be sure to find work in music. It has definitely paid off, and I cannot complain! I will admit that I never sleep as much as I would like to, but I am never bored and I love what I do!
What past project means the most to you?
Past project… I was part of an early music ensemble, La Sainte-Barbe, for about 5 years. With them, I recorded my first album and played many shows and festivals. I was the youngest of the band, only 17 years old when I joined. I learned a ton about the professional world, met incredible performers, and made so many awesome souvenirs. I definitely cherish these years.
Tell me about your new album Gone in April “Shards of Lights” which came out on September 6, 2019?
Amidst the turmoil, we need to find a safe haven where to rest. Amidst the darkness, we need to find the light. There is so much hate, destruction, and violence in the world. We witness it every day on the news, and sometimes right in front of us. Shards of Light is an invitation to focus on creation and unity, as opposed to destruction and division. It is an invitation to find the light in every situation to lift us up and continue the good fight.
What is your favorite track on the album?
That’s a very hard question! I think it depends on the day… Empire of Loss, If You Join Me, A Torch in the Night and Reign are in my top four.
How do you stay healthy while touring?
Sleep is definitely the most important thing! Of course, as a singer, I have to make sure I drink tons of water, limit alcohol, exercise and avoid speaking too loud when I am at the merch booth.
What are your feelings about streaming music?
I have mixed feelings about it… I personally love having the chance to listen to an album before buying it. I actually buy more music since it is more readily available.
On the other hand, creating an album requires so much work and is quite costly, and streaming revenues are still pretty low as we speak. I think there is still some work to do to make sure that artists receive the share they deserve, but I believe that we are on the right path.
Digital vs. vinyl?
I know I will make enemies with this answer haha!
I would say digital because of its convenience, but of the highest quality available.
What are your feelings about the social uprising going on in the United States?
Where to start… I believe in the very simple principle that we should treat each other with compassion and love, as we want to be treated ourselves. Discrimination is present everywhere: where there are humans, there is discrimination and violence. It is our duty to always strive to be better persons, to learn from each other, to admit our faults, to fight for respect and equality. I am glad that voices are finally getting heard. I think we need to listen to the voices of the minorities even more, and continue the battle against ignorance and hate.
What is the mental health situation of the United States?
2020 is definitely a trying year for everybody. I cannot speak for an entire country, but I think people are tired. Tired of the pandemic, tired of the anger displayed everywhere, and tired of the anxiety born from the unknown.
How can public help the doctors and nurses on the front line?
There are so many opinions on this virus and what should or should not be done. On my end, as the daughter of a nurse, I put my trust in the healthcare workers and follow the guidelines. In the areas where the virus is still spreading a lot, limiting social gatherings to a minimum, staying at home when possible, washing hands often, social distancing and wearing the mask are all things we can do. This is a new virus and we are still learning about it every day so I believe we should stay patient and flexible.
Do you think kids should go back to school this fall?
I think it depends on the area and the number of active cases… Some schools offer both online classes and in-person classes, and the parents get to choose what they want to do. I think that is the best setup.
You are still accepting students are you afraid?
Well, as a singer, I cannot say that I am not afraid of a virus that scars the lungs… like other musicians, I spent years working on mastering my instrument, and I would be heartbroken if a virus was to ruin all that hard work. So, I am very careful. I teach violin in person with masks in a very large room. When students come to my house for lessons, we do lessons on the covered deck with the birds and cicadas singing in the background, and my voice students are still online (I am following the guidelines of the National Association of Teachers of Singing). With all these measures, I feel safer.
What song from the past is in your mind right now?
The opening theme for the 3 Musketeers, anime version from the ’90s! “Sous le Signe Des Mousquetaires”
Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
I loved that show as a kid! One of the badass musketeers was a girl dressed as a guy haha! It reflected my tomboy temperament.
How do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
It already did so much damage… everybody involved in live performances has been affected horribly, losing a big chunk, or all their income. Lots of venues are closing.
It will take time for the industry to get over this… I nonetheless stay positive as a few countries are already starting to resume live performances.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
It was not much different from usual to be honest. The time I would usually spend performing, I spent it doing band management and composing for Gone in April, doing session work for bands (composing/recording strings or voice) and collaborating with other metal musicians. For example, in June, I was invited to collaborate with Phil Demmel (Vio-lence, BPMD, Machine Head), Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth, Soilwork), Dino Jelusick (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Marta Demmel (Bleeding Through) & Steve Di Giorgio (Death, Testament, Gone in April) for a Dio/Sabbath cover of “Falling Off the Edge of the World.” A few days ago, another collaboration on which I worked with Phil, Dino, and Martha was also released, Ozzy’s “Revelation (Mother Earth),” this time with Mike Portnoy (Sons of Apollo, BPMD, Dream Theater) on drums, and Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake) on bass.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
Unfortunately, no… I used the free time to work on marketing and on the house, which needed a little bit of love! I nonetheless spent a day here and there in the woods to relax.
95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television.
Which is your favorite streaming channel?
I used to not watch TV at all. I would sometimes rent movies on the weekend and that was it. I started to watch TV shows a lot more with the arrival of Netflix. I try to do household chores while I watch shows, this way I don’t feel guilty for being unproductive, and I get the boring stuff done without thinking about it!
How do you feel about the annual Great Battle of Bicolline this year being cancelled?
The Great Battle of Bicolline is a medieval festival held every year, which lasts for a week. You go there with a week of period costumes and enjoy the daily concerts, the campfires, the fighting contests, the banquets, and the good company. The week finishes with an epic battle with over a thousand people on each side. I have been going to this event almost every year for the last twenty years. There is a very special ambiance when the sun goes down and the torches are lit all over the village. For many of us, it is also the chance to see old friends that we don’t see often. The cancellation of the event was to be expected since there is such a big attendance, but it definitely saddens me.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
You did something called Late Night Practice. Are you planning to do anything else?
With Gone in April, we organized a Q & A, a contest and we filmed a playthrough. We released 3 playthroughs, a live video, and are currently working on more videos.
Live Nations just started Live Nation from Home. Which are concerts from artist homes. An all-new virtual music hub keeping fans connected to their favorite artists featuring daily live streams, performances, new music and more. Do you think it will be possible to make a living doing concerts this way?
I think that it would be possible for certain musicians who are very good with online marketing and social media.
For smaller bands who do not play large crowds, this is not really an issue. How do you see bands going back to smaller venues and doing things like play for the door, with no guarantees?
For bands that are not local, it will be very hard to do smaller venues with a smaller attendance. There is money that goes towards transportation (a tour bus costs around $1000/day!), towards paying the musicians who do this full time, and towards paying the crew, to name only a few of the expenses.
In addition, at the present time for a band to go on tour from one state to another they may need to self-quarantine for 14 days. How is that going to work? With Social Distance being the norm.
To be honest, I think we will have to wait for these restrictions to go away. Musicians are pretty resilient, and we are used to managing our time efficiently. A lot of us will use this time to do what we can’t do when we are performing (compose, film music videos, record and album, etc).
Do you feel that it maybe the end of music fest for the next couple of years?
At this point, it is hard to say. In the last months, we all have seen governments change their minds quite often about how to handle things, and it is totally understandable. We have a saying in French “Il n’y a que les fous qui ne changent pas d’idée” (only lunatics do not change their minds). This is a new virus and, although we know a lot more about it than we did a few months ago, we still have a lot to learn. This being said, I am hopeful that by next summer we will have a solution.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
I did not think about this option! I think that’s a great idea!
If you had to pick an opera for a first-time listener to listen to, which one would you pick for them to enjoy?
I would pick Carmen. The plot is not overly complicated, it’s exciting and passionate, and the music is beautiful.
How do you see yourself in the next five years?
That’s a good question haha! For an artist, there is never a day like the previous one, our calendars are different every day, and it is hard to plan what next year will look like. I am working towards more performances and more touring. Time will tell!
Anything you would like to say in closing?
I would like to thank you Dan, for your time and for everything you do for artists out there! I would also like to thank all the readers; you guys keep us going!
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