The story of New York-based singer-songwriter Julia Klot begins when she was only six years old. Klot was a curious child who loved music, and naturally gravitated towards the piano. Having her parents’ full support, they flagged down a music teacher who lived in the same building to offer her some lessons.
“My parents hooked it up,” she chuckles.
The piano lessons continued throughout Klot’s childhood and teenage years. Simultaneously, she started writing songs, and was given her first studio session as an 11th birthday gift.
“I probably recorded 10 songs, and the recording studio had their own independent label,” she recalls. “They invited me to come back to do album with them… which was crazy to me. I think I was 13 when that happened. I was just this little 13-year-old going into the studio and there was this professional producer I was working with, professional engineers, session musicians… it was a really cool experience.”
The entire experience inspired Klot to continue releasing music. After finishing and releasing her first album in 2014, she became no stranger to the stage at The Bitter End in New York City, seizing every opportunity she had to share her work with a crowd. When listeners tune into a song by Julia Klot, they can expect to met with an image of the young musician sharing an intimate moment with her piano. Time flew by, and plenty of songs penned by Klot arrived. But after releasing her 2021 EP Ghost, Klot wanted to steer her sonic ship in a slightly different direction.
Klot’s latest single “Boxing Gloves” has been two years in the making, and takes on a radiant, funk-inspired sound.
“I feel like a lot of my stuff before this song was very singer-songwriter,” she says. “It still had a full band sound, but it wasn’t quite as well thought out as with this new genre that I’m kind of going into.”
“Boxing Gloves” was inspired by a friendship that increasingly became one-sided for Klot.
Klot spilled, “I wrote the song about someone I was good friends with. I really felt that I gave my all to this friendship, and the same energy wasn’t really returned. It became a really emotionally draining experience where a lot of negativity went into my direction. I eventually decided it would be best to take a step from the friendship and re-evaluate it, then I decided it would be best for us to go our separate ways. I kind of wrote this song in the heat of that moment, when I came to that realization. One of my lyrics is literally, ‘I don’t want to be your enemy, but I don’t take your push-and-shove.’ That was just me saying I didn’t want to be on bad terms with this person, but I just didn’t want to deal with this anymore.”
“Boxing Gloves” was a true labor of love from Klot and a classmate, who helped aide her production process. As she continues to celebrate its release, she looks forward to being able to get back on stage – something that wasn’t quite possible in the beginning stages of the song. She’s also excited to simply keep on releasing music.
“I think people are really going to like it,” Klot says. “I think it’s the next step for my sound.”
Listen to “Boxing Gloves” below, and keep up with Julia Klot on Instagram @juliaklot!
