Today we’d like to introduce you to Julissa Romero.
Hi Julissa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello! Julissa Romero here but you can call me Jula. That’s the name I was coined growing up in my predominantly Cuban neighborhood. My parents fit in; they’re Cuban as well- immigrants from the Mariel boat lift in 1980. I was birthed in February 1985 in Hialeah, and I was brought up there but NOT just there. The neighboring cities are also responsible for my early development. Ahh! Those are the places where I discovered different cultural veins and grew up a melting pot hybrid of some sort.
I realized I could write before I realized I could sing and by the time, I could do it in both English and Espanol. I was placed into gifted classes in the first grade after taking first place in a statewide essay contest and testing high on my SATs. My life was deeply challenged at the time due to my parents’ divorce, but I happened to find a raggedy-old Walkman and took notice that I could quickly block out the madness. That headset brought me to my love for music and the discovery of my singing voice. A few months into being conditioned by some cassettes and the singers on them, I auditioned for the Amelia Earhart Elementary school chorus and became the soloist. That win made me feel confident enough to beg my mom to take me to audition for the Miami Choral Society which then led to my participation in an honors choir of South Florida for elementary students. Before I knew it, I was a contestant on the Young Talent Festival of Miami. All was rewarded, all was awarded. Hell, even my science projects and art projects had taken first place at the local fair! All I knew then was that I was a creator, nothing my schools career day had a description for. I knew what I could do, how much I loved it and that is all I wanted to do. If only I’d been able to keep that untarnished mentality of a child forever but the world began to seep in.
I quickly began to learn that all of this came with a price and a high one at that. I didn’t seem to fit in with my peers. I was often bullied and criticized for standing out and I soon began to feel shame for having the talents that I had. As a teenager in Hialeah Middle School, I became an introvert, and I didn’t join any clubs. I remember thinking that the glass was always half empty. I managed to make it in the honors program somehow, but I was near failing each one. I was diagnosed with feinting spells at the time too and I developed anxiety and depression that led to my exclusion from physical activities per doctors’ orders and I began to gain weight. Boys? What boys? They didn’t even look my way; it wasn’t a topic for me, and I wasn’t a topic to them. Music is all I relied on, the only thing to ever get me through. High school was pretty much the same. I finished all of my credits by the end of tenth grade where you would think someone would’ve helped me get into college or something but no, I just attended school for my electives. Ignorance was bliss, I happily stayed for those classes because in each one, I found the blissful electric pull that I felt as a child whenever I explored the arts. I was in Colorgard, Choir, Dance, and Fashion. Fashion brought out an opportunity to create some more. I wanted to use these skills to create stage attire, comfortable pieces to enhance storytelling. I proceeded to attend a private university for fashion instead of pursuing music because I felt that music was an unattainable career. These days were decorated with my first set of jobs, all pertaining to the creative industry. My favorite and the one I excelled most at was at an agency booking talent for events- knowing damn well I should be one of them. I had no idea how to jump back to the other side, but I was slowly starting to come back to my primitive instincts.
Finally, that beautiful moment in time. I made a comeback to the stage wearing a costume made by me, mic in my hand. I had auditioned to be in an employee talent show at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino about 4 years after being employed by them. I aced it and now flyers were going out announcing the audition finalists and prospective performers. I worked with the winners year after year and I couldn’t muster the strength to enter the competition till then. For the three years that followed, I was taking home prizes. First 3rd, then 2nd and finally first place- first place locally and then first place statewide. My talent and love for the arts was undeniable. That’s the last year they did those shows but the first year that I came back to my craft. There was just no way I could win all of this by singing one person’s song. What would happen if I wrote, sang, and performed my own?
The earth has circled close to 10 times since and many more events have come about. I have lived under countless different circumstances including an awfully abusive relationship where I was almost made to believe that I was nothing at all. It took everything in me to remind myself who I knew I was and fight for what I knew I could do all while safely making an exit. I woke up one day about halfway into 33 and decided to leave that toxicity behind but with that, I also left my livelihood, my apartment, my friends and connections, pretty much anything I had at all in the pursuit of doing what I love without being found, belittled or detained. All that was put on me to break me only gassed my desire to fulfill my dreams even more. Again, music saves me and in appreciation for all it has ever done for my existence, I ought to give the world exactly what I was put on it to do.
From the day that I left my old life till this very day, I have been a performer, a singer-songwriter, a stage wardrobe designer and creator, a voice-over talent, and the proud owner of my own music label and publishing through which all of my work is stamped with my seal. Now that I know that nothing is impossible, I’m coming for more, I am coming for everything!
Find everything JULAA/ Jula Rome at BOCAMIAMUSIC.COM.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road, but I can see that the obstacles have been a set of lessons in preparation for a successful career.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a singer-songwriter for the most part. That goes with subtitles such as rapper, performer, dancer, stage costume designer, voice-over talent, dancer, and music label, and publishing founder as they all hold part in the grand scheme of my career.
I am known for- local singer, winning competitions, voice over talent for Miami (and Latino) political ads, writing for artists, starting my own brand, writing and producing my own songs and music videos, creating costumes, performance, music on digital platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Amazon Music, Tidal, iTunes Store, Deezer, YouTube, and SoundCloud.
I am most proud of- Having the rights to everything that I create. Working a regular job (bartender) to blow life into my envisioned projects and exceeding my own expectations.
Things that set me apart from others: Discipline- Hard work + Showing up, taking opportunities, consistency, God-given talent, two languages, musical fusions of both worlds- English and Spanish trends, Bilingual songs.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Personality: Phases of extroversion/ introversion, artistic, intelligent, troubled.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bocamiamusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialjulaa
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialjulaa
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/officialjulaa
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JULAAOFFICIAL
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@officialjulaa
Image Credits
Rolando Romero Jr.
Miguel Navarro
