Photo by Clarize Ariza
Julie Fern
Hi, i'm Julie Fern
From humble beginnings busking at local farmers markets across Canada, Julie continues to bring to life a new vision for folk music that carries with it the presence of the ‘old days’.
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Her work reflects a gift of songwriting as a mysterious means of making peace with the pains and uplifting the joys of life. Wandering through landscapes from ages old, one can imagine her gypsy folk ditties being sung throughout long pilgrimages across wild landscapes.
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Julie is excited to share her songs and stories with new audiences. She is currently working on a collection of demo tracks in preparation for recording and release, while also applying to perform at festivals across Canada.
My Story
It started when I was a kid. I fell in love with folk music because of its storytelling nature. It was sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes heartwarming, and always so real.
On long road trips my Dad would play CD's he made for us, curating a wide variety of classics. My favourites were the Johnny Cash tunes. I remember drifting in and out of sleep as his deep, warm voice soothed me. He seemed so sincere. Even in his melancholy, it comforted me. He taught me that even the sad bits can be beautiful too.
(Maybe you've heard my remix of 'You are My Sunshine' with 'Give My Love to Rose', where I add my own line 'if you've got nothing to cry about, then you've got nothing to smile about'!').
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Other artists that imprinted on me from an early age were Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Stevie Knicks, Townes Van Zandt, Nancy Sinatra, and Neil Young. When I listened to them, I felt like I was traveling back in time and simultaneously to the future, deeply feeling things I hadn’t yet experienced. It was as if I had discovered a sonic thread, like a connective tissue between generations through song... and it was during those roadtrips, sitting in the back seat of the car barreling down the highway in the dark, when I began to tug at it.
I started writing poetry and playing piano when I was in elementary school. Eventually, I started to put ‘two and two’ together, and quickly had notebooks full of lyrics, chords, and melodies. It was only a matter of time before I picked up a guitar and learned to carry a tune, but I was (and still am, believe it or not) a pretty shy gal.
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I found myself playing music and singing in little hideaways in the forest, in my backyard, or quietly in my bedroom. It was kind of like my own little secret, and I always understood that it was my most natural state of prayer. In hard times I sang to comfort myself, in good times, to celebrate and express joy. Mostly sang for fun, because it made me happy. But sometimes when life takes a turn, and you find yourself in a dark place — the little light inside that keeps burning is the only thing you have. That light was music. It was the undeniable need to keep singing and to sing louder!
Long story short, I knew it was time to stop hiding.
These days, I am inspired by contemporary artists like Feist, First Aid Kit, Abigail Lapel, Cat Clyde, and Josephine Foster. I continue to find gems from decades past that feel like kindred spirits to me, like Tia Blake and Jean Ritchie
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If you're reading this, I hope you check out my work. Maybe you put a song of mine on a CD for your kid to listen to on the next road trip! It'd be a joy and an honour to sing to them.​