Imagine the kind of music that you would hear on a Hawaiian beach in the summer and what you would hear at a rock music festival. Although they both entertain the listeners, the two genres would be completely different in style. Julien May, also known as Julien Martre, is an artist who has pursued music of very opposite styles, which is successfully reflected on his first solo album, “Morning Sunshine”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Born in Montreal, Canada, May first started his musical career as a backing vocalist and bassist in the band “The New Cities”. His talent in songwriting contributed to the success of the group, as he helped write some songs for the band’s first album, “Lost in City Lights”, and their second album, “Kill the Lights”. The New Cities was quite successful, winning the SOCAN Pop/Rock award for most radio spins and a Juno nomination for Best New Group in 2009.

 

The New Cities is definitely a band that sparked Julien’s passion for music, and where Julien first stood out as a talented individual. However, members of rock bands do not always share the same musical preferences. The band wanted to pursue electro-rock, but May was more interested in a sentimental, easy-going type of music. Thus, he went out on his own and recorded the Morning Sunshine, on which listeners can instantly feel the simplicity of the sound and relaxing lyrics that make it a perfect soundtrack for a refreshing morning. 

 

May said he gets his inspiration from things that other people might consider very random. It is quite surprising that a bassist in an electric rock band would be so inspired by the atmosphere of an island called Barbados and go right onto the creation of an album. He is also equipped with an open mind and even an eagerness to go beyond his current boundaries. May does this to create something simple that can help him escape from the status quo. In short, he needed variety and eventually put it into his music.

 

His having a publishing deal with Universal Publishing Group, which has allowed him to co-write songs with several studio savants, proves he is an experienced and facile song writer. Apart from that, his ceaseless creativity and willingness to express is what drives his creations. He comes up with three to four song ideas a week, or sometimes one idea a day, he said. The scribble work that he does in his notebook is the basic element that builds the themes of his folk songs.

 

Listen to his song The Morning Sunshine once, and you will notice how you can imagine enjoying the fresh air in the morning or the summery breeze in the late afternoon. Remember, such sentiment came from a man who used to rock and roll on stage, but now Julien May is at home with a new, mellow acoustic sound.